Our Story

Mindful Makers

offers *free* professional development opportunities for artists and makers who self-identify as having lived experience.

vision + mission

Programming is led by + for collective members; building a resilient, compassionate & responsive network of artists, makers and supportive community partners engaged in grassroots social change work. We work alongside one another to build a distinct voice and through presenting and exhibiting our work publicly, we lessen the stigma and social isolation associated with mental health and addiction experiences in Thunder Bay.

Karmen.Michel.jpg — what we do

Mindful Makers provides guidance and support for aspiring, emerging and established artists/makers* (age 18+) through offering:
artist talks, seminars and art workshops in a variety skill levels and artistic disciplines,
opportunities to exhibit / present work, and
access to space, materials and resources to create new work.

Opportunities assist members in refining, diversifying or professionalizing their arts practice in a Northwestern Ontario context and are developed in response to ongoing dialogue with Collective members.
*artists/makers: we acknowledge that many creative folx do not identify as “artists,” but use the term “maker” to describe their creative practice (individuals working in fine craft, for instance).

how we do it
Although opportunities are free, *we are* *not* *a non-profit organization or registered charity.* Programming is supported by our Creative Director alongside dedicated Collective members with financial assistance from:
individual donors,
community partners,
sponsors, and
local, provincial and federal funders.
Our Creative Director works part-time on a project-to-project basis. Which means, what we offer and when depends on funding received to support our intiatives.

Dyeing with Tuija Hansen — We are committed to fostering inclusive, anti-oppressive programming. In addition to following our community agreements and policies, everyone involved is invited to help to create a place where people feel comfortable and safe. Learn more about how we work together by viewing our **Membership Handbook**.

Membership Handbook

Our Story

The Collective was founded in 2018 with support from Workman Arts Scaling Project (funded for three years by the Ontario Trillium Foundation), and our local corporate partners: Thunder Bay Art Gallery and Alpha Court Community Mental Health & Addiction Services. Programming is developed under the artistic guidance of Founding Director/Coordinator, Caroline Kajorinne Krievin and in response to ongoing dialogue with members.
From June 2018 to March 2021, Workman Arts mentored and supported the Collective (alongside our local Steering Committee) and two other project sites as they piloted Workman Arts’ Art Training Program:
ArtFix of Nipissing, North Bay
Willow Arts Community, St. Catharines.
Each location has adapted the Art Program to their location, in effort to offer members an increased sense of belonging to a community, expanded social networks and a chance to build artistic and social skills.
By year three, we saw 50 active Collective members involved and additional community partners grew to include: the Canadian Mental Health Association, Baggage Building Arts Centre, Painted Turtle Art Shop, Jumblies Theatre (Toronto), Willow Springs Creative Centre, and Catalysts X | Northern Lights Collaborative. Since, partners have expanded to involve: Northwestern Ontario Women’s Centre, Lakehead University Visual Art Department, CréAction Collective, VIBE Arts, EcoSuperior, and Earthling Art Collective. Partners work together to promote the collective, refer potential members, identify professional artists as instructors, and support the implementation and sustainability of the program.
Aside from our initial OTF funding, we have launched the following projects over the years thanks to support from the Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts:
2021 we held our first juried exhibition with printed publication.
2020 and 2022 saw us hosting inter-arts workshops.
In 2022 hosted our first Artist in Residence program.
Spring 2023 we hosted "ReWilding Roots:" which included our first Open Mic opportunities and centred performance-focused workshops.
Spring 2024 we aim to build our first giant moveable puppet, inspired by the boreal forest.
Since 2019 our Coordinator has raised and managed $105,964.50 in project funding and donations on behalf of Mindful Makers Collective, in addition to coordinating Workman Arts Scaling Project from 2018-2022 which comprised of 61 workshops, 310 Open Studio hours, 3 exhibitions, and 5 pop up showcases.

Territorial Acknowledgement and Intentions

Mindful Makers Collective acknowledges that we are living, breathing and working on Turtle Island, on the traditional Anishnaabe territory of Fort William First Nation, signatory to the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850. As a result of the Indian Act, and this treaty, the reserve of Fort William First Nation and City of Thunder Bay (formerly Port Arthur and Fort William) were formed. We recognize that violent impacts caused by ongoing colonialism continue to affect Indigenous Lands, Cultures and Peoples in our community today. We also recognize that colonial violence and discrimination in all forms impacts individuals’ mental health, access to resources, care and connection to community.

Mindful Makers is committed to the life-long work of (un)learning the attitudes and behaviours of the oppressive systems we work within and are subject to. We seek to live and work in solidarity by encouraging awareness of Indigenous voices, working alongside artists and makers who confront colonization as a lived reality. We foster reciprocity with our network of support as well as with the land, water, and animals. We encourage the development of allyship, cross-cultural understanding and mutual sharing of resources. We foster Collective members’ leadership and social skills, self-determination, and healing through the arts. Creative presentations and events promote the voices of Indigenous, marginalized, and racialized artists/makers.

Gratitude

We have tremendous gratitude for what helps us do this work. Including our relationships with:

members + arts facilitators - who continually assist with shaping meaningful programming and who lead and enjoy amazing, professional artistic opportunities
our supportive network - to the many partners who directly help by connecting us with potential members, resources and guidance that assists with developing this budding collective
steering committee members (2018-2021) Vanessa Malone (CMHA), Maureen Colpitts (Alpha Court), Sharon Godwin & Betty Carpick (Thunder Bay Art Gallery), Judi Vinni (Willow Springs Creative Centre), and Ardelle Sagutcheway (artist and advocate)
Ad-Hoc committee members: Those who step into project committees, to help ensure their success. You know who you are!

Workman Arts - specifically Scaling Project Manager, Nena Pedevska, who continually ensures we have what we need to adapt and develop Workman Arts’ Art Training Program for our community
Shauna McLeod, founder and Director of The Willow Community in St. Catherines and Lindsay Sullivan, Program Coordinator with Art Fix Nipissing - whose shoulders are always there to lean on when facing the many challenges of founding, directing and implementing a grassroots arts initiative.

inspiring social purpose organizations and artist activists - specifically, the many organizations and individuals who have crossed my (Carol Kajorinne’s) path through YSI Collaborative (or otherwise) who continue to influence the ways we gather and be together as a collective. Including, but not limited to: Alana Forslund, Jayal Chung, Sarah Nelson, Stacey Hare Hodgins, Sierra Nowegejick, Robin Faye, Zoe Gordon, Phillis Novak (Sketch Working Arts), Myia Davar, Chris Lee, Karen Emerson (Children’s Peace Theatre), Robin Sutherland and Miranda Bouchard (Thinking Rock Community Arts), Jessica Bolduc (4R’s Youth Movement), Jermaine Henry, among others ~ you know who you are! Just knowing you are out there, brings solace in knowing the world is in good hands.

Thank you all!