Indigenous Artisan’s Trail (IArT) Venue

Jan 28

Background

IArT was created to connect locals and visitors to Indigenous artwork where they are, by travelling to various communities. The sharing of Interior Salish art and culture would bridge a gap and provide an opportunity to celebrate the traditions and land of the Indigenous people of Canada.

The goal of IArT was to be a regional tourism enterprise acting as a gateway to engagement, providing access to the social and economic benefits of tourism. By bringing the Interior Salish art, language, dance, and stories to the forefront of the Thompson Okanagan tourism experience, this project aimed to address the capacity deficits created by colonialism.

Launch

IArT was unveiled during the International Indigenous Tourism Conference in November 2019 at the Kelowna Art Gallery

IArT officially launched in May 2021 at the Kelowna Rotary Centre for the Arts, then relocated to Bernard Avenue as part of Meet Me On Bernard, a street animation project to encourage active transportation in downtown Kelowna. IArT presented a digital Indigenous art experience, “Being Out On the Land: Feeds, Streams, and Captures,” which brings Indigenous art from artists across Canada to the forefront of the Thompson Okanagan tourism experience.

In 2022, IArT was moved to the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Inspiration Centre.

Exterior Design

The details of the outside of the trailer are based on the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre which was created using the technique of rammed earth. This process entails the layering of a combination of local soils and minerals to create the beautiful colour variation.