The August Installment of Hill Strategies Arts Research Monitor

In this issue of Arts Research Monitor: Four reports that examine the nature of Aboriginal arts and equity issues within the arts in Canada.

For full details on any of these reports, visit Arts Research Monitor Volume 11, Issue No. 3

Understanding Aboriginal Arts in Canada Today

Based on interviews and other research information (both oral and written), this report has the goal of expanding understanding of Aboriginal art in “the mainstream art world”.

Supplementary Report on Presenting and Aboriginal Communities

This brief report summarizes select findings from a survey of 288 Canadian performing arts presenters. The report acknowledges that, “long before European explorers came to Canada, Aboriginal peoples had a rich, expressive artistic life including dance, theatre, storytelling, music – all inseparable from every other aspect of life.”

We Have to Hear their Voices: A Research Project on Aboriginal Languages and Art Practices

This report examines the connections between Aboriginal languages and art in Canada, based on interviews, talking circles, a survey of over 300 Aboriginal artists, a review of Canada Council application files, and other available data. The report notes that, as taught by the Elders, “language is integral to the development of art practices. Similarly, art practice is a form of communication that is intertwined with or created alongside language, and is intrinsic to the development of culture and heritage in Aboriginal societies.”

Equity within the Arts Ecology: Traditions and Trends

Based on a literature review and environmental scan, this brief synthesis examines “how equity is defined, understood, implemented and measured within the Canadian arts ecology, as well as within a broader international arts context”. The study also attempts to identify sustainable practices as well as important questions for future research.