A local theatre company is offering a new way for Indigenous artists in Treaty One Territory to develop and showcase their works across Turtle Island. The National Indigenous Artist Development and Showcase Program is a new venture from the Kiyanaan Indigenous Theatre Festival and Echo Theatre in Winnipeg that sees them partnering with Native Earth Performing Arts in Toronto and Gwaandak Theatre in Whitehorse to help Indigenous theatre artists create new works with financial and logistical support. “We wanted to do something where we help artists get their work from this area – Manitoba-based artists – out onto a national stage,” says Charlene van Beukenhout, artistic director of the Kiyanaan Indigenous Theatre Festival and Echo Theatre. “We felt that there weren’t a lot of opportunities to make this seemingly difficult leap from Manitoba out into the rest of Turtle Island. And so, we though, ‘Well, we can do something here because we run a festival!’” .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } An established performer in her own right, van Beukenhout knows the challenges that artists face exporting their works out of Manitoba firsthand. “To do something as an artist, and especially as a theatre artist... there’s a lot going on,” she explains, highlighting the myriad people it takes to develop projects to their full potential while also ensuring that you are staying financially solvent. “It just starts to feel huge and unwieldy... you have to do all that and then you go do a showcase thing and then maybe somebody programs you. It’s not like the return on your investment is totally there.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Echo Theatre (@echotheatretreaty1) The National Indigenous Artist Development and Showcase Program aims to rectify that with performance opportunities at all three of the participating theatres to ensure a maximum reach, including the funding and supports needed to develop the performances. This can take the form of grant writing assistance, dramaturgy, rehearsal space and other necessary accommodations in the creative process. As an entity of three different locales, Manitoba will see their opportunity for exposure come once every three years. With all of these supports on offer, van Beukenhout does not know what kind of performers will reach out to apply. “I’m just excited to see what everyone’s working on,” she says, noting she’s received everything from solo dance shows to children’s musicals. "I hope in a larger sense that other artists see what can be done,” she continues. “There’s lots of knowledge that can be accessed, and we’re just hoping to be a place where you can access that knowledge. More information on the National Indigenous Artist Development and Showcase Program can be found at Echo Theatre’s website.