Wanuskewin Park receives donation for new Artist-in-Residence program

On Wednesday, Wanuskewin Heritage Park received a donation of $675,600 from Olivia and Greg Yuel for a new Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program with Wanuskewin Galleries.

The galleries are to be named the Olivia Gallery and the Greg Yuel Gallery.

This contribution is in support of Wanuskewin’s bid to become Saskatchewan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is a step towards the province’s Indigenous art and culture programming, the organization said in a media release.

“The Yuels’ support of a National Indigenous Artist-In-Residence program is a leadership gift that shows the country, and the world, that Wanuskewin is a very special and important place worthy of UNESCO World Heritage designation,” Alan Long, director of development of the park, said in the release.

Community connection is a key part in what sets the gallery apart from others, according to Olivia Kristoff, the curator of Wanuskewin Galleries.

According to the release, the Artist-In-Residence program works to bring national and international artists to Wanuskewin to mentor emerging local artists and work with the public to understand Indigenous cultures through education and reconciliation.

The AIR program will encourage artists to explore the land, resources and connections to grasslands ecology at Wanuskewin, the release said.

Greg Yuel is the president of PIC Investment Group, and said he’s excited to see what new artistic styles will emerge in the years to come.

“Our collaboration with Wanuskewin is one of the many efforts we have made to increase visibility of Indigenous artistic styles as they evolve and grow over time,” he said.