Our-Story.ca writing and art competition for Aboriginal youth deadline of March 31
Aboriginal Arts & Stories
Aboriginal Arts & Stories (formerly the Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge) was born in 2005 out of the success of Our Story: Aboriginal Voices on Canada's Past published by Doubleday Canada in which nine leading Aboriginal authors from across the country, including Tantoo Cardinal, Tom King and Drew Hayden Taylor, contributed a short fictional story about a defining moment in Aboriginal history. The program quickly became the largest and most recognizable creative writing competition in Canada for Aboriginal youth.
In 2010, Historica Canada (formerly The Historica-Dominion Institute) announced the expansion of the program into arts, making the competition available to a new audience of Aboriginal youth - those who are not writers, but instead express themselves through painting, drawing and photography. We believe that the expanded program gives start to the next generation of both great Aboriginal authors and artists. Aboriginal Arts & Stories has earned large scale support from the Aboriginal arts and literary community, including those that comprise the patrons and advisory committee. Close to 2,000 emerging Aboriginal writers and artists from every province and territory in Canada have participated in the contest since 2005.
The program is organized by Historica Canada, a national charitable organization that was launched in September 2009 through the amalgamation of two existing organizations: The Historica Foundation of Canada and The Dominion Institute. Our mandate is to build active and informed citizens through a greater knowledge and appreciation of the history, heritage and stories of Canada. For more information, visit HistoricaCanada.ca.
We would like to thank the ongoing support of our presenting sponsor Enbridge Inc. and our supporting sponsors: Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Canada's History magazine, The Walrus and Aboriginal Link.
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Competition Guidelines
This year's deadline is March 31, 2014. The contest is open to Canadians of Aboriginal ancestry (Status, Non-Status, Inuit and Métis) between the ages of 14-29.
New this year: our competition is open to emerging writers and artists between the ages of 11-13!
Create a writing or art piece that explores a moment or theme in Aboriginal history or culture.
A 200-400 word Artist's or Author's Statement that explains how your piece reflects or interprets the moment or theme you selected must accompany your entry into the Aboriginal Arts & Stories competition.
You may enter online with your desktop computer, or by e-mail, mail or fax.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Tips from the experts
Advice from author and jury member, Brian Maracle:
Know what you are talking about. This is a contest about history, native history/culture in particular. If you don't know your history or culture - really know it - then learn about it. And when you set out to learn, know this: Google doesn't know everything - especially when it comes to native people. So learn as much as you can about your history and culture from as many sources as you can - especially from people who can give you the flavour and details of an event that you won't find in Wikipedia. And, if you already know about your history/culture, that's great. Now go learn more about it.
When you sit down to write, include the details of an event, a life, a movement that add life and believability to your story. But don't do it at the last minute. Give yourself time to give the story your best shot. Write it and rewrite it. Sweat blood. Put it away and after a week, look at it and rewrite again. Make sure that the story that's in your head is the one that's on paper.
When you think that you've done the best job you can, send it in. But remember that your story will never be perfect. There will always be something you will want to rewrite later. Just know that you did your best at the time. If you've done your best, be satisfied. There are many more stories to write.
Tahsatahsawen! (A Mohawk command roughly translated as "Get going!")
Advice from playwright and jury member, Drew Hayden Taylor:
Yes, it's easier to not write than write. But it isn't nearly as much fun. An author is somebody who spends a lot of time thinking about his/her writing, so that other people someday will spend just as much time thinking about his/her writing.
- What type of art can I submit?
Submissions must be two-dimensional in nature, but can be a variety of media, including painting, sketching, charcoal and photography.
Maximum Height x width x depth: 4 meters x 4 meters x 4 inches
Maximum weight: 25 pounds - What type of writing piece can I submit?
We encourage storytelling of all styles. We've had short stories, plays, poetry and screenplays all win top prizes, so tell your story in whichever way you want!
We ask that your writing somehow be tied to a moment or theme in Aboriginal History. Need inspiration? Read the work of previous winners to get ideas, or talk to people in your community about your local history.
- Word count & language restrictions for story entries.
If you're between the ages of 11-13, your submission should be no longer than 1,000 words. If you're between the ages of 14-18, your submission should be no longer than 1,400 words. Between the ages of 19-29? Stick to below 2000 words. As Aboriginal Arts & Stories is an educational program for young Canadians, we ask that you refrain from including inappropriate or profane language or content in your writing.
- How do I submit?
By email:
ourstory@HistoricaCanada.caFax:
416-506-0300Mail:
Aboriginal Arts and Stories
2 Carlton Street, East Mezzanine Toronto, ON M5B 1J3
About and Contact Us
Questions? Get in touch!
Tel: 1.866.701.1867
Fax: 416.506.0300
Aboriginal Arts & Stories
2 Carlton Street, East Mezzanine
Toronto, ON M5B 1J3
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/AborWritingArts
Twitter:
@AborArtsStories