Dan Commanda receives the 2024 OAC Indigenous Arts Award
Multidisciplinary Anishinaabe artist Dan Commanda receives the 2024 Ontario Arts Council Indigenous Arts Award
The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is proud to announce the recipient of the 2024 Ontario Arts Council Indigenous Arts Award, recognizing and celebrating the outstanding contributions of Indigenous artists and arts leaders who have significantly enriched Ontario’s arts landscape.
This year the prestigious honour is awarded to Dan Commanda, an Anishnaabe artist, community leader, Elder, mentor and teacher from Nipissing First Nation. Dan will be presented with the award – including a $10,000 prize, a framed certificate, and a custom Indigenous-designed blanket on Saturday, August 31, at Nipissing First Nation’s 36th Traditional Pow Wow in Garden Village.
The OAC Indigenous Arts Award also acknowledges and supports the many promising Indigenous artists who represent the future of Indigenous leadership in the arts in Ontario. As part of this award, Dan Commanda has selected the emerging multidisciplinary Indigenous artist Monique (Mo Thunder) Bedard, who exemplifies the next generation of artists and arts leadership. They will receive a $2,500 cash award, fostering their continued growth and contribution to the arts in Ontario.
About Dan Commanda
- Dan Commanda, an Anishnaabe artist from Garden Village, Nipissing First Nation, has made a profound impact on the Indigenous arts and cultural community. He is a multifaceted artist known for his exceptional work as painter, dancer, singer, musician, and regalia artist. His expertise spans a wide range of traditional materials and techniques including quillworking, birch bark, feathers, fish scales, pine needles, red willow, sweet grass and hides.
- Dan’s artistic journey began with the Manitoulin Arts Project on Schreiber Island, where he learned from artists including Daphne Odjig and Carl Ray. He went on to study at Portage College, graduating with distinction from the Indigenous Cultural Arts Instructor program.
- A Traditional Pow Wow dancer since 1975, Dan played a pivotal role in establishing the Jocko Point Traditional Pow Wow of Nipissing First Nation in 1998, and he has remained an integral part of the organizing committee for 25 years.
- Throughout his career, Dan has collaborated with countless organizations and communities nationwide, including the Near North District School Board (Ont.), the Mascwachis Life Skills Program (Alta.) and the Native Women’s Group of Peterborough (Ont.). Currently, he is leading the design and coordination of a large-scale mosaic installation at Canadore College in North Bay, based on the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
- A dedicated teacher and mentor, Dan is committed to sharing his knowledge with the next generation of educators – encouraging his students to teach others, while remaining a lifelong student himself. His passion and commitment to the arts were recognized in 2018 when he was a finalist for the Premier’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts in the Artist category.
Little Boy Water Drum
Quotes
“Dan Commanda is outstanding in his many roles in the community – including Elder, Knowledge Keeper and artist,” stated the award jury, which was unanimous in choosing Dan Commanda as the 2024 OAC Indigenous Arts Award laureate. “He makes his impact outside of the mainstream spotlight, creating and teaching traditional cultural arts, music and dance. He is a mentor to many, practicing the reciprocal nature of learning and teaching – that knowledge flows both ways. He lives his life with good medicine, living his life in a good way, sharing his knowledge and inspiring self-respect.”
“The OAC Indigenous Arts Award is a profound acknowledgment of the resilience, creativity, and cultural richness of Indigenous communities across Ontario,” said OAC chair Simon Foster. “This award honors the exceptional contributions of Indigenous artists and leaders who have dedicated their lives to preserving and advancing their traditions, stories, and knowledge through the arts. We are deeply honored to recognize Dan Commanda, whose work embodies the spirit of his Anishinaabe heritage and has made a lasting impact on both his community and the broader arts landscape. This award also looks to the future, supporting emerging Indigenous artists who will continue to lead and inspire. Their voices and cultural legacies remain vibrant for generations to come. “
About the emerging laureate
- Monique (Mo Thunder) Bedard (they/them) is a multidisciplinary artist and facilitator who is Haudenosaunee (Oneida Nation of the Thames), French-Canadian and Anishinaabe (Aamjiwnaang First Nation).
- Mo earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art from Fanshawe College and the University of Lethbridge, with a focus on drawing, silkscreen printing, photography and video. With over 15 years of experience in community arts through facilitation, education, collaboration and consultation, in 2022 Mo furthered their expertise by graduating from the Toronto Art Therapy Institute.
- Mo is also the co-creator and co-facilitator of Our Stories Our Truths, a community art and creative expression program for Indigenous youth in T’karonto, and Earth Sky Collective, a mural collective of BIPoC 2SLGBTQQIAP+ and gender-diverse creatives.
About the award
- Established in 2012, the Ontario Arts Council Indigenous Arts Award recognizes the unique and significant contributions of Indigenous artists and arts leaders in Ontario. It is a $12,500 award program with $10,000 awarded to the laureate, and $2,500 to the emerging artist or arts leader selected by the laureate.
- The 2024 jury included Indigenous artists Greyson Gritt (Sudbury), a musician, producer, recording engineer and arts administrator; Jillian Morris (Collingwood) a writer, actor, community programmer and Poet Laureate of Collingwood; and Lisa Myers (Toronto) a curator, researcher and musician.
- Past recipients of the award include Penny Couchie (2023), Shirley Cheechoo (2022) and Barbara Nolan (2021). Click here for a full list of past recipients.
- To date, the OAC has awarded $157,500 through this award program to recipients from 17 communities.
About the Ontario Arts Council
The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is Ontario’s primary funding body for the arts. Since 1963, the OAC has fostered the creation, production, and presentation of art for the benefit of all Ontarians. Through its grant programs and services, the OAC supports professional artists and arts organizations across the province, enriching the lives of Ontario’s residents and strengthening the social, cultural, and economic vitality of our communities.