Eka shakuelem

A Week of Immersion in Contemporary Performing Arts

Menuentakuan Productions and Festival TransAmériques are working together to offer young Indigenous talent a week of contemporary performing arts-related workshops during the 2023 edition of the Festival, to be held in Montreal / Tio’tia:ke next spring.

By providing fifteen First Nations youth from across the province with the chance to be part of the thrilling Festival experience, this project aims to stimulate their interest in the performing arts world and careers associated with it. In fact, their stay is designed so that they can meet professionals who are active in this field: performers, creators, technical directors, administrators, and more.

Eka shakuelem means “don’t be shy” in the Innu language. The name was chosen by the first cohort of participants in the immersion week.

This immersion week is possible thanks to the support of

A Cultural Experience for Youth Aged 18 to 25

This opportunity is intended for youth aged 18 to 25 who are pursuing their studies, seeking employment, or thinking about their career path and already have a strong interest in art. The world of performing arts is vast and needs the talents of highly diverse people with a wide range of skills. Of course, not only those who are interested in taking the stage (music, theatre, dance, other performing arts) but also those who are interested in digital arts (programmers, visual artists, filmmakers, etc.), who draw and write, who do beadwork, who take part in cultural events such as powwows, who prefer to be spectators, or who want to go into management or administration can all find a place in this exciting and rewarding field.

2023 Edition—Practical Info

+ The visit will take place from May 24 to 30 (arrival in Montreal on May 23; departure on May 31).

+ All the activities will be conducted in French.

+ The immersion week is completely free.

Thanks to the support of the Caisse de dépôt et placements du Québec and LOJIQ, FTA is able to provide participants with show tickets, complementary activities, accommodation, support from mediators, an OPUS card for transportation in Montreal, compensation for travel costs to and from Montreal, a daily allowance, and compensation for travel costs for a companion from their community.

download the informational pdf (in french)

apply here (in french)

Activities

The visit schedule and programming will be developed based on FTA activities and participants’ preferences. In order to better prepare you for your stay, talking circles will be organized with all participants and mediators. These circles will be a time to share your expectations and what you would like to learn during your experience. The group will have priority access to the Festival’s shows, artists, talks, and discussions and may choose from among a wide range of artistic and cultural activities. The 2023 cohort will decide on the style and format of the immersion program.

sample activities

+ Attending at least five shows in the FTA program: dance, theatre, and other performing arts

+ Meeting national and international artists taking part in the FTA program

+ Visiting cultural sites in Montreal: museums, galleries, theatres, arts and artist centres, creative studios, etc.

+ Meeting key figures from the Montreal and Quebec Indigenous arts scene

+ Practical performing arts workshops

+ Discussions about aesthetics and contemporary issues

+ Talks on artistic and human issues

Mediators

Charles Bender

After his Gémeaux nomination for hosting the youth television program C’est parti mon tipi, Charles has become an increasingly noticed presence on the First Nations television network APTN. Recently, he was noticed as a presenter in 8^e Feu, a shock documentary series produced by Radio-Canada (CBC), which tackles the contemporary Native question. When he’s not on stage or on a set, you can find him on the road to pow wows across Quebec, in which he often performs as master of ceremony.

Audrey-Lise Rock-Hervieux

Audrey-Lise Rock-Hervieux, founder of the “Native Mom” blog, is an Innu mother of two from the Indigenous community of Pessamit. She worked in the education field for six years before switching career paths to focus on Indigenous issues. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts degree in Indigenous governance. She is a proud ambassador and employee of Dr. Stanley Vollant’s Puamun Meshkenu organization. Audrey-Lise regularly does work in the field for Terre Innue as a researcher, a production coordinator, an assistant director, and even as a caterer.

Menuentakuan Productions

By means of theatre and performing arts practices, Menuentakuan Productions offers itself as a meeting place between Canada’s First Nations culture and the other cultures that make up Canada and Quebec’s rich identity. Always with the goal of creating and supporting personal, meaningful interactions between these different cultural realities, the company approaches creation in a way that highlights Indigenous peoples’ views on contemporary themes of universal interest.

Festival TransAmériques

The biggest performing arts festival in North America, Festival TransAmériques is a driving force for the promotion of contemporary theatre and dance. In its quest for bold and singular creative voices, FTA explores the limits of artistic disciplines. Through the national and international shows that it presents, FTA reflects major political and social movements along with unique and essential artistic developments.