Artists wishing to declare their interest in providing artwork for 2025 materials are asked to declare interest no later than Monday, April 14, 2025.

The form to declare of interest in this Call for Artists is located at https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/CG9ZNYQ.

Shortlisted artists who have declared interest in this commission will be contacted once selected by the review committee and asked to proceed through the deybwewin | taapwaywin| tapwewin: Indigenous Truth Policy verification of Indigenous membership/citizenship with documentation process.

Before declaring interest, artists are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the following:

• The technical requirements and other details of the commission (art dimensions, digital file formats where applicable, etc.)
  • For any questions related to technical requirements or declaring interest, please email collin.semenoff@usask.ca.
• The Indigenous membership/citizenship verification process at the University of Saskatchewan led and determined by the deybwewin | taapwaywin | tapwewin: Indigenous Truth Policy.

For any questions related to the verification process, please email indigenoustruthpolicy@usask.ca.

Only Indigenous candidates will be considered for this project. As such, verification of Indigenous membership/citizenship with documentation is a condition of receiving the commission.

The University of Saskatchewan is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and is proud to support academic opportunities for Indigenous students. We continue to grow our partnerships with Indigenous communities across the province, nationally, and internationally and value the unique perspectives that Indigenous students, staff, and faculty provide to strengthen these relationships.

Verification of Indigenous membership/citizenship at the University of Saskatchewan is led and determined by the deybwewin | taapwaywin | tapwewin: Indigenous Truth Policy and standing committee in accordance with the processes developed to enact the policy.

Shortlisted artists who have declared interest in this commission will be contacted once selected by the review committee and asked to verify Indigenous membership/citizenship with documentation before this commission will be awarded.

To preview or access the verification system, please visit https://indigenous.usask.ca/indigenous-initiatives/deybwewin-taapwaywin-tapwewin.php.

NOTE: Applicants with a USask username (called the Network Services Identifier or NSID) can upload their documentation via a secure portal on PAWS. Applicants external to USask can send documentation to indigenoustruthpolicy@usask.ca with a brief outline as to the purpose of sending in their information (e.g., declaring interest in the 2025 Call for Artists to create artwork for Orange Shirt Day). Documentation is not to be submitted outside of the portal or recommended email address for this Call for Artists.

If you have any questions or require additional information about the verification process and deybwewin | taapwaywin | tapwewin, please email indigenoustruthpolicy@usask.ca.

James Desjarlais, 2024

"This digitally created piece called 'Turtle's Protection' is circular in shape, much like Mother Earth and the Medicine wheel. Cradled inside of a turtle shell, a baby lies sleeping - blanketed and protected by Mother Earth's flora. The turtle shell and moss bag represent the protection, love, security, and truth that our children need today. Above is Mother Earth, arching over the child and the shell; her nature is the final barrier of protection that each precious child deserves. Seven small and simple stars float above the child and within the circle. The stars are representative of seven generations of descendants. This concept is important to the continued survival of the nehiyaw, as leaders and chiefs wouild need to think about the effects and consequences of their actions seven generations ahead." - James Desjarlais