Native Youth Arts Collective

The Native Youth Artists Collective (NYAC) is a new organization based out of Vancouver. The mandate is to foster the artistic development in Native Youth and Artists (up to age 29 years) through research, programming and dissemination.

 (604) 537-6507

• Local (Vancouver)

• Native youths ages 10-29 with an interest in the arts. The NYAC does not discriminate on the basis of class or gender or sexual orientation. 

• The Native Youth Arts recently completed a successful first year of programming in the arts for Native youth. Their next step is to expand their resource page which provides a list of community-based arts services and organizations in and around the lower mainland. The Visible Arts Society (grunt) is the NYAC’s umbrella organization and provides extensive programs and resources for Aboriginal youth. Grunt is a non-profit society that works to create a public space for artists to present their work that otherwise would not be seen in Vancouver.

video production

music production

literary production

live performance

multi media presentations

• Native Youth Artists Collective (NYAC) will foster the artistic development in Native youth artists.
•  To engage with Native youth artists who are between the ages of 12-29 and identify artistic opportunities that is relevant to their life and reality.
• NYAC will support and promote Native Youth Arts and artists in the arts community.
• To create opportunities with Native Youth Artists to further enhance their development as Native artists.
• NYAC will develop projects, programs, and events with Native youth.
• NYAC will advocate for Native youth artists representation where it does not exist and contribute where it does.

not provided 

• Educate and mentor Native youth in all areas of the arts;
• Provides workshops to assist aspiring artists to build their portfolios;
  • Provide access to projects, events, programs and art studios
• Provide a list of resources of various community based arts services and organizations to help connect youth to their artistic goals;
  • Resource Guide for the Arts
  • Information about artistic rights through website links
• Enhance artistic development through research, programming
• and mentorship;
  • Creating a public space for dialogue
  • Advocacy
  • Promoting art work

not provided 

There were no specific funding sources noted on the NYAC website. Here are the funding sources for Grunt:

• Government of BC through the BC Arts Council
• The BC Gaming Commission
• The City of Vancouver
• The Audian Foundation
• The Canada Council of the arts through the BC Arts Council

Specific Programs also funded by:

• Canadian Heritage
• The Endowment Incentive Program
• Arts Presentation Canada
• The Gateway Fund (CCO)
• Vancouver Foundation
• The Renaissance Fund
• The Medici Fund
• The Project Grant Program
• National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation
• Cultural Olympaid