Toronto Arts Foundation Reveals First Indigenous Cohort For ArtWorksTO Program

Toronto Arts Foundation has announced the first cohort of Indigenous media artists selected for the ArtWorksTO: Indigenous Program, a culturally grounded, paid workforce development initiative tailored for Indigenous media artists aged 18-35. This inaugural cohort includes six Indigenous artists working across disciplines including graphic design, digital illustration, videography/film, photography, and tattooing. They are: 

• Ameena Buchanan, an Ojibwe artist and tattooer.
• Avalonne Flamand, a multidisciplinary artist from Wikwemikoong First Nation.
• Brenna Nanie, a mixed Indigenous (Ojibwe, Mohawk, Irish, Romanian) artist whose work is rooted in the community and land of Bkejwanong.
• Brianna Wheeler, an Indigenous multidisciplinary artist and photographer.
• Glamma Kimaiyo, Afro-Indigenous (Jamaican/Métis-Mi'kmaq) interdisciplinary artist and photographer.
• Sarah Carmichael, an Inuvialuit and Gwich'in multidisciplinary creative and storyteller 

Since 2015, ArtWorksTO, a partnership between Toronto Arts Foundation, the City of Toronto, and OCAD University, has been connecting creatives to paid contracts, mentorship, and hands-on skills training, helping build meaningful and sustainable careers in Toronto's creative industries. 

"ArtWorksTO helps artists nurture, explore, and redefine their creative practice,” said Angie Aranda, Senior Manager, Arts & Community Development, Toronto Arts Foundation. “What began as an initiative supporting Indigenous, Black, and Persons of Colour (IBPOC) youth entering the creative industries has grown into a thriving initiative with three distinct programs: Youth, Newcomer, and Indigenous. Each one opens doors to equity-deserving artists and organizations who continue to face disproportionate barriers to funding, resources, and visibility.”

The Indigenous Program was developed by artists and cultural leaders who understand what it means to create within and beyond colonial systems. It is designed as an ethical and culturally safe space where participants can advance professionally while protecting their identities, languages, and cultural practices.

Each participant receives:

• A $5,000 paid creative contract with partner organizations
• Credentialed training through OCAD University
• Mentorship from Indigenous media professionals
• Workshops centred on wellness and cultural practice, including full-moon sharing circles
• A culturally grounded learning environment where Indigenous worldviews guide the work

Indigenous communities have upheld their knowledge and wisdom through oral tradition for millennia, and today's Indigenous media artists are an integral part of this lineage. However, systemic barriers rooted in racism and colonialism continue to shape the contemporary media landscape. By investing in Indigenous artists and storytellers, this program aims to shift narratives, centre Indigenous values, and reflect diverse worldviews. 

“Over the past several years, Indigenous representation in the ArtWorksTO program has been present but limited,” says Kennedy Salloum, ArtWorksTO Program Lead, Indigenous Cohort. “This program was created so we could address specific cultural needs and provide a safe environment that can lead to greater participation and success for our Indigenous Youth.”

This cohort will spend the coming months completing the program and participate in a graduation ceremony with the other stream's cohorts later in 2026.