NAC Indigenous Theatre and Facebook Canada launch #ReconcileThis - a collaboration to amplify Indigenous Voices online

Four-year initiative valued at $400,000 to provide hundreds of Indigenous creators with funding, production equipment and training to share stories, history and culture online

OTTAWA, ON, June 23, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, the National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre and Facebook Canada are announcing the creation of #ReconcileThis - Indigenous Voices Online, a four-year initiative that provides hundreds of transformative Indigenous Voices with funding, production equipment, and training to share their stories, history, and to celebrate culture online. #ReconcileThis will also create four, one-year Associate Producer positions at NAC Indigenous Theatre, providing emerging Indigenous leaders the opportunity to shape the national program.

"We are really excited about this project. It is exactly the kind of support we need right now: funding, professional development opportunities and access to a platform dedicated to activating Indigenous voices, brilliance and creativity, centred on the concept of self-determination," said Kevin Loring, Artistic Director of the NAC Indigenous Theatre.

The Internet has been a democratizing force for traditionally marginalized and under-represented voices. This effort aims to amplify hundreds of Indigenous Voices across any online platform, where the creators own the content they create and how they share their stories.

"Through our ongoing work with Indigenous communities, we have learned so much about the important role that the Internet can play in uplifting Indigenous voices," said Kevin Chan, Global Director and Head of Public Policy, Facebook Canada. "We're grateful to partner with the National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre and the National Arts Centre to make space for, and amplify the voices of, Indigenous creators on and off our platforms."

Creators' work can span a broad spectrum of contributions, ranging from artistic performances in dance, theatre, and music, to social media content creation, podcast production and writing.  NAC Indigenous Theatre will shape and administer the program. More information on the selection process of Indigenous-identifying creators will be shared at a later date.

Driving further discoverability, the National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre will create a microsite to showcase selected works and creations of Indigenous Voices. Selected creators will be welcomed to share content through online platforms of their choice with the hashtag #ReconcileThis.

The National Arts Centre and Facebook Canada aim to support cross-cultural exchange and the process of truth and reconciliation in Canada by collaborating with the NAC Indigenous Theatre on this program.

Storytelling & Truth: Facebook Live Event Amplifying Indigenous Voices
Today at 1pm ET, the NAC Indigenous Theatre and Indigenous storyteller Sarain Fox will host a live event from the Facebook Canada Page to recognize National Indigenous History Month and officially launch #ReconcileThis. The event will spotlight several Indigenous creators and stories and highlight an important discussion about the power of online platforms for cultural and self expression. Click "Interested" here to RSVP and join the Facebook Live discussion.

Lori Marchand, Managing Director, and Kevin Loring, Artistic Director, at the NAC Indigenous Theatre will co-host alongside Sarain, and will be joined by Zoey Roy, spoken word poet, Félicia Tremblay, Senior Advisor Outreach for Diversity and Inclusion at the National Arts Centre and Theland Kicknosway, activist and educator, among others.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE
The National Arts Centre is Canada's bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts. The NAC presents, creates, produces, and co-produces performing arts programming in various streams—the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and Popular Music and Variety—and nurtures the next generation of audiences and artists from across Canada. The NAC is located in the National Capital Region on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation.

ABOUT FACEBOOK CANADA
Founded in 2004, Facebook's mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. More than 24 million Canadians use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what's going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them. Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.

SOURCE Facebook Canada

Annabelle Cloutier, Executive Director, Communications and Public Affairs, National Arts Centre, 613-301-2764, [email protected]; Carl Martin, Senior Advisor, Strategic Initiatives, 613-291-8880, [email protected]; Alex Kucharski, Facebook Canada, [email protected]