A company launching at the end of this month is looking to widen the audience for aboriginal talent.
Wanska Talent offers mentoring, professional development, and will host events.
The business has three main managers, explained Geraldine Carriere. Each will focus on a different creative outlet. Carriere says her main focus will be fashion, as she has ties in the fashion industry.
Musicians, comedians, public speakers, and other types of artists will be represented by the new business, which Carriere said was inspired years ago by a simple conversation between friends.
Carriere described the thought process behind Wanska talent: “Wouldn’t it be cool if we had this place where a bunch of artists can go – because all of us have, you know, our talent in different ways – and it was kind of like, we thought, ‘wouldn’t it be awesome if there was a place where all of us could go to learn more and get a chance to learn from other people?’”
They want to help market experienced artists, and give advice to those just starting out. They also want those with experience to help provide guidance for up and comers.
Carriere says Indigenous people have needed help getting their work out there for a long time.
“There are so many talented First Nations people but not that many people know about that, right?” she said.
Among other things, the business is aiming to help artists break into mainstream music and other areas.
“The people who are in hip hop and R &B, they feel left out, right, and they don’t feel like they have a platform to, say, be on the radio,:” she said.
“It’s making First Nations artists more well-rounded and representing all of us.”
Carriere says her team wants to zone on skilled people in remote First Nations areas.
“We’re going to focus on emerging artists – so it’s people that don’t get those opportunities, so people who are in the north, people who are in these communities that don’t necessarily get out to urban centres that can have those different opportunities that the urban centres would have,” she said.
Turning the idea into reality is a bit of a leap, Carriere admitted, but one that is worth it.
“I think with anything that’s new there’s that little bit of a risk and scariness, but I think that’s the piece, like for me personally, that’s the indicator that you should do it,” she said.
“This is something I think a lot of people would benefit from.”
The company’s launch is set in Saskatoon at the end of the month to coincide with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations annual assembly.
The launch party will feature performances some of the talent they’ve already partnered with, like Ernest Monias, The Country Rock Company, and Marty Ballentyne. There will also be a fashion show.
For more information on the upcoming event, click here.