ArtsCan Circle is listed under the Bethel Community Services Foundation (BSCF), which means BSCF can assist USA donors interested in supporting First Nation, Inuit, Innu and Metis youth in remote northern communities across Canada.
ArtsCan Circle is a reconciliation charity dedicated to delivering music and art workshops and events to First Nations, Inuit, Innu and Métis Youth in remote northern communities with the message that their voices are important. Now more than ever is the time to engage with the youth. You can do this by supporting ArtsCan Circle. Let’s show the youth how important they are!
ArtsCan Circle’s Story
Over 20 years ago, a chance encounter with youth in Northern Labrador altered the course of harmonica virtuoso Mike Stevens’ professional path and led to an epiphany of why he plays music in the first place. Back at home in Sarnia, Mike drove door to door, picking up donated instruments to bring to the remote northern communities he visited. Mike had the vision to implement music workshops across the North.
In 2002, he founded ArtsCan Circle—a registered charity dedicated to confronting the multiple realities and inequalities facing First Nations, Innu, Inuit and Métis youth in remote, Northern communities. As well as to convey one clear message to the youth: You are valued, and your voices are important.
Since then, ArtsCan Circle has sent artists to over 16 communities to facilitate creative art workshops for the youth. In addition, they have shipped over 40,000 harmonicas and countless violins, keyboards, fiddles, ukuleles and guitars, and impacted over 10,000 Indigenous youth.
The workshops consist of virtual arts, filming, recording, creative writing, drama, poetry, harmonica, keyboard, guitar, beatboxing, beading, and inspirational talks and performances.
ArtsCan Circle needs your support to open pathways of opportunities for First Nations, Innu, Inuit, and Métis youth to collaborate with artists, access instruments and artistic tools, and share their stories through creative expression.
According to Michelle DeWitt, BCSF executive director, ArtsCan Circle Fund plays a special role at BCSF.
“Typically our funds are geographically specific to the Yukon-Kuskokwim region,” DeWitt said. “But occasionally donor interest draws us farther afield, with the South Sudan Medical Relief Fund and now the ArtsCan Circle Fund as strong examples of that. We love our work in supporting the arts and bringing the arts to rural arctic and subarctic communities, and our collaboration with Mike Stevens has been inspiring and allowed us to help facilitate that. We are happy to help match donors to these similar efforts in Canada.”
Individuals, businesses and organizations are invited to make contributions to support the ArtsCan Circle Fund. Contributions can be made in a number of ways:
ONLINE: At bcsfoundation.org, click the Donate tab and choose “ArtsCan Circle Fund.”
IN-PERSON: Cash, check or credit card will be accepted at BCSF, located at 1795 Chief Eddie Hoffman Hwy.
MAIL: Checks made out to Bethel Community Services Foundation with “ArtsCan Circle Fund” in the memo can be sent to BCSF at PO Box 2189, Bethel, AK 99559.
PHONE: Credit card contributions can be made by calling 907-543-1812.
To learn how to open a fund for a cause that you care about, or include ArtsCan Circle Fund or another BCSF Fund in your estate/legacy plans, contact Michelle at michelle@bcsfoundation.org.
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UPDATE APRIL 2020: Check out this ArtsCan collaborative music video that was featured on CTV!
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UPDATE JULY 2021: Watch this showreel highlighting all of our 2020 #ArtsCanConnects online workshops!
