New $1M Fund launched by Rogers & Creative BC for Indigenous storytellers

Rogers is announcing the creation of a new multi-year $1-million fund for B.C. Indigenous storytellers. The goal is to ensure there is a strong Indigenous voice and point of view in Canada’s movie industry.

Rogers Communications President and CEO Joe Natale says the new fund is just one step on the journey to deepening allyship.

“Working collectively with B.C. communities, we are also proud to help bridge the digital divide by investing in critical connectivity, including along the Highway of Tears, to keep Indigenous communities safely connected,” Natale wrote in a statement.

Supported privately by Rogers Group of Funds and administered by Creative BC, it is believed to be the nation’s first provincial-national partnership focused on Indigenous creators.

Creative BC will recruit an Indigenous lead for the fund and undertake a collaborative consultation process within the B.C. Indigenous community of content creators to develop the program.

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“Together we will establish new opportunities and long-term value to B.C.-based Indigenous storytellers – prioritizing cultural sovereignty, uplifting and being accountable to the work of the imagiNATIVE Protocols & Pathways, and leveraging Creative BC resources and relationships in support, such as that with the CMPA BC Producers Branch,” Prem Gill, CEO, Creative BC said.

“No act of reconciliation is too small. This fund exemplifies the power of partnership and our shared commitment to empowering Indigenous creators to thrive in this industry. Indigenous Peoples have been story tellers since time immemorial. It’s inspiring to see opportunities being created to increase the representation of Indigenous producers across B.C. This is truly reconciliation in action,” Melanie Mark, B.C.’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport said.

The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO), an independent national advocacy organization, says creating more opportunities in turn promotes a healthier and robust media landscape.

“Our communities have a lot of stories to share in a way only Indigenous storytellers can. The ISO is looking forward to developing this new partnership with Creative BC and Rogers Group of Funds.” wrote Jesse Wente, ISO Co-executive Director.

ISO insights show that B.C.-based Indigenous applicants far outnumber those from other provinces, reflecting the strong filmmaking talent base locally.

“For 20 years as a storyteller and Indigenous woman working in media, I’m typically the only one who looks like me at the table. Being the first to lay footprints can be lonely and hard work, and I am proud to see commitments for easier pathways for my Indigenous brothers and sisters who follow. This new fund, which puts the Indigenous creator at the centre, is an important step in the right direction,” Nicole McCormick, Chair, Rogers Indigenous People’s Network.

More details about the fund, its programs, eligibility criteria, deadlines, and the submission process will follow next year.

Rogers is the parent company of CityNews