Tag: Culture

Saskatchewan Multicultural Week

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The Government of Saskatchewan, Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan (MCoS), and many municipalities celebrate Saskatchewan Multicultural Week from November 18-26 as an opportunity to recognize our diversity, the benefits of multiculturalism, and demonstrate the five streams of multicultural work that are at the basis of our ongoing efforts at creating communities where everyone feels a sense of belonging and is able to fully contribute.

This year’s theme – “Celebrate Community, Honour Diversity, Act for Equity” encourages us to share and celebrate stories of community, diversity and equity that enrich Saskatchewan communities.

The Saskatchewan Multiculturalism Act, recognizes the rights of every community to retain its identity, language and traditional arts and sciences for the mutual benefit of all citizens. MCoS further promotes the need to address racism and injustice, and to celebrate our diversity as collective strength in building welcoming and inclusive communities.

Learn more about the week’s activities on spra.sk.ca.

Culture Days – a celebration of arts, culture and creativity

Culture Days is a national celebration of arts, culture and creativity that takes place each Fall. Its aim is to raise awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities. With the support of volunteer groups at the national, provincial and local levels, hundreds of thousands of artists, cultural workers, organizations and groups, volunteers and supporters self-mobilize to host free participatory public activities that take place in hundreds of cities and towns throughout the country each fall.

Culture Days in 2024 will take place Sept. 20 – Oct. 13.

Culture Days Saskatchewan on Instagram

Visit saskculture.ca to find out how you can get involved.

SaskCulture collaborates on new funding program for BPOC artists

To help ensure that Saskatchewan’s Black and People of Colour (BPOC) communities had access to arts funding that met their needs, a partnership of funding agencies collaborated with community members to discuss, design and deliver the new Building Equity in the Arts funding program. The new funding program, launched October 24, was created by the community and breaks down barriers to new and important arts opportunities.

Funding partners, SK Arts, SaskCulture and the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan (MCoS) collaborated with members of the BPOC community to develop this new funding program. The new program aims to attract artists, collective groups and art leaders of African, Black, Asian, Latin American, Caribbean and Middle Eastern descent. The new program has two deadlines annually — February 1 and July 1 — and provides funding of up to $5,000 in funding to individual applicants.

Specifically designed to reach new members of the BPOC community, the program requires applicants to have previously accessed no more than $10,000 of SK Arts funding eligible under this stream. Organizations are also ineligible.

The Building Arts Equity program, funded by SK Arts and Sask Lotteries, is the second participatory grant-making program to be launched by SK Arts this year.

Learn more about the grant on saskculture.ca

Renewed lottery agreement benefits Saskatchewan communities

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This afternoon, the Government of Saskatchewan, Sask Sport, SaskCulture and the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association signed a renewed lottery distribution agreement, continuing a longstanding and successful partnership.

The renewed agreement guarantees that proceeds from lottery ticket sales will continue to support sport, culture and recreation across the province for the next six years. Saskatchewan has authorized lottery tickets to be used as a dedicated fundraiser for sport, culture and recreation since 1974.

“Lottery funding ultimately touches every person in our province, whether it’s getting active in sports and recreational activities, experiencing the creative arts, or participating in cultural events that celebrate our diversity,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Laura Ross said. “These programs are made possible through our partners and a vast network of community volunteers, who deliver experiences that help make Saskatchewan the best places to live, work and raise a family.”  

Funding from Sask Lotteries benefits over 12,000 sport, culture and recreation groups throughout the province. For the 2022-23 fiscal year, approximately $60 million from the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund was granted to organizations across Saskatchewan.

“On behalf of Sask Sport and its volunteers, I am grateful for the continued partnership of a lottery agreement with the Government of Saskatchewan,” Sask Sport Chair Michael Rogers said. “As a parent and participant in sport, every day I see how the funds generated through the agreement benefit Saskatchewan residents and positively impacts communities. A multi-year agreement gives stability for planning for all beneficiary groups to continue creating opportunities that make Saskatchewan vibrant for everyone.”

“Lottery funding is so important to ensuring that cultural activity adds to the quality of life of individuals and families in this province,” SaskCulture Board Chair Jan Seibel said. “From attending a musical to learning a traditional dance, or joining a writing group, or perhaps, exploring a museum, many people look forward to accessing cultural programs, events and services as a regular part of their lives.  As a whole, these types of activities help shape the Saskatchewan experience.  We are very pleased with the renewal of this agreement, and government’s commitment to helping ensure that an even greater diversity of peoples can engage in cultural and creative pursuits that contribute to a culturally vibrant province.”

“The government’s continued support of recreation, culture, and sport speaks volumes about the value created by our industries’ collective work,” Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association Board President, Jody Boulet said that. “We are honoured to be tasked with enhancing quality of life for Saskatchewan people through parks and recreation for another six years and beyond.”

The agreement allows continued investments in strategic priority areas, such as engaging diverse and equity-deserving populations; supporting access to safe and welcoming sport, culture and recreation communities; and encouraging well-being and active lifestyles.

Volunteerism a strong connector in the Ukrainian community

For the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Saskatoon Branch, much like so many cultural organizations throughout Saskatchewan, volunteers are the reason the organization exists, and why the community remains connected.

“Volunteers are an integral part of our organization and without them, we wouldn’t be able to do everything we do,” says Megan Worobetz, vice president, and a volunteer board member, Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Saskatoon Branch (Saskatoon UCC) since 2018.

New to the Saskatoon UCC Board, Karen Pidskalny says the Ukrainian communities throughout the world are built in a foundation of volunteerism. “It’s about building community and staying connected within your community.” The Saskatoon UCC is a federation of organizations within Saskatoon that assists Saskatoon’s Ukrainian community in maintaining, developing and sharing its Ukrainian Canadian identity and aspirations. They are a member of the provincial and national UCC.

“We are the voice of the Ukrainian community in Saskatoon. UCC Saskatchewan brings all the Ukrainian organizations in the province together in one body as an umbrella organization. That way everyone can hear what everyone else is doing. And I can tell you in the Ukrainian community, everybody is doing something,” laughs Pat Tymchatyn, now Saskatoon UCC President and long-time board member.

Saskatoon UCC received project support through the Multicultural Initiatives Fund, funded by Sask Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation.

Read full story on saskculture.ca