Governments aid foundation

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After a year of lobbying five federal ministers for start-up funding the founder and honorary chairperson of the Canadian Native Arts Foundation, John Kim Bell, recently announced a total of $155,000 has been donated by the federal and provincial governments.

The wheels were set in motion with the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Culture's commitment of $50,000. The federal Secretary of State's Native Cultural Development Program donated $30,000; Ministry of Multiculturism, $10,000; Ministry of Communications' International Year of the Youth fund, $40,000; and the Ministry of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, $25,000. Bell personally contributed $30,000 as well as taking out a loan for $100,000, bringing a grand total of $285,000 for start up costs. Bell refers to the foundation as "the Canada Council for Native people.

"As an artist myself I now have the ability and the opportunity to help other artists recognize their dreams through the foundation," he said.

The CBC documentary chronicling Bell's career as the first North American Indian to become a symphony conductor was a success, with letters and requests from Native young people being sent to Bell for direction in arts opportunities. At that point Bell decided to return to Canada, from New York where he was conducting on Broadway, to help Native youth pursue careers in the arts.

"During the past year I read all the reports on Natives that DIAND, the Secretary of State and private Native organizations had published over the years. The over-whelming conclusion of those reports indicated that youth programs are needed that will assist Natives in overcoming many of the social problems from which they currently are suffering. The reports also indicate that these types of programs are difficult to create because of a lack of funding, leadership, resources and encouragement with incentives.

"Although there are other Native arts programs they are not generating the amount of funding needed to provide for long range educational opportunities. The CNAF is flexible and designed to meet the needs of Native people today.

"If a traditional dance group needs funding to participate in a powwow, they can apply to us for funding. If a Native painter wants to pursue training in an avant garde style, we will consider funding for this as well," Bell says.

"We don't want to dictate what Native people should be doing. We just want to help them fulfill their dreams. More and more Native people are emerging as professional artists and this program will assist them in handling the difficulties of training costs," he said.

The objectives of the CNAF are:

- seek out and develop talented Native people who would otherwise not have the opportunity.

- Encourage young Native individuals to discover their artistic talents.

- Develop their artistic talents through organized study.

- Provide them with opportunities to perform or exhibit their work.

- Promote and support Native persons in becoming competent artists.

- Build upon developmental efforts that have been neglected.

- Establish liaison between organizations; expand upon and interface with current programs; and develop co-operative efforts to ensure efficient use of resources.

The CNAF will achieve these objectives through a tri-partite program of:

- Incentive and Awareness - performances, demonstrations and exhibits to awaken Native children's interest in the Arts and provide incentives to begin a course of study.

- Comprehensive Education - Interested Native persons are provided with instruction and materials from the 'grassroots' level through to higher education and professional training.

- Promotional - Native artists ready to emerge as professionals will be given opportunities to gain experience and public/peer recognition.

The foundation has become a reality to the founder and it is his hope that more Native people will become involved in the cultural arts with the foundation to assist and guide tem in their endeavor.