The Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA) in partnership with Flux Media Gallery, the Media Arts Alliance of the Pacific (MAAP) and the National Indigenous Media Arts Coalition (NIMAC) are pleased to announce the Digital Shift Virtual National Media Arts Gathering. From September 16 to October 28, 2020, the gathering will host a variety of online events including Round-Table Discussions, Screenings, Featured Artists, and Artist Walks.
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Speaker: Brianna Bear
10am–11:30am PST
French/English Translation and ASL Interpretation Provided 
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Presentation by France Trépanier and Chris Creighton-Kelly
Main Hall – September 17, 10am–12pm PST
French/English Translation and ASL Interpretation Provided
France Trépanier & Chris Creighton-Kelly are co-Directors of Primary Colours/ Couleurs primaires. Its main objective is to place Indigenous arts at the centre of the Canadian arts system. Primary Colours/Couleurs primaires also asserts that creative practices by artists of colour, who have roots around the world, play a critical role in imagining the future(s) of Canadian art making.
They will present “A Shifting Landscape”, by approaching the immediate challenges in the Canadian arts system. Using a historical perspective, they situate the development of this Eurocentric system in the context of colonialism; the post World War 2 ‘cultural nation building’ period; the 80’s and 90’s push by IBPoC artists to gain access to this system; the 25 year response of Canadian arts institutions/organizations and the current resetting of this system in the wake of Indigenous struggles and the BLM uprisings.
Chris and France will insist that concepts such as access, inclusion and diversity – despite the rush of arts organizations to embrace DIE strategies (Diversity, Inclusion and Equity) – should themselves die. This Multiculturalism approach has never been adequate to deal with questions raised by systemic racism in the arts. In 2020, it is an anachronism.
Instead, they advocate decolonizing of the arts, at every level. Building on the anti- racist work developed by IBPoC activists, they will explain how equity audits; communications strategies; tokenistic programming; HR practices in hiring; public statements against racism, etc, are just the beginning and nowhere near enough.
The critical work of decolonizing ultimately leads to an entire re-thinking and re- designing of the arts system. This new imagining acknowledges territory, history and the centering of Indigenous arts practices.
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At the Confluence – Works from the Yukon (66 mins)
Programmed by Yukon Film Society (YFS) and The Klondike Institute for Art and Culture (KIAC)
Works will be available to stream in the cinema from Sept. 17–23
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Lindsay Delaronde – Gemini
Lindsay Delaronde’s piece will be shown in the gallery from Sept. 17–23
Anchi Lin – Artist talk and screening of rhzyal maku Sept 23 at 7pm PST
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Session 1: Artistic Staff
Session 2: Technical and Production Staff
To be held simultaneously in the Main Hall on Sept. 22, 10am–12pm PST
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Main Hall – September 24, 10am–12pm PST
Co-presented with the National Indigenous Media Arts Coalition (NIMAC)
Speakers: Tracey Kim Bonneau, Doreen Manuel, Loretta Todd, Cease Wyss
The Indigenous Matriarchs 4 will share their work and speak about bringing an Indigenous worldview to immersive technologies such as VR/AR/360, and through platforms such as their Media Lab, supporting Indigenous communities to find effective ways to incorporate these technologies into educational, cultural, language, artistic and commercial applications.
French/English Translation and ASL Interpretation Provided
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In Between Frames
Programmed by EMO Collective
Works will be available to stream in the cinema from Sept. 24–30
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Anchi Lin – rhzyal maku’ (my land)
Marianne Nicolson – “K’ak’akwama – The Fireweed”
Artist Presentations will be shown in the gallery from Sept. 24–30
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Tracey Kim-Bonneau
LIVE on Instagram, Sunday Sept. 27 at 11am PST
Video will be up in the Park from Oct 1–7
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Session 1: Management and Administrative Staff
Session 2: Member Outreach, Communications, Volunteer Coordination
To be held simultaneously in the Main Hall on Sept. 29, 10am–12pm PST
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Main Hall – October 1, 10am–12pm PST
Speakers: Julie Funk, Tracey El Hajj, Suzanne Kite
We live in a world of AI-powered recommendation systems generated using algorithms that are increasingly opaque and susceptible to built-in bias and exclusion.
How are artists critically engaging with machine managed systems and addressing the increasingly relevant themes of algorithmic bias, personal privacy, and digital surveillance?
How can we ensure that artists benefit from these systems while also retaining control over the vocabularies and semantic markers used to describe and define their works?
French/English Translation and ASL Interpretation Provided
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LAND BACK – IndigeVision
Curated by Eli Hirtle
Works will be available to stream in the cinema from Oct. 1–7
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Jeffery Chong – Kingsway
Jeffery Chong’s work will be shown in the gallery from Oct. 1–7
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AbTeC – LIVE Event Oct. 2 at 11am PST – Activating AbTeC Island
The demonstration is by registration and will take place on Zoom and Second Life.
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LIVE on Instagram, Sunday Oct. 4 at 10am PST
Video from the previous week will be up in the Park from Oct. 1–7
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Session 1: Presenters, Galleries, Festivals
Session 2: Preservation, Archives, Collections management
To be held simultaneously in the Main Hall on Oct. 6, 10am–12pm PST
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Main Hall – October 8, 10am–12pm PST
Speakers: Nasma Ahmed, Devon Renée Bergqvist, Carmen Papalia, Tamar Tembeck
Digital ecosystems often reproduce systems of exclusion and marginalization through their operating assumptions and social structures.
How are independent artists and cultural workers striving to resist these tendencies, to successfully create digital contexts that promote access and accessibility?
What opportunities does technology provide to move towards a more equitable sector, both online and in person?
What strategies are media artists and organizations employing to navigate the digital divide including barriers to costly technology and high-speed internet?
French/English Translation and ASL Interpretation Provided
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Programmed by Cinevic
Works will be available to stream in the cinema from Oct. 8–14
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Carmen Papalia – White Cane Amplified
Dan Sokolowski – Ghosts of the Joe Henry
Artist Presentations will be shown in the gallery from Oct. 8–14
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LIVE on Instagram, Sunday Oct. 11 at 10am PST
Video from the previous week will be up in the Park from Oct. 8 – 14
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Session 1: Analog
Session 2: Open Session
To be held simultaneously in the Main Hall on Oct. 13, 10am–12pm PST
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Main Hall – October 15, 10am–12pm PST
Speakers: Georges Azzaria, Mariane Bourcheix-Laporte, Sally Lee, Wanda vanderStoop
The inherent openness of the internet and the ease with which media art works can be copied and distributed has opened phenomenal possibilities for dissemination, but also poses some serious challenges to protecting artists’ intellectual property and ensuring fair revenue share.
How can we utilize technology to increase dissemination of media artworks while ensuring fair artist remuneration and protecting intellectual property?
How can we ensure fair artist remuneration and sustainable livelihood in the face of widespread expectations of free or nearly-free online content?
French/English Translation and ASL Interpretation Provided
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Curated by Peruzzo
Works will be available to stream in the cinema from Oct. 15–21
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Avatar Metaverse Orchestra – Register Here
Live presentation on Zoom, Oct. 21 at 12pm PST
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Farheen HaQ – WASH AND FOLD: REVELATORY HOUSEKEEPING IN AN AGE OF PANDEMIC AND RACIAL INJUSTICE
Artist Presentations will be shown in the gallery from Oct. 15–21
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With Dennis Shorty in Ross River, Yukon
LIVE on Zoom, Sunday Oct. 18 at 11am PST
Video from previous week will be up in the Park from Oct. 15–21
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Session 1: Distribution
Session 2: Open Session
To be held simultaneously in the Main Hall on Oct. 20, 10am–12pm PST
Cybersecurity is as much a question of mutual aid and interdependence as it is a strategic issue. By protecting our data, we avoid major risks and create a more secure network. Arts organizations are rarely prepared to plan their cyber defence. This is why IMAA, in collaboration with a number of experts, has developed Cyber safe and sound, a free microsite hosted on IMAASource to equip the sector to meet these challenges. After two years of research, IMAA is proposing a cybersecurity strategy that explains cyber risks and encourages the use of best practices.
Join IMAA’s team for the launch of Cyber safe and sound. Benjamin J. Allard, Project Manager, will give a guided tour, announce the upcoming Cybersecurity Celebration in March and inspire you to learn about digital risk management!
To be held in the Main Hall on Oct 20, 12pm PST
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Main Hall – October 22, 10am–12pm PST
Speakers: Simone Blais, kimura byol-nathalie lemoine, Nancy Lee, Peruzzo
The historically racist and colonial structures and ideologies embedded in the culture of the media arts leave racialized artists and administrators fighting an uphill battle to address injustice.
What do just and equitable spaces look like?
How can we challenge the racist and colonial systems that the media arts exist within?
What does it mean to centre and empower BIPOC voices?
French/English Translation and ASL Interpretation Provided
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Programmed by Cinevolution and VIVO
Works will be available to stream in the Cinema from Oct. 22–28
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Deanne Achong – Pandemik Piks
Kemi Craig – For Aiyana
Artist Presentations will be shown in the Art Gallery from Oct. 22–28
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With Tiffany Joseph – will be posted on Instagram, Sunday Oct. 25 at 11am PST
Video from previous week will be up in the Park from Oct. 22–28
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Session 1: Production Centres
Session 2: Open Session
To be held simultaneously in the Main Hall on Oct. 27, 10am–12pm PST
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