$66,000 for local projects: Quebec government 

The provincial government has granted almost $66,000 for four different projects across the region, dedicated to people in vulnerable situations.

According to a press release issued by the Ministere de la Culture et des Communications (MCC) on March 4, the funding is part of the Quebec government’s Culture et inclusion program. The four projects include the Salon du Livre de l’Outaouais’ “De quel livre je me chauffe!” which received $6,000; the Centre d’intervention et de prevention en toxicomania de l’Outaouais received $20,000 for “VOX”; La Gang a Rambrou’s “Au rhythme des mots, des sons et des emotions” landed $19,990; and another $20,000 was granted to the First Peoples Innovation Centre (FPIC) for a project titled “Art Onaki”.

It was explained that the Culture et inclusion program’s funding for the year 2019-20 reached more than $105,000 and financially supports 98 different projects spread through every single region in the province.

For FPIC Executive Director, Céline Auclair, the MCC’s grant came as an honour and a sign of encouragement after receiving just under $25,000 from the MCC to help launch what was a successful inaugural year of Art Onaki.

Established in 2019, the program’s purpose was to combine modernized fabrication methods with traditional aboriginal techniques, to help artists become more efficient in their work while maintaining a connection to their roots.

“We’re being careful in that we don’t want to replace traditional artistic fabrication methods with machines,” said Auclair. We want to bring tradition a little bit further with innovation. Part of the art is the cutting, engraving and stuff like that, which is done a lot quicker using machines.”

Consisting of a fab lab located on Boulevard Saint-Joseph in Hull, the space boasts a variety of futuristic machines, including 3-D printers and laser-cutters dedicated to crafting fine artwork.

Inviting well-known aboriginal artists to learn how to use the machines to perfect their crafts, the project’s intention is to benefit the lives of many by providing more efficiently-crafted Indigenous artwork.

Featuring seven artists last year, Auclair expects Art Onaki to support anywhere between 15 and 20 Indigenous artists in 2020, although the FPIC’s budget is a bit smaller.

According to FPIC Executive Assistant, Euloge Placca, the funding will be used to purchase materials for the artists and to cover their transportation fees.

Garnering plenty of interest from non-aboriginal artists as well, Auclair noted that the FPIC is planning on opening its facility to the public at large at some point in 2020.

“We’re going to continue with the artists who were already with us. But we’re going to open it to other artists as well to branch out into other artistic sectors. 

Notifications on how to get involved with the project will be posted on the FPIC’s website and Facebook page, once available, Auclair said.