Saturday, May 9 will see another celebration of Indigenous culture held on the grounds of Zion-Memorial United Church and the Carleton Place Public Library. Aside from being a fun and informative event, the day is a major fundraising and awareness vehicle for Art for Aid artforaid.ca, a local project that puts art supplies into the hands of Indigenous youth in Canada. The fair’s Planning Committee was thrilled to receive a grant from the United Church of Canada for this year’s event, providing much needed resources.
Taking place from 9:30am to 3pm, the Indigenous Cultural Fair annually showcases culture while encouraging connection and education. This fundraiser also supports authentic Indigenous vendors with an opportunity to share their impressive skills and wares. This year’s fair features drumming with Lanark Drum, Jingle Dress dancing by Shelley Sayeau, workshops, and engaging games and activities for children. New this year, a therapy dog and pony will highlight the long-standing relationship between Indigenous people and dogs. Throughout the venue, educational posters about language, culture and Indigenous Ways of Knowing provide learning. Supporting Art for Aid and promoting cultural education and awareness are key goals of this event.
The Art for Aid Shop will have a full complement of their beautiful art products made from Colleen Gray’s artwork. All proceeds from the sales of these items will support the project’s demanding shipping and operations budget.
There are approximately 526 First Nations schools located in communities across Canada, providing elementary and secondary education to roughly 40,000 students on-reserve. More than 100 locations are solely accessible by air for most of the year, with 30 of these communities being in Ontario. The isolation of these schools puts transportation challenges forefront in the fight for quality educational resources for youth.
Art promotes positive mental health. It helps to break the rigors of isolation boredom, and brings creative minds together. But it all begins with access to the tools of the craft. Teachers in these communities are often out-of-pocket for special projects, but Art for Aid can provide those resources at no charge to the schools. Since 2013, Art for Aid has been founded on volunteer power, care and kindness.
Art for Aid is a program of the Canadian registered charity Soaring Circle, and donations to Art for Aid are accepted through their website at soaringcircle.ca/programs. Zion-Memorial United Church is located at 37 Franklin Street in Carleton Place.
