SEARA

🎊 After two years of sectoral research, the ARTSTATUS Report is officially available online! 🎊 Thank you to everyone who joined us last month in celebration of our report and in careful reflection on its findings! The evening brimmed with art and conversation as folks weaved in between ARTSTATUS and the four original works made in response to it: a zine by Laura Morales Padilla (@selarom.arual ), comic by Maya McKibbin (@mkchibs ), audiovisual piece by Anju Singh (@whatismakingussick ), and oil and nzu painting by Odera Igbokwe (oderaigbokwe). ARTSTATUS is a significant starting point, and we look forward to continuing our advocacy for racial equity in BC’s arts, culture and heritage sector. Stay tuned for features on the four artistic works! 🔗Read the full ARTSTATUS Report in the link in bio! 📸 Photos by Rea Saxena (@nice.loop ). This event was generously supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Law Foundation of British Columbia, and 221A Artist Run Centre Society. Ce projet est financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada.

🎉 We are excited to launch SEARA’s seminal report, ARTSTATUS! The ARTSTATUS report culminates two years of sectoral research, surveying the status of racial equity in BC’s arts, culture and heritage landscape. With these findings, SEARA will advocate for BIPOC artists and cultural workers by developing policy recommendations in areas of labour, funding, and operations. Join us for an evening of celebration, including original works created by four artists and writers in response to the report. 🗓️Wednesday March 25, 6-8pm 📍221A Project Space: L1-825 Pacific St, Vancouver, BC 🥂Food and refreshments will be served. 🔗RSVP in the link in bio. Illustrations by Ata Ojani. This event is generously supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Law Foundation of British Columbia, and 221A. Learn more at 221a.ca/SEARA. Ce projet est financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada.

We’re ruminating on the questions and insights that emerged during Link & Build, our recent panel on anti-racism advocacy in BC’s arts and culture sector. Speakers Jessica Miinguuaqtii (@333alchemy.earth ), Sadira Rodrigues (@sadirar ), Sumter Freitag, T’uy’t’tanat Cease Wyss (@cedarcopperwoman ), and Zool Suleman (@zoolsuleman ) reflected on the conditions and challenges of anti-racism advocacy work since the 90s, the continued gaps and exclusions in the sector, lessons learned and the importance of building and maintaining longstanding relationships. We are grateful to our community for taking on Jessica’s invitation to listen actively with our spirit, and for gathering with us to share food and conversation. This event leads into the upcoming launch for our seminal report, ARTSTATUS. Follow us to stay updated! 📸 Photos by Rea Saxena (@nice.loop ). This event was generously supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Law Foundation of British Columbia, and 221A. Learn more at 221a.ca/SEARA. Ce projet est financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada.

🎙️Join us for a panel on the history and future of anti-racism advocacy in BC’s cultural landscape, with Jessica Miinguuaqtii (@333alchemy.earth ), Sadira Rodrigues (@sadirar ), Sumter Freitag, T’uy’t’tanat Cease Wyss (@chaythoosaframe ), and Zool Suleman (@zoolsuleman ). Our speakers bring a longstanding engagement with BC’s arts, culture, and heritage sector in areas of cultural policy, Indigenous stewardship, knowledge and system building, and community-centred work. 🗓️Saturday February 28, 2-4pm 📍221A Project Space: L1-825 Pacific St, Vancouver, BC 🥂Light refreshments will be served. 🔗RSVP in the link in bio, seats are limited. Illustration by Ata Ojani. This event is generously supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Law Foundation of British Columbia, and 221A. Learn more at 221a.ca/SEARA. Ce projet est financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada.

Deadline extended! If you are an artists and cultural workers in BC, we want to hear from you. SEARA’s Anti-Racism Data Project is conducting research to better understand racial equity practices in staffing, board composition, policy, and funding distribution in BC. Your insights can help inform policy development aimed at advocating for systemic change towards racial equity in BC’s Arts, Culture and Heritage sector. Help contribute to the advocacy towards racial equity in the Arts, Culture and Heritage sector. Complete the survey through the link in bio. Participants will receive a $20 CAD for their time. Big thank you to 221A (@221aweee ) and the Law Foundation of BC for supporting the pursuit of this research, and to our peers at BC Alliance for Arts and Culture (@bcallianceforarts ) and Mass Culture (@massculture_ ) for your endorsement in this important work. Photo by Elke Dick

Calling on artists and cultural workers in BC! Do you want to contribute to the advocacy towards racial equity in the Arts, Culture and Heritage sector? SEARA is seeking participants for the Anti-Racism Data Project— a research study designed to understand racial equity practices in staffing, board composition, policy, and funding distribution in BC. Your insights can help inform policy development aimed at advocating for systemic change towards racial equity in BC’s Arts, Culture and Heritage sector. Participants will receive a $20 CAD for their time. Complete the survey through the link in bio Big thank you to 221A (@221aweee ) and the Law Foundation of BC for supporting the pursuit of this research, and to our peers at BC Alliance for Arts and Culture (@bcallianceforarts ) and Mass Culture (@massculture_ ) for your endorsement in this important work.

Alongside the launch of SEARA’s new visual identity designed by Victoria Lum (@vicky.lum ), we asked illustrator Stella Zheng (@stellaxtzheng ) to turn SEARA’s organizing values into everyday items: 🧵 a spool to unravel the illusions of perfection 🍎 the unassuming power of the apple as pragmatic support and economic justice 💭 a conversation cloud for the thoughtfulness of issues naming 🪷 a lotus flower blooming joy as resistance; and 🪜 a step stool tangled in the tomato vine’s community roots “I wanted to use recognizable objects that artists and creatives use to embody the practical tools and accessible approaches of SEARA“ says Stella. 🔗 Link in bio to read the full interview and sign up for the newsletter to hear about our upcoming call to participate in the Anti-Racism Data Project.

We went back to the drawing board to figure out how SEARA’s visual identity can have a more communal, accessible feel. As a movement of Black, Indigenous, and racialized BC-based artists and cultural workers redistributing resources through data-driven action, we wanted to make room for bold, just futures. Our acronym opens up to reveal uneven spacing for artists to address the gap—balanced by the monospacing of its typeface: Pantasia by Wei Huang. For this announcement, we worked with illustrator Stella Zheng (@stellaxtzheng ) to turn SEARA’s organizing values into everyday objects. 🍎 Read the full story behind SEARA’s new look through the link in bio. ☁️ Thank you to Victoria Lum (@vicky.lum ) for this thoughtful reimagination of our visual identity. 💬 Thanks to our fiscal sponsor 221A (@221aweee ) for resourcing this project

A glimpse into Hide Time, a medicine skillshare, cohosted by @seara_fund and @art.ecosystem in commemoration of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Led by Sunkosi Galay-Tamang, this two-day hide-tanning workshop welcomed six participants in a gesture of BIPOC solidarity, collective work and healing. Hosted at x̱aw̓s shew̓áy̓, participants were visited by friends and community members who witnessed the process along the way. This event was generously supported by The Law Foundation of British Columbia. 221A is the fiscal sponsor of SEARA, supporting with administration, finance and facilitation. Together, we can create an equitable society where BIPOC artists and cultural workers have equal capacity, governance, social standing, and visibility within arts institutions in BC. Photos by 221A Anti-Racism Program Coordinator @danaqaddah

THANK YOU ever so much to @artstarts for being our second Amenable Fund Partner with a donation of $10,000 to the #POWERSHARE Fund! Their honourable staff have been excited to contribute to our organization from the get-go and have been a pleasure to correspond with. ArtStarts in Schools is a charitable organization that expands the role of art in education to activate learning and nurture creativity in British Columbia's young people. ArtStarts envisions a society where the arts are regarded as an essential part of educating young people and a catalyst for creating innovative, engaged and contributing members of society. They provide innovative arts programs for young people, practical resources for teachers and artists, and leadership in advocacy for the arts in education in B.C. ArtStarts' key areas of activity include booking school performances, an annual showcase conference for young audience presenters, artist residencies, grants to schools and districts, professional learning opportunities for artists and teachers, gallery exhibitions of young people’s art and free family programming. Learn more about them at: artstarts.com #SEARA #OURSHARE #PowerShare #AntiRacism #Racism #Activism #BIPOC #Artists #CanadianArtists #YVRArts #ArtsOrgs #BCArts #Donate #Fundraiser #Fundraising #Support #GiveBack #Crowdfunding #SocialImpact #FundPartner #BlackLivesMatter #LandBack #COVID19 #ArtStarts

Happy Year of the Ox from all of us at SEARA! 🧧🧧🧧🐮🐮🐮 The deadline to apply for the #POWERSHARE Covid-19 Relief Fund for BIPOC Artists in B.C. is this upcoming Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. PST! Use this long weekend to get your application in or share the call for apps with a friend! searafund.ca/apply (link in bio)

As a mutual aid fund, #POWERSHARE is made possible by the support of our Fund Partners, which includes over 100 arts organizations and grant-making entities. Today we are highlighting the following Fund Partners - thank you for your support of and solidarity with #BIPOCArtists in BC! SEARA Community Fund Partners: 🌟 @cagvancouver (Vancouver) 🌟 @mintrecords (Vancouver) 🌟 @realwheelstheatre (Vancouver) SEARA Dependable Fund Partners: 🌟 @vanshortfilmfest (Vancouver) SEARA Fund Partners: 🌟 @teganandsarahfoundation (Vancouver) B.C.-based BIPOC Artists can apply for funds until February 17, 2021. Donations to POWER SHARE are now closed but SEARA continues to accept donations for future anti-racist initiatives and organizational sustainability. More info at searafund.ca or link in bio.