Are you an Indigenous person interested in further developing your skills in creative writing or visual arts in an Indigenous context? Explore this unique certificate program offered in partnership with the En’owkin International School of Writing and Fine Arts in Penticton, BC. This partnership provides accreditation through affilation with the University of Victoria (UVic) Department of Continuing Education. This unique program exists within the learning environment of an Indigenous cultural community. The program promotes diverse Indigenous pedagogies while connecting learners to a larger fine arts network.
Program Description
The Foundations in Indigenous Fine Arts (FIFA) certificate is provided through a collaboration between the University of Victoria Faculty of Fine Arts, the Division of Continuing Studies, and the En'owkin Centre in Penticton, BC. Situated on the traditional land of the syilx people, the En'owkin Centre is a registered Private Post Secondary Institute and a member of The Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA). Students at the En'owkin Centre experience a culturally rich environment with learners from diverse Indigenous nations across North America, involving academic studies alongside traditional practices like seasonal feasts, ceremonies, and social gatherings.
The FIFA certificate exists to develop Indigenous writers and artists, and continues the longstanding partnership between UVic and the En’owkin Centre. The program has two main focuses:
- Creative writing courses: With an emphasis on contemporary creative writing forms, Indigenous worldview is explored in traditional and contemporary oratory, storytelling and performance arts.
- Visual arts courses: Visual expression is nurtured and developed in various disciplines, including painting, sculpture and installation art, by actively engaging students in projects, presentations and exhibits.
Upon completion of this program, graduates will receive a certificate in Foundations in Indigenous Fine Arts, awarded jointly by the En'owkin Centre and UVic.
Who is this program for? The FIFA program is designed for Indigenous students who wish to develop specialized skills in creative writing and/or visual arts in an Indigenous context. Students may complete the program on a full-time basis with part-time learning options available. Learners are encouraged to complete the 13.5 units of course work for certificate completion.
Many former En'owkin fine arts students have become professional artists, authors, actors and educators.
Learners may complete the program on a full-time basis with part-time learning options available. Learners are encouraged to complete the 13.5 units of course work for certificate completion which can ladder into a learning pathway towards a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
LADDERING OPPORTUNITY FOR FIFA STUDENTS AT UVIC
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