Indigenous Art Centre

The Indigenous Art Centre supports the creation, preservation and promotion of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada. Through the Indigenous Art Centre, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) is entrusted with the care, development, and maintenance of the Indigenous Art Collection, one of the most important collections of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada.

Indigenous Art Acquisition Program 2024 to 2025 update

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada will be deferring acquisitions under the Indigenous Art Acquisition Program for 2024 to 2025. Thank you to all the artists who submitted a proposal. The department will be keeping the submissions recommended for purchase for consideration in future years.

About the Indigenous Art Centre

The Indigenous Art Centre was created in 1965 to support the creation, preservation and promotion of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada.

The Indigenous Art Centre oversees the care, development, and maintenance of the Indigenous Art Collection, one of the most important collections of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada. The Indigenous Art Collection is held in trust for future generations by CIRNAC, who acts as custodian of the Collection. It is a unique collection which represents works of art by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis artists in Canada, many of whom are not represented in other Canadian public institutions.

The Indigenous Art Centre supports and promotes the Canadian Indigenous artist and their works through its bi-annual Acquisition program.

To learn more, consult the Indigenous Art Centre programs and services.

The Centre is home to more than 5000 Indigenous artworks from over 990 Indigenous artists. The collection features works by prominent and emerging Indigenous artists acquired through a peer-juried process. With help from the Indigenous community, the centre shares Indigenous culture and stories through Indigenous artwork.

Pieces in the collection were obtained through various acquisition and exhibition programs, as gifts or by donation including the following:

Alberta Art Collection: acquired in 1990 from the Alberta Indian Arts and Crafts Society auction, which includes 200 pieces such as paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures
Archival Collection: artworks and original art books that are available for on-site research purposes only
Dewdney Collection: 181 pieces of various works of art including pieces by renowned artist and author, Norval Morrisseau, as well as correspondence between Morrisseau and Selwyn H. Dewdney, editor of the book, Legends of my People: The Great Ojibway (1965)
Inuit Art Collection: contemporary pieces in a variety of mediums including photography, printmaking, sculpture and tapestries
Resource Collection: traditional artwork, commercial prints and posters of contemporary artwork, documentation, videos and audio tapes that are used for educational purposes such as school visits and demonstrations

All images of the artists' artworks in the Indigenous Art Collection are protected by Canadian Copyright Law and require the artist's written permission for reproduction and exhibition. The centre provides fees to artists based upon the guidelines from the Canadian Artists Representation. The acquisition program and subsequent engagements with the Collection provide cultural and economic well-being for Indigenous artists and the Indigenous arts community.

The Indigenous Art Collection: Selected Works 1967-2017

Created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the collection, this stunning volume and first major monograph published by the Government of Canada highlights the richness and the importance of Indigenous cultures and heritage as an essential part of Canadian culture.

This 383-page hardcover book is an important tribute to the incredible work that has been done by Indigenous artists and curators, as well as the Indigenous Art Centre's continuing efforts to honour and promote Indigenous artwork in Canada and internationally.

The book project was chaired by Lee-Ann Martin, and included jury members Simon Brascoupé, David M. General, Viviane Gray, Dr. Heather Igloliorte, Gerald McMaster, Sherry Farrell Racette, Arthur Renwick, Ryan Rice and Dr. Carmen Robertson. These individuals reviewed 4,288 works of art in the Indigenous Art Collection and chose 164 pieces to represent the development of the collection through its inception up to the present day.

To order a copy, consult the National Gallery of Canada Boutique.