This summer we wanted to take a look at the impacts and outcomes of @1860 Winnipeg Arts projects and the Unite Kindness project with Global Dignity and Global Dignity Canada. Many of these projects, experiences and collaborations are what led to our creating Niriqatiginnga as a community-based, participatory project.

Elements of Niriqatiginnga have been piloted and tested over the last three years, supported by the US National Science Foundation, the ArcticNet Network Centre of Excellence, the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Greenhouse, Global Dignity Canada, Chocolatier Constance Popp, and Manitoba Arts Council’s Indigenous 360 Program. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Arctic Buying Company Winnipeg, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design Arts Entrepreneurship Program, and the Labovitz School of Business and Economics at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Arts and special events with organizations like Global Dignity Canada have seen the @1860 Winnipeg Arts program learning from a wide range of dignitaries, role models, and special guest speakers, including: HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, the Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, Senator Jim Munson and Members of Parliament Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Blake Desjarlais and Michael Barrett; as well as educators like Pakistani educator Ziauddin Yousafzai, Finnish philosopher Dr. Pekka Himanen and acclaimed artists and musicians Tara Baswani and Morris Hayes.

We’ve learned a lot from Global Dignity and Global Dignity Canada and all the local businesses and organizations who supported these past three years. We’re thankful for their support and many the acts of kindness in supporting our youth, artists and community members.

Our new project, Niriqatiginnga, is committed to building on these experiences, contributing to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by prioritizing participatory arts, research and community-driven programming that addresses issues related to poverty reduction, food sovereignty and cultural entrepreneurship. Our aim is to advance knowledge and understanding through interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaborations that support positive change and promote sustainable cities and communities.