The AAC board of directors includes community members from a variety of cultural backgrounds and identities, and multiple directors are Indigenous local artists. In service of the goals of the Downie Wenjack Foundation and the Legacy Space, the AAC engages in consultation with Indigenous partners, both individuals and groups, including elders and knowledge keepers to ensure we conduct culturally appropriate activities, workshops and events. In 2021 we acquired grant funding in order to hire a local Indigenous and arts community member to coordinate the DWLS.

 

We’ve since maintained that individual in that position with operational funds, and they engage with Indigenous board members, and other members of the Indigenous community, to solicit interest from, research and evaluation of a variety of curated and juried artists to conduct work in the DWLS. When selecting artists for participation in the DWLS, AAC works with candidates to establish A) what their Indigenous identities are, B) what local Indigenous communities they are connected to, as well as C) what aspects of Indigeneity and reconciliation their work would focus on.

 

While AAC is deeply troubled by nationally recognized accounts of misrepresentation of Indigenous identity, or other harmful forms of cultural appropriation, and we do endeavour to do our due diligence when ‘vetting’ artists for inclusion in the DWLS, it is the board of directors’ position, informed by our consultation with Indigenous partners and members, that artists who self-identify as Indigenous can be harmed by implementation of colonial bureaucratic practises of ‘verifying’ Indigeneity. That said, we agree that it’s important to ensure the authenticity of artists we partner with, and staff make curatorial decisions accordingly.

 

We are also sensitive to notable barriers in place for Indigenous peoples with a disparate number of backgrounds (First Nations, Metis, Inuit (FNMI), 60’s scoop, millennial scoop, women who have lost their status due to the Indian Act membership barriers, residential school survivors, etc), and thus endeavour to support folk who may indeed have Indigenous identities that colonization has fostered problematic environment for.

 

Wherever possible, if artists who purport to be representative of Indigenous communities, are in fact found not to be truthful in said presentation, the AAC is absolutely committed to intervening in any engagement that so disrespects and perpetuates harm on Indigenous people and cultures. To date, the AAC is unaware of any such doubt cast on any particular artist who has been involved with the Kariton Gallery or DWLS. Certainly, this would be a serious issue that we would seek to address immediately.