In a world where craft traditions are shared, explored, and used as inspiration, it is essential to recognize the origins of these skills and honour the cultures from which they come.

Cultural appropriation occurs when artistic and craft practices are taken without understanding or respecting their significance, often stripping them of their cultural and historical context.

Instead, we must approach craft with an ethic of respect, reconciliation, and relationship-building. How do we ensure that our creative practices uplift rather than exploit?

Being in relationship with the land and harvesting from it is an integral part of Indigenous life. Jennifer will talk about harvesting, the histories of colonization and how that has affected harvesting practices, and how that relates to current day land based knowledge.

Tuesday, March 25th
7pm CST (check your own time zone)
Zoom link will be sent out via email after registration.

The Speaker Series is a FREE event, but we recommend a $10 donation. Please consider making a donation for the event. All profits from the event will be donated to an organization of the speakers choice. See below to register and donate.

Jennifer Smith is a Red River Métis Curator who has worked in the arts for 18 years. Her love of textiles and the handmade brought to her early positions working at the Costume Museum of Canada and the Manitoba Craft Museum and Library. Her arts 'day job' is part of the Indigenous Media Arts Sector, while continuing to have an independent curatorial practice which focuses on how Indigenous culture is reflected through the handmade and digital artforms. She will be opening an exhibition called I'll share my medicines at Urban Shaman Contemporary Art in April 2025 with artists Holly Aubichon, Claire Johnston, Lynette La Fontaine, Chanelle Lajoie and Val Vint.