The Community Arts Mentorship Program announced as recipient of the inaugural Downie - Wenjack Blanket Fund Capacity Building Grant
The Community Arts Mentorship Program (C.A.M.P.) in Saskatchewan has been awarded a substantial grant through the Oshki Wupoowane | The Blanket Fund's Capacity Building Grant, marking a significant milestone for Indigenous-led initiatives in the province.
The Blanket Fund, initiated with a generous $1 million investment from Hudson's Bay Foundation, has pledged to direct 100% of net proceeds from the sale of HBC Point Blankets to support Indigenous communities. Through an innovative participatory granting process, the recipients of the first round of Capacity Building funding were selected, empowering Indigenous organizations to direct resources where they are most needed.
The Community Arts Mentorship Program based in Saskatoon, has been granted $175,000 per year for four years to enhance its capacity, networks, programs, and profile. This funding will enable the organization to expand its reach and impact, supporting grassroots Indigenous arts and cultural practices while nurturing the next generation of Indigenous leaders.
For more information about The Community Arts Mentorship Program, please visit www.campsaskarts.com
About The Community Arts Mentorship Program:
Co-founded in 2020 by Eliza Doyle (Settler, Juno-winner) and Holly Yuzicapi (Standing Buffalo, Knowledge Keeper), CAMP has worked to provide music education, mentorship, lessons and experiences in remote and under-served communities in Saskatchewan. This helps strengthen communities and rebuild the intergenerational connections lost through colonization and the residential school system, the 60’s scoop, lateral violence, and addictions. CAMP focuses on mentoring community members in self confidence, identity formation and how-to-teach, which builds local capacity and sustains programming within. Additionally, to fill teaching positions in the province, Saskatchewan musicians are trained in how to work in the school and community environment in a trauma-informed and culturally-sensitive approach. Currently, CAMP works with 8 communities, offering 10 different programs: Hip Hop Collaboration, Fiddle Teacher Mentorship, Music Teacher Mentorship, Trauma & Cultural-Sensitivity Training (TACT), Girls Rock Camp, Youth Music Camps, Northern Lights Bluegrass Music Camp & Festival Partnership, Music Curriculum Development and Doylefest.
About Hudson's Bay Foundation:
Hudson's Bay Foundation is a registered charity, working to address racial inequality by investing in education, employment and empowerment opportunities for Indigenous Peoples, Black People and People of Colour. In 2021, Hudson's Bay Foundation launched Hudson's Bay Foundation Charter for Change, committing $30 million over 10 years to accelerate racial equity in communities across Canada. By partnering with organizations doing critical work under its three pillars, Hudson's Bay Foundation provides funding for programs and initiatives driving meaningful and sustainable change.
About Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund:
Inspired by Chanie's story and Gord's call to build a better Canada, the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund aims to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Our goal is to improve the lives of Indigenous people by building awareness, education, and connections between all peoples in Canada. Learn more at DownieWenjack.ca.
