Several Salt Spring Island community organizations are getting a boost this year from one foundation, which announced grant funding to help support Indigenous cultural sustainability and community inclusiveness would total $42,270.
The Salt Spring Island Foundation said recipients of the 2024 Indigenous Priorities Fund grants include the Gulf Islands School District (SD64) for a new mural project at Fulford Elementary that will bring together Indigenous artists and students to revitalize an outdoor space.
There will also be improvements and Indigenous language programming in ITOTELNEW̱ HÁUTW̱ / Tatul’ utew’t-hw, the Indigenous Learning Area at the Salt Spring Island Library, including rugs, moccasin making, hand drum making, cedar shelving and cedar benches.
Salt Spring Arts will receive funding to continue increasing representation and inclusion of Indigenous artists and cultural practitioners through various shows and festivals, including their Spring Art Show, Artcraft and the Summer Outdoor Concert Series.
Islanders Working Against Violence (IWAV) will see funding to undertake training and an audit to increase accessibility and deliverability of their violence prevention programs to the Indigenous community.
And SD64’s Indigenous Education program, in cooperation with Indigenous Elders from Tsawout First Nation and Parks Canada, will receive funding to facilitate SD64 student learning in one of the local “clam garden” Indigenous traditional aquaculture sites in W̱ENÁ ̧NEĆ (H-When-an-itch, Fulford Harbour), this spring.
The Indigenous Priorities Fund aims to increase community inclusiveness, and to support Indigenous cultural sustainability on Salt Spring Island; visit ssifoundation.ca.