In this issue
- Profile: Yukon Artists @ Work
- Canadian CEDNET News
- Alberta CED News
- CED Tool
- National CED News
- Job Postings
Profile: Yukon Artists @ Work
For over seven years, Whitehorse, Yukon has been home to one of Canada’s most unique art galleries. Aside from the incredible local art, the Yukon Artists @ Work Gallery is extraordinary because of its co-operative business model and commitment to its Northern community. The artist-run co-operative showcases original work by many Yukon artists who have dedicated themselves to a unique and creative vocation in the Yukon.
Before YA@W, Whitehorse had one of the highest populations of artists per capita in Canada, but a desperate lack of places to display the local work. As a founding member, Harreson Tanner has helped fill that void by establishing the co-operative fine art gallery. Tanner recalls, “The only way to get it [a gallery] was to create ourselves. No one was in a position to pay them self, but together we all chipped in.”
YA@W’s members pay a one time buy-in fee of $100, and then contribute $1 a day and a 25% commission on the work they sell. For the artists, these nominal fees are a sound investment. “Without the gallery, they’d have to send their work down south,” explains Tanner. The highly competitive nature of the wider art market, and the costs associated with exporting their work makes YA@W an invaluable resource for local artists. Most importantly, YA@W provides its artists a sense of ownership. “This can be their gallery,” which means that the workspace “doesn’t just generate revenue, but it also generates opportunities.”
Although the gallery belongs to the artists’ co-operative, YA@W has continually opened its doors to the Whitehorse community. “We wanted to dispel the notion of the starving artist with their hands out,” says Tanner. Instead, the gallery has extended a hand to the Whitehorse community by hosting art lessons and seminars, and donating the use of the gallery space for local fundraisers. YA@W invites community members to an open house at least once a month, and has hosted numerous events to raise money for injured and struggling artists. The gallery has also established linkages with the wider business community by creating an emergency fund for artists who lack access to employment insurance.
With a collaborative show set to open in New York, a recent artist-exchange in Siberia, and brand new facilities in Whitehorse, YA@W’s future looks promising. Where ever they travel, YA@W not only exhibits art, but also the success of a co-operative business with a social conscious. While international success is great for the artists, the gallery remains deeply committed to the community.
For more information and upcoming events, visit YA@W's website.
Canadian CEDNet News
A Gigantic Gathering in Winnipeg
On October 19th, communtiy leaders and engaged citizens from across the country came to Winnipeg for the 8th annual CED/CD Gathering. The record setting 605 participants enjoyed a day of networking, knowledge sharing, and workshop learning. The number of workshops also set a new standard, as those in attendance had over 25 learning events to choose from. This year's theme was “Cultivating Co-operation,” which allowed us to explore the co-op model as an effective CED tool. Ian MacPherson appropriately set the day's tone with his keynote speech, Cultivating Co-operation: The Roots Run Deep, which focused on the long history of co-ops and cooperative action in Manitoba.
The momentum the Gathering has gained over the past eight years now extends beyond the boundaries of Winnipeg, and it has become a leading conference opportunity for CED practitioners and enthusiasts. CCEDNet would like to thank the many people whose hard work made the event a huge success. We look forward to seeing you all next year!
Visit MAFRA's vimeo page for video footage of some of the 2010 Gathering's workshops.
Meet our Members
Momentum Calgary
Established in 1991, Momentum works to reduce poverty by supporting individuals and families in their efforts to build the assets required to achieve a good quality of life on a sustainable basis. Their programs focus on asset building in financial literacy, business development, and skills training to support employment opportunities. Visit their website for more information.
Emerging Leaders Recruiting
CCEDNet's Emerging Leaders Committee is a group of young people with the purpose of increasing the contributions of young people entering into the CED field, and ensuring an active and meaningful voice in CCEDNet. The ELC is currently seeking new members for its national team.
Anyone who is interested is encouraged to apply by sending a cover letter and resume outlining your experience to Stacia, EL Co-Chair by November 30, 2010 (5pm PT).
Social Economy Research
CCEDNet, in conjunction with the Canadian Social Economy Research Partnership (CSERP) recently released Building & Strengthening Communities Through the Social Economy. The case studies included in the brief are a representation of the 1000's of organizations that are involved in the social economy in Canada. The report is intended to inspire and increase awareness of the organizations across Canada that are run like businesses, but who redirect their surpluses back to the community.
Intelligent Donations
Inner City Rennovations, Jubliee Fund, and Momentum Calgary, all CED-driven organizations and CCEDNet members, were recently featured in Charity Intelligence Canada's annual Recommended Charities 2010 report. Charity Intelligence helps publicize and celebrate effective charities, and holds organizations accountable to their donors through result-based research.
Click here to download the full Charity Intelligence document.
Alberta CED News
CCEDNet Alberta on Facebook
For all the latest updates on CED initiatives and events in the province, head over to CCEDNet Alberta's new Facebook Page. You can also follow AB CCEDNet on Twitter by clicking here.
CreateAction Intern
Ben Thibault
Ben Thibault is from Lethbridge, Alberta, born and raised. He received a biochemistry degree from the University of Lethbridge. He went on to graduate with a law degree in the United States, where he focused on constitutional, environmental and international human rights law and policy. He worked summers for environmental non-profits in San Francisco and Amsterdam, and traveled to Papua New Guinea to research the human rights and environmental impacts of a large-scale Canadian-owned gold company and to help start a health initiative to reduce mercury exposure.
Ben now works in Calgary for Alberta Acts on Climate Change, a joint initiative of the Pembina Institute and the University of Calgary. Now, he is happy to be back in southern Alberta, working with local community groups, both green and not so green (or not aware they are green yet), to encourage CED projects relating to renewable energy generation. He is ecstatic to find people involved in this back “home” and honoured to be working with them.
Designed with Impact in Mind - Business Practices that Create Economic Opportunity
Thrive is hosting Designed with Impact in Mind on November 30, from 11:30am - 1:30pm. This free event will explore how CED can fuel innovative possibilities for a business' environmentally - and socially - responsible practices. Local business leaders will be hosting a panel and sharing examples of how their community-building work has been designed to strengthen the local economy and have a positive social impact.
Visit thrivecalgary.org for details and registration information. NOTE: For those interested, the registration deadline has been extended to November 23.
Nonprofit Research Forum at Mount Royal
The Nonprofit Research Forum at Mount Royal University on November 26 will feature presentations by the experts involved in creating the first survey of social enterprises in Alberta and British Columbia. The survey results will profile the size, age, type, employment, income and profits of social enterprises and highlight key features of this emerging mix of purpose and profit. These two presentations will be followed by an open discussion about the potential future of social enterprises in Calgary and the role of research in that future.
This is free event does not require pre-registration. Click here for more information.
A Dialogue About Ending Poverty in Alberta
The focus of this free forum is to engage a variety of key stakeholders in a discussion that generates ideas and builds knowledge for achieving an end to poverty in Alberta.
When: Friday, November 26, 2010
Time: 1:00pm - 4:30pm
Where: Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre - South Edmonton (4440 Gateway Boulevard)
For more information and to register, contact Linda Bernicki at 780-415-4791 or fcssaa3@telus.net
Note: Deadline for registration is Wednesday, November 24 - space is limited.
CED Tool
Cooperative Development Curriculum
Co-operative development is an important tool in community economic development and the creation of healthy sustainable communities. Skills development, management and leadership are key components of successful cooperatives. A series of modules have been created as learning tools for groups and individuals who are interested in cooperative development.
This learning tool takes readers through a six-step guide of a cooperative's development. The goal of each module is to present concepts in a brief and interesting way, focusing on core concepts and utilizing quantitative techniques, checklists and self evaluation to allow the user to understand the key concepts from assessing a business idea, to creating the business tooperating a cooperative.
Visit the Manitoba Housing & Community Development website to download the guide.
National CED News
Northern Summit on the Social Economy a Success
From November 2 – 4, over 75 social economy and CED actors met in Whitehorse to share information, celebrate innovation, hear about research, talk about collective action, and build relationships that will strengthen this work across northern Canada. Participants came from communities across the north, as well as from various other regions of Canada. Topics included food security, poverty reduction, informal and community economies, co-operatives and social enterprise, affordable housing, as well as an interesting and informative tour to Raven Recycling (a social enterprise), Yukon Wildlife Preserve, and the Yukon Artists @ Work Co-operative.
More information on the Summit will be available in the next newsletter, but for more information on the Social Economy Research Network of Northern Canada Committee (SERNNoCa), click here.
CED Book Club - Humanizing the Economy
A recently published book by John Restakis, Humanizing the Economy, shows how co-operative models for economic and social development can create a more equitable, just, and humane future. With over 800 million members in 85 countries and a long history linking economics to social values, the co-operative movement is the most powerful grassroots movement in the world.
Highlighting the hopes and struggles of everyday people seeking to make their world a better place, Humanizing the Economy is essential reading for anyone who cares about the reform of economics, globalization, and social justice
SECC Presents: Social Enterprise 101 Webinar
The Social Enterprise Council of Canada is hosting a free, 75-minute webinar is taking place on November 25, 12:00 EST. The Webinar will provide a great overview of the practice of social enterprise, from two leading social enterprise practitioners - Sonia Pouyat and Andy Horsnell.
Job Postings
For the latest CED postings visit the National and Regional job pages on CCEDNet's website
National | AB | SK | MB | North
Positions to post? Send them to breimer@ccednet-rcdec.ca