New Era for SK Arts Under the Leadership of Lisa Bird-Wilson

There’s a new face representing SK Arts, and for the first time in its 77-year history, it’s an Indigenous woman.

Like most artists, Lisa Bird-Wilson, the new SK Arts CEO, is continually challenging herself in new endeavours.

“It’s an opportunity for me to take some of the leadership and business skills I’ve developed and move them over to a new community,” said Bird-Wilson.

“And I’m moving them over to an arts community – a community I’m a part of – so serving that community is important to me.”

Bird-Wilson is a published author whose 2022 novel Probably Ruby was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Fiction. In her other career, she comes to SK Arts from the Gabriel Dumont Institute (GDI), where she held several positions over a 25 year tenure at the educational facility, the last of which was CEO of GDI.

Her appointment as the first Indigenous CEO in SK Arts history carries a lot of weight, she said.

“I have a lot to live up to,” said Bird-Wilson. “I think this appointment is important because the organization has been shift focus to equity, and I think this is a natural evolution of that focus.”

SK Arts, formerly the Saskatchewan Arts Board, is the first arts funding organization in Canada, predating the Canada Council for the Arts by nine years. They are funded by the Government of Saskatchewan through the Ministry of Parks, Culture, and Sport, as well as additional support from Saskatchewan Lotteries.

Bird-Wilson is only about two months in, but said her initial focus will be listening to members of the community, and ensuring underserved communities receive the programming and funding they deserve.

“This organization started in 1948 – there were different ways of thinking then. We need to think about whose art has been valued and why, and how does that need to change.”

“There are a lot of equity deserving groups: Indigenous, black and people of colour, 2Spirit, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities. We need to make sure these amazing artists out there are supported.”

As SK Arts has offices in Saskatoon and Regina, Bird-Wilson said another major focus will be on ensuring equal access to supports, regardless of the artist’s location in the province.

“It seems like its easier or more common for artists in urban centres to get a little more attention, or being more aware of the steps and programs. So we need to reach out into communities that aren’t in urban centres. There’s a lot of young artists that just aren’t aware of the opportunities to access to grants.”

Bird-Wilson said that she has seen a recent explosion of young Indigenous artists, and believes the current art scene in Saskatchewan is strong and vibrant.

“I think it tells you something about where we’re at in terms of Reconciliation, and understanding the value of diversity in art.”

A successful artist in her own practice, Bird-Wilson has had to temporarily give her pen a rest to concentrate on her new CEO position. But she believes being immersed in the art world will motivate her own writing.

“There’s so much inspiration out there. she said. “I’m very inspired by the youth and by other artists who are my contemporaries. I take every opportunity I can to learn from them.”