May 24 to June 3

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Aboriginal artists are finding a plethora of opportunities to showcase their talents and to meet peers who share similar passions and experiences in local art festivals, like the one held recently at the Chief Atahm School on the Adams Lake Indian Band.

Held on March 24, the festival attracted Aboriginal writers, storytellers, performers, photographers, visual artists, carvers, sculptors, many of whom are multi-talented and have practiced both traditional and contemporary art forms.

The vibrant diversity of Aboriginal artists at these local art festivals convinced Keith Matthew of the strong inter-relation between art and Aboriginal culture. The mission of this newly appointed interior representative of the Indigenous Arts Service Organization (IASO) is to highlight these talents. "We're actively encouraging Aboriginal artists to step forward into the mainstream and make a statement that we are here as First Nations artists and communities," said Matthew.

To do just that, the IASO was contracted this year by the BC Festival of the Arts (BCFA) to hold juried regional art festivals with the hope that they would encourage emerging artists to show off their work, be it literature, drama, music or visual arts. Festivals were held in Moberly Lake, Twassan, Chase and most recently in Chetwynd.

A total of 55 Aboriginal artists were selected from these festivals. They will represent the Aboriginal communities of B.C. to perform in different venues during the festival of arts, to be held at the city of Fort St. John from May 24 to June 3.

The BCFA is the largest multi-disciplinary event in Western Canada, however, according to Tracey Jack, IASO's provincial coordinator, it has had difficulties in the past finding sufficient Aboriginal artists to participate.

Claudette Billy, regional event assistant of the IASO, said the organization has been instrumental in bringing Aboriginal arts to the BCFA.

"We are very thankful this type of programming is available," said Billy, herself a selected artist from the regional festival in Chase. "Without IASO's regional art festivals, emerging artists would not have the opportunity to display their work."

Other Aboriginal artists selected in the four regional festivals include Dennis Saddleman, Joanne Mansfield, Donna Baynes, Robyn Kruger and James Johnny.

For more information on the BCFA, call 250-920-4118 or visit their web site at http://www.bcfestivalofthearts.bc.ca/.