Indigenous Art Centre programs and services
Programs and services that aim to preserve and promote Indigenous art in Canada.
Call for submissions now open
The call for submissions for the 2024 to 2025 Indigenous art acquisition program is now open. Submissions will be accepted until October 1, 2024.
On this page
Art acquisition program
The Indigenous Art Centre (IAC) aims to expand the Indigenous Art Collection to further preserve and promote Indigenous art in Canada. To achieve this goal, the IAC conducts a bi-annual national acquisition program. During each call for submissions, hundreds of works are reviewed by an Indigenous-led peer-jury made up of members of the Indigenous arts community. Upon review, specific pieces are selected and purchased by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) for the collection.
Additional year-end funding sometimes allows the IAC to purchase art works through a direct acquisition process. These one-time funds are mainly used to acquire works from artists that may not have been purchased in previous acquisition cycles. This process is overseen by the centre's director, in consultation with advisors from the Indigenous arts community.
Results of past acquisitions
Lending program
The IAC promotes Indigenous art by sharing the collection with the public. The IAC lends artwork for exhibitions to arts and cultural institutions, including art galleries and museums across Canada and internationally.
To find out more about the art lending program, review the exhibition loan history or contact us.
Resource library
The IAC is also home to a resource library where Canadians can find various materials about Indigenous art in Canada.
Available materials include:
- files for artists in the Indigenous Art Collection
- 35 mm slides and digital images of the Indigenous Art Collection
- exhibition catalogues from 1959 to the present
- reports and studies on Indigenous art
- art magazines, periodicals and publications on Indigenous art and culture
- DVDs, VHS and cassette tapes
While resource materials are available to all, they cannot be borrowed and must be viewed onsite by appointment only. A remote session may be possible with the assistance of the centre's archivist. The centre's ongoing digitization project aims to expand resource materials and their accessibility. For more information, contact us.