Mindful Makers: keep us creating & connecting!

Greetings Thunder Bay & beyond!

We are Mindful Makers, an arts collective creating dedicated space for artists with extraordinary minds to: make and exhibit work, exchange and advance skills and expand professional networks. You may have heard of us by reading a recent Bayview Magazine article. 

From 2018-2021, we piloted Workman Arts’ Art Training Program here in Thunder Bay - a program that has existed in Toronto for 20+ years! In this time, we worked with 28 arts facilitators who led 61 workshops in a variety of artistic disciplines ~ reaching 482 participants! Click here to read our Three Year Report 

image: artist Natalia Moskwa participating in Mixed Media Expressionism with Trish McLellan, 2020

We ensure artists and makers who self-identify as having mental health and/or addiction experiences retain access to free professional development opportunities. Through our public presentations and events, we lessen the stigma associated with mental health and addictions and foster social connection among peers. Currently, we do not have charitable or non profit status, and given the economic climate, are eager to explore alternative governance models. 

image: Plaster Sculpture with Jillian Jurimae, 2020

For Spring 2023 programming, Mindful Makers art collective received an Ontario Arts Council grant that supported 8 Open Studio drop-ins at the Baggage Building Arts Centre, 2 Open Mic nights at local coffeeshop The Bean Fiend, and 5 different artists to host workshops for community to develop and explore storytelling, writing, and performance possibilities.

image: folks creating during Eleanor Albanese's Clothesline Stories Come Alive workshop

image: Musician, singer-songwriter Elizabeth Hill hosting Open Mic night at The Bean Fiend, 2023

Open Studio offered weekly access to a variety of art supplies and a physical meeting space. We heard and felt the positive impact of this programming which supported social connection, peer support, knowledge-exchange, and the chance to take creative risks and build new skills.

Why do we need money? 

Workman Arts pilot project was generously funded for three years by Ontario Trillium Foundation, and as of April 1, 2021, this funding came to a close. Moving forward, Mindful Makers will be operating on a project-to-project basis, guided by the grants and sponsorships we are awarded. In preparation for this transition, we have been busy writing grants and now are now seeking support from partners and allies - like you - to help keep our members connected and creatively inspired.

We are thrilled to have received project funding from municipal, provincial and federal funding bodies for opportunities like our Juried Show and Artist in Residency, and hope to continue doing so. However, funders typically expect that 20% of project costs are also raised by us, the organization - which also shows support on the community and partnership level!

What will the funds go towards?

Your donations will leverage funding we receive from municipal, provincial and federal funding bodies to host opportunities like our Juried Show, Open Studio and our Artist in Residency. Due to the pandemic, we continually face unforeseen increased project costs - especially around project planning, accessibility and administration.

Donations will allow us to continue offering free professional development opportunities for local artists by paying industry standard artists fees, space rental and administration costs. Many of the artists engaging with our offerings face various barriers in their lives. So money raised will also be used to ensure people have access to transportation, food and art supplies so that they can continue being involved.

$5 will go towards purchasing art supplies

$50 will assist with reaching members accessibility needs

$150 will support one Open Studio session OR to pay an artist to offer one 2-3 hour workshop

$300 will pay an arts facilitator to lead a 6 hour workshop 

$500 will cover administration and space rental fees related to coordinating programs OR to purchase equipment (like a digital camera to lend to members wishing to photograph artworks)

image: Karmen Pang and Michel Dumont at our "Breaking Ground" exhibition opening, 2019

We need one another now more than ever

It's no secret that living with mental health and/or addiction experiences can be challenging. Our peer-to-peer support model fosters social connection, creative inspiration and innovation, and skill-sharing among artists and makers. And with your help, we can continue to develop responsive, impactful, and accessible artistic opportunities for our self-determined Collective members to thrive.

Living in smaller and geographically isolated communities can compound our feelings of social isolation. Therefore, with travel being limited, it is imperative for regional artists, organizations and groups to build platforms for artists and makers to create, present and collaborate right here in Northwestern Ontario.

Thank you for your support!

#SupportMindfulMakers 

For more information about us: www.mindfulmakers.org

Looking to donate? Click "Donate Now" in our fundraising campaign OR mail a cheque to:

Mindful Makers Collective

2200 Sleeping Giant Parkway,

Thunder Bay ON

P7A 0E7

*please note: we are not a registered charity or non-profit thus cannot provide a Charitable Donation Tax Credit for your contribution.

Interested in sponsoring an event? Contact:

Caroline Kajorinne Krievin

http://mindfulmakers.org/contact

image: "untitled" sculpture by Robin Faye

Mindful Makers "Breaking Ground" exhibit at the Baggage Building Arts Centre, 2019