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Indigenous Fashion Arts (IFA) was founded in 2018 and incorporated in 2020 to present progressive, distinct and exceptional fashion, textiles and craft by Indigenous artists at the intersection of art, fashion and culture. IFA is committed to exploring the deep connections between mainstream fashion, Indigenous art and traditional practice through presentation for broad audiences and industries. Indigenous Fashion Arts is led by Indigenous women and committed to becoming a leader in the dissemination and exportation of Indigenous-made works for the advancement and empowerment of Indigenous artists and designers, connecting them and their work to Canadian and international audiences, festivals, buyers, retailers, curators and institutes. While IFA offers a variety of programming and events throughout the year, their most significant program is the bi-annual Indigenous Fashion Art Festival, one of Canada’s largest events dedicated to Indigenous fashion, design and art, and the only Festival of its kind in Ontario.

"This application is for the “Indigenous Fashion Arts Festival 2024” IFAF, the fourth installment of the bi-annual Festival, taking place May 29 to June 2, 2024, at the Eaton Centre and neighbouring spaces in downtown Toronto including the outdoor Trinity Square Labyrinth and spaces within TMU’s downtown campus. The four-day interactive cultural event will feature over 115 Indigenous artists, designers, creatives and thinkers, both emerging and established, from across Canada and around the world. Festival participants will represent a broad range of First Nation and Indigenous cultures including Anishinaabe, Cherokee, Cree, Dene, Gwich’in, Inuit, Inupiat, Kaska Dena, Kichwa Amazonico, Lakota, Luiseño, Māori, Métis, Mi’kmaq, Mohawk, Ojibwe, Sécwepemc, Seminole, Tlingit and Tuscarora, and many others. Artists from across the province, Canada, the United States, as well as Ecuador, Greenland, Guatemala and New Zealand will also be included. Building upon the success of the 2022 hybrid model, the Festival will feature live streaming and exclusive digital presentation to enhance the in-person experience and to engage audiences online. 2024 programming will include:

(1) Mainstage Runway performances: four thematic performances, approached as live interactive cross-disciplinary performances and are developed through months of theatrical-style workshops. IFA’s Executive & Artistic Director Sage Paul (Denesuliné, English River First Nation) develops the curatorial vision each year, with input from a “scripter” for story development, choreographer, composer and lighting and set designers to realize the vision within the unifying theme. The Runways will be presented along the third floor of the Eaton Centre, spanning across its bridged spaces, after the Centre is closed to the public. Alongside the live Runway presentations, IFA commissions four short-form films - one for each Runway and inspired by its associate curatorial theme - which are screened during the live performance. The short films receive their premiere online, through IFA’s website and YouTube platform;

(2) A hands-on makers workshops; hands-on learning experiences that celebrate Indigenous creative excellence and assist in the dissemination of traditional knowledge and techniques. The IFAF 2024 workshop series includes: Silver and copper work, with Mathew Nuqingaq (Inuit; Iqaluit, NU) -Silversmith, Metal Artist & Sculptor; Madder dye-making, with Carola Jones (Mattamuskeet Tuscarora/Seminole; North Carolina, US) - Natural matter dye maker, Textile Artist; Decorative quill weaving, with Arsene Fabian Betsidea (Délı̨ nę/Tłı̨ chǫ; Charter Community of Délı̨ nę and Tłı̨ chǫ Community Government of Whatì (NT) - Quillweaver; and Hide and fur accessory-making, with Brenda Lee Asp (Northern Tutchone/Tahltan First Nations; Yukon/BC) - Jeweller, Textile Artist;

(3) Fashion Resurgence Panel Series; panel topics include: “Artificial Intelligence: Professional Support or Social Detriment?”; “Masterclass: Grant Writing for Fashion Arts”; “Sustainability: A Double-Edged Sword”; “Fashion in Galleries & Museums: Exhibition, Systemic Procedures, Repatriation & Ownership”; and “Pow Wow Regalia: Bridging Tradition & Contemporary Expressions”; and

(4) A curated Marketplace; presenting over 70 Indigenous artists, designers and makers, across multiple public and retail spaces in the Eaton's Centre. Artists can present and sell their works directly to the public as well as industry buyers, retail partners, media and fashion writers and international guests. Additional public Marketplace programming includes: Original Makers Space, a drop-in site for Elders and community members addressing the lack of access and representation of older Indigenous people, especially women and the unhoused; Friday Night Market, an evening shopping event with live entertainment; Auntie’s House, a designated outdoor meeting place to sit and gather with relatives and new friends; and a partnership with the Northwest Territories Arts’ Proudly Indigenous Craft & Design."