2023 Fall & Winter Workshop Series

The poster for the 2023 fall and winter workshop series.

Aanmitaagzi is back with another series of community-engaged workshops for the 2023 Fall & Winter season! The workshops are part of our current project, ALL MY R(el)ATIONS, which explores and examines the themes of relationality and resource capacity/scarcity. Through them we will be gathering, creating, and developing stories, installation materials, and performance pieces that will feed into the larger project and future presentations.

The workshops are free to attend and no experience is necessary. All ages are welcome except where noted.

Click here to download a printable 2023 Fall workshop calendar.

2023 Fall & Winter Workshop Series

All Ages Making with Sherry Guppy – Tuesdays, 3:30 – 5:15 pm
A multi-arts drop-in class for artists of all ages. Materials will be provided.

Dance with Penny Couchie – Tuesdays, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
Contemporary dance and movement explorations to unleash our power and creativity.

Nishinaabemwin with Blair Beaucage – Wednesdays, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Fun and easy Nishinaabemwin language classes for learners of all ages and abilities.

NOTE: The Nishinaabemwin workshops will take place at Big Medicine Studio on November 7, November 22, and December 6, and at the Garden Village Community Hall on November 15, November 29, and December 13.

Elders’ Storytelling Luncheons – Thursdays, 12:00 – 2:30 pm
Have some lunch and an extra helping of stories and conversations with local Elders and knowledge keepers every Thursday afternoon at Big Medicine Studio.

Comedic Improv with Sid Bobb & Michaela Washburn – Thursdays, 4:00 – 6:00 pm Comedic improv is a great way to release your inner storyteller and have some fun! It teaches you how to think on your feet and work collaboratively while honing your listening skills and group awareness. In this workshop, participants will engage in improv ice breakers, exercises, and games while exploring principles of play, spontaneity, and listening. This workshop is for Ages 12 and up.

Yoga & Dance with Animikiikwe Couchie-Waukey – Thursdays, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
The focus of these classes will be to build on our strengths and knowledge of our bodies, and gain freedom of motion, so that we can play and have fun. No yoga or dance experience necessary.

For more information, please contact Sid or Penny at aanmitaagzi@gmail.com or (705) 474-2227.

ASAP 2023 Culminating Presentation

Poster for "Lies, Second Tries, and Butterflies" for August 25th

Please join us on August 25th @ 7 pm for the culmination of this year’s Summer Arts Program with a remounted presentation of Lies, Second Tries, and Butterflies. The original work was developed through a 3-week intensive collaboration with the participants in our 2023 Summer Arts Program, with invited guests from the Centre for Indigenous Theatre (CIT), and Aanmitaagzi’s company artists. The stories and dance pieces developed by our youth participants and artists for the first performance on August 3rd have been further developed and expanded over the last three weeks for this culminating performance.

The performance is free to attend, and all are welcome. For more information, please contact us at (705) 474-2227 or aanmitaagzi@gmail.com.

Aanmitaagzi wishes to acknowledge the generous support of the Government of Canada, through the Canada Summer Jobs Program and the Young Canada Works Program, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Ontario Arts Council for this year’s Summer Arts Program.

Lies, Second Tries, and Butterflies – Aug 3rd @7 pm

Please join us on August 3rd @ 7 pm for Lies, Second Tries, and Butterflies, a series of stories and dance performance collaboratively created and performed by the participants in our 2023 Summer Arts Program, with invited guests from the Centre for Indigenous Theatre (CIT), and Aanmitaagzi’s company artists. The work was developed through a 3-week intensive collaboration with CIT at Big Medicine Studio.

The performance is free to attend, and all are welcome. For more information, please contact us (705) 474-2227 or aanmitaagzi@gmail.com.

Aanmitaagzi wishes to acknowledge the generous support of the Government of Canada, through the Canada Summer Jobs Program and the Young Canada Works Program, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Ontario Arts Council for this year’s Summer Arts Program.

2023 Summer Employment Opportunity

Documentation from our 2022 ASAP presentation at the Fabulous Festival of Fringe Film.

2023 SUMMER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Aanmitaagzi is currently seeking applicants aged 15 – 30 for it’s 2023 Summer Arts Program. The deadline to apply is June 16, 2023. Full details can be found below.

Job title: Youth Arts Intern
Number of positions: 16
Length of contract: 8 weeks
Hours per week: 35
Hourly wage: $16.00
Start date: July 4, 2023
Location: Big Medicine Studio – 161 Couchie Memorial Dr., North Bay, ON

Deadline to apply: June 16, 2023

Background:

Aanmitaagzi is an Indigenous multi-disciplinary artist-run company based in Nipissing First Nation. Linked to provincial, national, and international networks, we are committed to fostering a vibrant arts community through community-engaged projects that promote well-being, strengthen relationships with the land, and incorporate intergenerational approaches and methodologies. We combine art making, education, professional development & social activism through contemporary and customary arts, nurturing historic Indigenous arts practices and exploring how these practices can be carried forward in a meaningful contemporary context.

Every year, we run an annual summer arts program that gives Indigenous youth the opportunity to learn from and work with respected Indigenous arts professionals and Elders. This year’s Summer Arts Program (ASAP) will take place from July 4 – August 25, 2023. Over the eight weeks of the program, our lead artists and invited guest artists will work with the youth participants, providing training in areas such as storytelling and creation, acting, dancing, movement, voice, singing, drumming, visual and installation art, as well as customary Indigenous arts practices and cultural teachings. Through art making and ensemble building, the youth and artists will collaboratively create a performance work that incorporates elements of dance/theatre as well as arts installations for public presentation, and engages with our most recent arts initiative, All My R(el)ations. The public presentation will take place on August 11, 2023.

Tasks and responsibilities:

The Youth Arts Interns will receive on the job training in a variety of artistic disciplines such as traditional and non-traditional storytelling, acting, theatre, dance, voice, puppetry, visual art, installation art, and customary Indigenous arts practices. They will further develop their communications and interpersonal skills and learn the fundamental aspects of event planning and delivery, production management, and outreach and marketing. They will also participate in the creation and delivery of workshops, events, activities, and presentations that will be open to the public.

Specific duties will include:

  • Working with Aanmitaagzi staff, guest artists, and community members under the supervision of the Co-Artistic Directors
  • Working with and receiving mentorship from arts professionals, Elders, and cultural knowledge keepers in a variety of disciplines
  • Working collaboratively to create work for public presentation
  • Participating in other arts events, festivals, and community engagement activities the organization engages in
  • Communicating with community members, elders, and peers for the purposes of coordination and outreach
  • Supporting services to community members and facilitating engagement between youth and Elders
  • Promoting, supporting, and helping to coordinate the organization’s events and activities

In addition, the youth will be responsible for helping to maintain a safe and organized workspace, following established schedules, and completing assigned tasks in a timely fashion, and fostering a positive, creative, and respectful work environment.

Eligibility:

These positions are funded through federal employment programs. To be eligible for employment, youth must:

  • be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment
  • be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment
  • have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations
  • be fluent in English

Ideal candidates:

The ideal candidates for this job position are full-time secondary or post-secondary Indigenous youth pursuing a career in the arts (e.g. dance, theatre, fine arts, etc.) or Indigenous studies, however candidates no longer in school or pursuing careers in related fields (e.g. arts administration, health & wellness programs, social work, etc.) will also be considered.

Application Process:

Interested applicants are asked to send their resumes and a brief cover letter explaining why they are interested in participating in our summer arts program to aanmitaagzi@gmail.com by June 16, 2023. Only applicants selected for interview will be contacted.

For more information, please contact Sid Bobb, Co-Artistic Director, by phone at (705) 474-2227 or by email at aanmitaagzi@gmail.com.

This year’s Summer Arts Program is generously supported by the Government of Canada (Canada Summer Jobs & Young Canada Works), the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Ontario Arts Council.