iNdigital Youth Collective
imagineNATIVE is excited to introduce the iNdigital Youth Collective!
Formed through collaboration between imagineNATIVE and ENAGB Indigenous Youth Agency, the iNdigital Youth Collective is a new group of emerging digital and interactive artists aged 12-24 and based in Ontario.
This collective operates with a collaborative spirit to engage Indigenous youth in a community-focused approach, fostering creativity, technical skill, and confidence. The iNdigital Youth Collective's mission is to empower Indigenous youth, growing the next generation of Indigenous voices in digital media.
2020: First Iteration
During the first series of virtual programming in September 2020, the collective completed the Skins workshops developed and produced by AbTeC as part of the Initiative for Indigenous Futures (IIF). Workshops centered on developing skills in avatar and game design, character concepts, and interactive storytelling. Artists broadened their understanding of using creative workflows in Second Life, Bitsy, and Twine.
The iNdigital Youth Collective was showcased at the 2020 Annual Festival, where emerging artists shared their experiences and highlights from workshop series. Youth Rising iNdigital is available on the imagineNATIVE Youtube page.
2021: Seven Generations Later
Based on the Seventh Generation concept—centered on making sustainable decisions that carry forward in time—imagineNATIVE's iNdigital Youth Collective has developed a series of characters that reflect their visions of possible Indigenous futures.
These "descendants" manifested in conjunction with the 2021 imagineNATIVE Festival as life-size vinyl characters, hosted in libraries across Tkaronto, on AbTeC Island in Second Life, and on the iNdigital Space. Each character represents layered spaces of traditional storytelling and Indigenous futurism, supported by contemporary technology.
2022: Video Game Design
For 2022, the iYC Cohort will be learning Game Design skills through a series of workshops alongside Indigenous Mentors and Artists. The games and experiences you create will be featured as part of an online exhibition as well as a special showcase at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival in October!
The iYC meets weekly on Thursdays for approximately 3 hours using Discord. All iYC members will receive a cash honorarium for their participation in the cohort. Join us from April 28th to June 3rd, 2022!
How do I join the iNdigital Youth Collective?
The iNdigital Youth Collective operates as a 1-year cohort. We hope you will join us in 2022 for a brand new series of workshops, exhibitions, and learning opportunities.
APPLY HERE
For more information, please email ktomaselli@imaginenative.org.
The iNdigital Youth Collective thanks the Canada Council, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and EQ Bank for their continued support.