Cultural exchange opportunity for Māori artists in Canada

New cultural exchange opportunity for Māori artists in Canada – apply now

A new initiative will give contemporary Māori dancers and writers a chance to develop their arts practice at one of the world’s largest arts and creativity incubators.

Over the next two years Canada’s Banff Centre – renowned for commissioning, supporting and producing new creative works – will reserve one spot for a Māori artist in each of their indigenous dance and writing residency programmes.

This opportunity, funded by Creative New Zealand as part of their Cultural Exchange Programme, will see the selected Māori artists share the special experience with other indigenous artists from various backgrounds and nations.

“We have worked with our friends at The Banff Centre to create this opportunity so tangata whenua can exchange their artistic skill and cultural knowledge with other first nation peoples and develop ongoing partnerships,” says Cath Cardiff, Creative New Zealand’s Senior Manager Arts Policy, Capability and International.

“We hope it will also open up new opportunities for New Zealand artists, in particular Māori, to develop their practice and to present their work to international audiences.”

“We are sincerely grateful for this partnership with Creative New Zealand, and we look forward to working together over the next two years in support of strong and vibrant Indigenous arts communities in Canada, New Zealand, and around the world,” says Sandra Laronde, Director of Indigenous Arts at The Banff Centre.

“Indigenous Arts at The Banff Centre is proud to continue to reach across Canada to communities around the world, inspiring programmes and creative residencies in disciplines including music, dance and choreography, visual and digital arts, and writing.”

The Indigenous Dance Residency (NZD$10,285) is a four-week intensive programme which involves daily classes as well as creating a new choreographic work that will be performed as part of the Banff Summer Arts Festival at The Banff Centre.

The Indigenous Writing Programme (NZD$12,125) comprises two weeks of writing time at The Banff Centre and 10 weeks working online from home or work space with a mentor (editor). The resident writer will receive one-on-one editorial feedback with the faculty, and present an excerpt of their work alongside award-winning faculty writers in a reading and spoken word series at The Banff Centre. Preference will be given to playwrights in 2014.

The residencies will be offered once a year in 2014 and 2015 in a pilot run.

Applications for this year’s Indigenous Writing Programme close on 1 May 2014and on 10 May 2014 for the Indigenous Dance Residency. Artists should apply directly to The Banff Centre.

For more information and how to apply, please visit The Banff Centre website: http://www.banffcentre.ca/indigenous-arts/

ENDS

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