This document is a report on a series of consultations that were held in 2007 with Aboriginal artists, arts administrators, elders, youth and other community members. It is part of the Aboriginal Arts Research Initiative (AARI) which has been established in order to plan and undertake research which will support and inform the Canada Council’s Aboriginal Arts Action Plan (AAAP).

The AARI is being conducted with the input and support of Aboriginal communities. The term “Aboriginal” is used as an inclusive term referring to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The initiative has been developed by the consultant in collaboration with the Canada Council’s Research Office and Aboriginal Arts Office.

One of the larger objectives of the AAAP, and thus the AARI, is to measure the impact of the arts on Aboriginal communities and the broader impact of Aboriginal arts in Canada and internationally. It was felt that before this impact can be fully understood and measured, it is first essential to better understand both the significance and the specificities of Aboriginal arts practices in Canada.