ATTN: This event has been rescheduled for SEPT 14th 2024

Join us Saturday, July 20, 2024 from 1-3PM, for a workshop on Birchbark and Quillwork Keychains facilitated by Tanya Mustus! Presented in partnership with, and generously supported by, the Alberta Craft Council.

This workshop is free. Spots are limited; please reserve your spot through this google form. One form per youth.

This workshop is for youth only, 12+

adults are allowed to accompany their youth, but materials are reserved for youth. 

Date: Saturday, July 20, 2024, from 1pm to 3pm

Location: Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre 10124 96 Street Edmonton, AB 

Registration link: here

Tanya Mustus Bio:

I am a Woodland Cree Artisan from Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation. I love to work with Birch bark, Porcupine Quills and Fish Scales. I often use them together to create art. I enjoy different mediums such as wood burning, painting, and quillwork on my birch bark pieces. My other passion is sewing. I make Ribbon Shirts, Fleece Ribbon Jackets, vests, dresses, ribbon shirts, and star blankets. I also enjoy many other art forms such as beading nature crafts such as willow baskets and birchbark trays. I love sharing my knowledge, I have facilitated many art classes all around Alberta. I completed my Artisan Entrepreneur Diploma at Portage College in Lac la Biche, Alberta. 

Join us Saturday, June 29, 2024, for Mini Moccasins with Amber Weasel Head. Amber will be sharing how to make mini moccasins with a small beaded design. This workshop is good for ages 14 and up. 

This workshop is presented in partnership and generously supported by the Alberta Craft Council. 

This workshop is free. Spots are limited; please reserve your spot through RSVPify. 

Suggested ages: 14+

Date: Saturday, June 29, 2024, from 1pm to 3pm

Location: Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre 10124 96 Street Edmonton, AB 

Click to Register

Amber Weasel Head is an Indigenous artist, based in Northern Alberta, Treaty 6 territory. Her roots are Blackfoot (Kainai) and Bitteroot Salish- Amber draws inspiration from her cultural, the stories which reflects a connection in her artwork.

As an Artist Member of the nehiyawaskiy Indigenous People’s Arts Cooperative, Amber is passionate about nurturing and uplifting fellow artists. Her advocacy work aims to empower and mentor emerging artists while sharing invaluable techniques. Amber's dedication to teaching and supporting others fuels her creative journey.

Amber's artistic training spans from her own cultural teachings to various institutions such as the En'owkin Centre, University of Victoria, continuing education course from Institute of Institute American Indian Arts (IAIA), and Portage College. These diverse educational experiences have honed her skills in paint, creative writing, digital arts, film, and beadwork. Recently, she completed a  residency at the renowned Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity to further expanding her

artistic horizons.

To follow Amber's inspiring arts journey and explore her captivating creations, you can connect with her on Instagram: @ambercitadesignz.

Please join us and special guests for a proclamation presentation to celebrate the official naming of Okîsikow (Angel) Way. Okîsikow Way honours all women and gender diverse people who have experienced violence and those who continue to suffer along with their families. GBV (gender based violence) continues to impact the lives of women, gender diverse people, and children from all walks of life and all communities. Co-hosted by CEASE (Centre to Empower All Survivors of Exploitation & Trafficking), the City of Edmonton, and the OCICIWAN Contemporary Art Centre. The event will begin with a short program at 12PM and conclude by 2PM with refreshments and snacks. At 2PM, OCICIWAN and SNAP (@snapgallery) will host a screen printing patch workshop in kamâmak nihtâwikihcikan garden. Create your own Okîsikow Way patch! This workshop is free and open to all skill levels.

Garden Planting Party! - June 8, 2024

Planting Party! More Volunteers Needed!

We are looking for Volunteers to help plant all the new beautiful flowers and plants we are adding to the garden beds in kamâmak nihtâwikihcikan. Please consider dropping by! Be sure to dress for spring / summer weather conditions. Gloves, snack and refreshments from Double Greetings will be provided.

Special performance by Jay Gilday starting at 12:30pm

This event is organized in partnership with The Boyle Street Community League. Date: Saturday, June 8, 2024 from 11am to 2pm

Location: Next to our building at 10124 96 Street Edmonton, AB (Just a few steps north of Ociciwan)

Accessibility notes: Garden entrance measures 4’ wide. There are no steps but the ground is uneven. 6’ of access between planter paths. Benches and Chairs will be provided.

Transit: ETS stops at 96 Street and Jasper Avenue 1 minute walking distance (routes 2, 111, 131), 95 Street and Jasper Avenue 5 minutes walking distance (Routes 1), 100 Street and Jasper Avenue 10 minutes walking distance (Central Station, routes 8, 130X, 150X, 201). Paid city street parking and paid impark lots available.

Ociciwan will be closed. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

“Join us for a food event originally inspired by Inuit country food. The menu, curated by Chef Scott Iserhoff of Pei Pei Chei Ow, is country food elevated, and grants us a taste of Indigenous food sovereignty. This project was inspired by Cathy Mattes and Sherry Farrell Racette’s Métis Kitchen Table Talk and influenced by the history of food sharing as performance art.”

– Kablusiak

SATURDAY APRIL 20, 2024

LOCATION: Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre 10124 96 Street NW Edmonton, Alberta T5H 2G5

Attend one of two tasting events: 3 pm – 5 pm or 6 pm – 8 pm

RSVP Here

Wednesday March 20 2024. Ociciwan will be closed for the day in order for the staff to receive trauma-informed de-escalation potentially violent situations training to better serve our community.

We will reopen on Thursday March 21, 12-5PM.

Wednesday March 13 2024. Ociciwan will be closed for the day in order for the staff to receive trauma-informed de-escalation potentially violent situations training to better serve our community. We will reopen on Thursday March 14, 12-5PM.

Please join us for the opening of Finding Our Way & artist talk with Rhayne Vermette

Saturday January 27th, 2024 from 2-5PM

Get ready for a fabulous afternoon of Holiday Drag Bingo at Ociciwan, filled with laughter, glitter, and fun prizes!

Please join us for our holiday party & Drag Bingo hosted by Cedar T & Ladonna Cree.

This is a free event! Prizes for everyone who registers.

Cedar T Edmonton’s premier Indigi-Queen emerged in February 2020 taking the city by storm; a polished baddie with ratchet roots. Cedar T is a recipient of RaricaNow’s Stonewall Awards “Artist of the Year 2022.”

A fierce feminine force, Cedar founded an all 2Spirit performance artist Collective, the IndigiHauz and lead them to win “Best Foot Forward” 2022 at the coveted Stiletto Awards organized by Evolution Wonderlounge. Cedar T was also nominated for "Most Improved" 2023!

She is simply good medicine.

Ladonna Cree is a proud 2 Spirit member for of Montreal Lake First Nation, Saskatchewan. She has been performing in Edmonton for the past 33 years. Her genre is high energy choreographed drag performances. She is honored to be given the term of endearment "Kuhkom". A title she has earned with her personal and professional work within the 2SLGBTQA+ community.

Join us on December 8th between 5:30 pm to 8pm. Ociciwan and Mobilize @m.o.b.i.l.i.z.e are partnering for a drop-in print event at Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre! We'll be setting up screen printing for our neighbours and community.

This is a free workshop and open to folks of all skill levels.

Final day to see Ghost Stories! 12-5PM.

Closing Reception 2-5PM

Artist Panel 2:30-3:30PM

Ociciwan will host three local writers to share spooky tales and ghost stories in kamâmak nihtâwikihcikan. Please come dressed for the weather. We encourage everyone to bring their own lawnchairs and blankets to get cozy while listening to our guest presenters. 

This is a free event. Warm beverages and snacks will be provided. 

When: Saturday, October 28, 2023 7pm to 8:30pm

Where: kamâmak nihtâwikihcikan (10146 96 Street) just a few steps north of Ociciwan.

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Remy is a Cree person from Edmonton. Thry come from an oral tradition of storytellers; their great grandfather was a champion storyteller, and they have continued that tradition in written word. Thier story, Hunger, is published in Never Whistle At Night, a dark fiction anthology edited by Shane Hawk and Theo Van Alst.

Jessie Conrad loves to be scared. A horror fan since the early 90s, she started collecting books and oral histories about all things that go bump in the night. She believes that everything has an element of fear, whether it ghosts, ghouls, shapeshifters or the mundane. As first told to her by her grandmother is the context behind the Chipewyan word for Halloween, 'ʔeyun Dzine.' This is one of her favorite scary stories, and will be the theme of her talk. When not reading in the dark, Jessie writes speculative fiction. She has been a member of the Audible Indigenous Writers' Circle since 2022 and published a short story with Great Plains publications in 2012. 

Richard Van Camp is a proud Tlicho Dene from Fort Smith, NWT. A recipient of the Order of the NorthWest Territories, Richard has published 27 books these past 27 years in just about every genre. His novel, The Lesser Blessed, and his graphic novel, Three Feathers, with Krystal Mateus are both now feature films. You can visit Richard on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and at his official site: www.richardvancamp.com.

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Accessibility notes: Garden entrance measures 4’ wide. There are no steps but the ground is uneven. 6’ of access between planter paths. Benches and Chairs will be provided. 

Transit: ETS stops at 96 Street and Jasper Avenue 1 minute walking distance (routes 2, 111, 131), 95 Street and Jasper Avenue 5 minutes walking distance (Routes 1), 100 Street and Jasper Avenue 10 minutes walking distance (Central Station, routes 8, 130X, 150X, 201). Paid city street parking and paid impark lots available.

Join us for a hide tanning workshop session with Jess Sanderson from Chakastaypasin Band, who will share the many ways of knowing how to traditionally tan a bison hide.  Traditional hide tanning is a form of reclamation, sovereignty and it is an act of cultural resurgence for Indigenous Peoples connected to this being. Participants will work collectively and gain an understanding of how to flesh and scrape a bison hide.  Participants will come to understand the importance of community, the transmission of knowledge and have the opportunity to engage with oral stories of how bison are healing Indigenous communities near and far.

This is a free drop-in workshop and has no participation limit. Please Register on eventbrite so we know how many refreshments to provide. 

When: Sunday, September 17, 2023 10am to 5pm, Saturday, September 30, 2023 10am to 5pm, Sunday, October 1, 2023 10am to 5pm

Where: kamâmak nihtâwikihcikan (10146 96 Street) just a few steps north of Ociciwan.

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Jess Sanderson-Barry of JShine Designs is a nêhiyaw-iskwêw, mother, full-time Cree Artist, Designer and Hide Tanner from Chakastaypasin Band, Treaty 6 Territory.  Jess has created her wearable art under the name JShine Designs and is currently working out of Edmonton, Alberta.  Her art practice is influenced by her Cree roots, her lived experience and the land surrounding her. 

Jess combines both traditional and contemporary beading styles into her art. Throughout her practice she utilizes elements from the land such as traditionally tanned hides, which she is reclaiming the practice and art of hide tanning.  Beading and working on hides has reawakened her spirit and she finds beading as a way to express herself by creating beautiful adornments for everyday wear. 

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Accessibility notes: Garden entrance measures 4’ wide. There are no steps but the ground is uneven. 6’ of access between planter paths. Benches and Chairs will be provided. 

Transit: ETS stops at 96 Street and Jasper Avenue 1 minute walking distance (routes 2, 111, 131), 95 Street and Jasper Avenue 5 minutes walking distance (Routes 1), 100 Street and Jasper Avenue 10 minutes walking distance (Central Station, routes 8, 130X, 150X, 201). Paid city street parking and paid impark lots available.

Join us for a hide tanning workshop session with Jess Sanderson from Chakastaypasin Band, who will share the many ways of knowing how to traditionally tan a bison hide.  Traditional hide tanning is a form of reclamation, sovereignty and it is an act of cultural resurgence for Indigenous Peoples connected to this being. Participants will work collectively and gain an understanding of how to flesh and scrape a bison hide.  Participants will come to understand the importance of community, the transmission of knowledge and have the opportunity to engage with oral stories of how bison are healing Indigenous communities near and far.

This is a free drop-in workshop and has no participation limit. Please Register on eventbrite so we know how many refreshments to provide. 

When: Sunday, September 17, 2023 10am to 5pm, Saturday, September 30, 2023 10am to 5pm, Sunday, October 1, 2023 10am to 5pm

Where: kamâmak nihtâwikihcikan (10146 96 Street) just a few steps north of Ociciwan.

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Jess Sanderson-Barry of JShine Designs is a nêhiyaw-iskwêw, mother, full-time Cree Artist, Designer and Hide Tanner from Chakastaypasin Band, Treaty 6 Territory.  Jess has created her wearable art under the name JShine Designs and is currently working out of Edmonton, Alberta.  Her art practice is influenced by her Cree roots, her lived experience and the land surrounding her. 

Jess combines both traditional and contemporary beading styles into her art. Throughout her practice she utilizes elements from the land such as traditionally tanned hides, which she is reclaiming the practice and art of hide tanning.  Beading and working on hides has reawakened her spirit and she finds beading as a way to express herself by creating beautiful adornments for everyday wear. 

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Accessibility notes: Garden entrance measures 4’ wide. There are no steps but the ground is uneven. 6’ of access between planter paths. Benches and Chairs will be provided. 

Transit: ETS stops at 96 Street and Jasper Avenue 1 minute walking distance (routes 2, 111, 131), 95 Street and Jasper Avenue 5 minutes walking distance (Routes 1), 100 Street and Jasper Avenue 10 minutes walking distance (Central Station, routes 8, 130X, 150X, 201). Paid city street parking and paid impark lots available.

Join us for a hide tanning workshop session with Jess Sanderson from Chakastaypasin Band, who will share the many ways of knowing how to traditionally tan a bison hide.  Traditional hide tanning is a form of reclamation, sovereignty and it is an act of cultural resurgence for Indigenous Peoples connected to this being. Participants will work collectively and gain an understanding of how to flesh and scrape a bison hide.  Participants will come to understand the importance of community, the transmission of knowledge and have the opportunity to engage with oral stories of how bison are healing Indigenous communities near and far.

This is a free drop-in workshop and has no participation limit. Please Register on eventbrite so we know how many refreshments to provide. 

When: Sunday, September 17, 2023 10am to 5pm, Saturday, September 30, 2023 10am to 5pm, Sunday, October 1, 2023 10am to 5pm

Where: kamâmak nihtâwikihcikan (10146 96 Street) just a few steps north of Ociciwan.

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Jess Sanderson-Barry of JShine Designs is a nêhiyaw-iskwêw, mother, full-time Cree Artist, Designer and Hide Tanner from Chakastaypasin Band, Treaty 6 Territory.  Jess has created her wearable art under the name JShine Designs and is currently working out of Edmonton, Alberta.  Her art practice is influenced by her Cree roots, her lived experience and the land surrounding her. 

Jess combines both traditional and contemporary beading styles into her art. Throughout her practice she utilizes elements from the land such as traditionally tanned hides, which she is reclaiming the practice and art of hide tanning.  Beading and working on hides has reawakened her spirit and she finds beading as a way to express herself by creating beautiful adornments for everyday wear. 

——

Accessibility notes: Garden entrance measures 4’ wide. There are no steps but the ground is uneven. 6’ of access between planter paths. Benches and Chairs will be provided. 

Transit: ETS stops at 96 Street and Jasper Avenue 1 minute walking distance (routes 2, 111, 131), 95 Street and Jasper Avenue 5 minutes walking distance (Routes 1), 100 Street and Jasper Avenue 10 minutes walking distance (Central Station, routes 8, 130X, 150X, 201). Paid city street parking and paid impark lots available.

SAVE THE DATE!

Ghost Stories will be opening September 16, 2023. Check back for more details in the following weeks.

Image Still from Nalujuk Night, 2021. Directed by Jennie Williams.

Sunday August 27th please join us for our Garden Talk Series. We will be joined by Elder Wilson Bearhead for our final session!

When: Sunday, August 27 from 1:30-2:30pm

Where: kamâmak nihtâwikihcikan garden (10146 96 Street) just a few steps north of Ociciwan.

Registration not required.

Elder Wilson Bearhead will teach us the importance of tobacco as an offering in Indigenous Plant Medicine.
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Wilson Bearhead is Nakota, a member of the Wabamun Lake First Nation in Treaty 6 territory and the co-author of the children’s book series, Siha Tooskin Knows. Wilson has served as Chief in his own community, Grand Chief of the Confederacy of Treaty 6 as well as the Assembly of First Nations Alberta Regional Chief. Wilson was the first Elder in Residence for Edmonton Public Libraries before moving to serve as the Elder for Elk Island Public Schools for 4 years and is now the Elder in Residence at Victoria School for the Arts in Edmonton Public Schools. Wilson is the recent recipient of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation Indigenous Elder Award. Wilson’s grandmother Annie was a powerful, positive influence in his young life, teaching him all of the lessons that gave him the strength, knowledge, and skills to overcome difficult times and embrace the gifts of life.

Join us Saturday, August 19, 2023, for a beading workshop with Adrienne Larocque in kamâmak nihtâwikihcikan. Adrienne will be showing how to make beaded sweetgrass braids. 

This workshop is free. Spots are limited; please reserve your spot through the Eventbrite.

Please come dressed appropriately for the weather. Refreshments will be provided. If we are experiencing rain or substantial winds, the workshop will be moved inside Ociciwan Art Centre.

Date: Saturday, April 19, 2023, from 1 pm to 4 pm 
Location: In kamâmak nihtâwikihcikan, Next to our building at 10124 96 Street Edmonton, AB (Just a few steps north of Ociciwan)

Registration: Eventbrite

Adrienne Larocque is nêhiyaw from kisipatnahk (Louis Bull First Nation) one of four nations collectively known as Maskwacis in Treaty Six Territory (Alberta). Adrienne is a beadwork artist, emerging curator, Auntie, and dog mom. She recently completed a Master of Arts in Cultural Studies, Curatorial Practices at the University of Winnipeg. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Native Studies with Honours from the University of Alberta (2015) and a Fashion Design Diploma from the Blanche MacDonald Centre in Vancouver, BC. Her work is rooted in reclaiming her nêhiyaw culture through traditional and contemporary practices such as hide tanning and beadwork and has been featured in Chatelaine Magazine. Adrienne is currently based in Treaty 6 Territory. 

Join the Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre, the Edmonton Arts Council and artist Michelle Sound as we celebrate the addition of two new murals by the artist to Amiskwaciwâskahikan/downtown Edmonton. We’ll start the morning off with the official unveiling of Michelle’s new mural at Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre. Next, we’ll walk over to Michelle’s other recently installed downtown mural, "Sipikiskisiw (Remembers Far Back)", located at the ETS shelter at 10020 – 100 Street NW. We’ll cap the celebration off back at Ociciwan with a Q&A session with the artist followed by a celebratory feast.

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Date: Friday, August 11, 2023

Time: 9:45 am – 2 pm

Location: Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre, 10124-96 St.

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This event is free to attend, please RSVP to rsvp@edmontonarts.ca by August 4.

For more information about the public art celebration, visit the event page on the EAC website 

Join us on Friday August 12, 2022 from 1:30-4:30pm for a porcupine quill wrapping workshop with MJ Belcourt!

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Date: Friday, August 12, 2022, from 1:30pm - 4:30 pm
Location: kamâmak nihtâwikihcikan, next to our building at 10124 96 Street, Edmonton, AB (just a few steps north of Ociciwan)
Registration: Free

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Learn more about MJ Belcourt and this workshop here.