Community Outreach

Remai Modern is dedicated to building community relationships and expanding access to art for a wider audience. Grounded in the belief that art is for everyone, we collaborate with non-profit organizations in Saskatoon and neighbouring areas. Our Community Programs are designed to cultivate connections and extend the transformative joys of art to diverse audiences.

Partnerships in the Community

Partnerships include recent short-term projects and long-lasting connections:

• AFRO-Mentorship Initiative
• Calder Centre Additions & Recovery
• Central Haven Special Care Home 
• Charles Red Hawk Elementary School 
• Gabby Da Silva, Saskatoon-based artist
• Global Gathering Place 
• Goodwill Manor 
• International Women of Saskatoon 
• Oliver Lodge Care Home 
• Oskāyak High School 
• Pinock Smith, master birchbark canoe builder from Kitigan Zibi, Quebec 
• Rock Your Roots Walk for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation 
• St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School  
• Stensrud Lodge 
• Saskatoon Cancer Centre 

• Saskatchewan Craft Council
• Saskatchewan Intercultural Association 
• Saskatchewan Rivers School Division 
• Saskatoon Open Door Society 
• Sherbrooke Community Centre 
• The Humboldt Regional Newcomer Centre 
• The Irene & Leslie Dubé Centre for Mental Health 
• University of Saskatchewan Art and Art History Department 
• University of Saskatchewan Indian Teacher Education Program  
• Ward 10 BBQ 
• Westmount Community School 
• Whitecap Dakota First Nation Elders & Community 
• Western Development Museum 
• Youth Resource Centre

Since 2001, Art for Life has been programmed within multiple community schools across Saskatoon and the surrounding area. The initiative has evolved to support teachers, assist student learning, and offer inclusive and engaging art experiences. Beyond art, AFL aims to share lifelong skills such as creativity, critical thinking, and cultural education for students and teachers. Focused on hands-on artmaking, collaboration, and inclusion, AFL blends artistic expression, Indigenous teachings, and community engagement. Tailored activities, including exhibitions, events, after-school programs, tours, mentorships, and professional development, cater to each school’s unique needs and curriculum outcomes, making AFL a valuable and enduring part of our outreach efforts. 

This program gratefully acknowledges the many donors at Remai Modern who have supported the continuation of Art for Life. If you would like to support this program, please email development@remaimodern.org, or call (306) 385-7382.

Elementary School: Westmount Community School (Sept 2021 – June 2024)

In the fall of 2021, Remai Modern began a new Art for Life partnership with Westmount Community School, located in Saskatoon’s historic Westmount neighbourhood. In the first year of this partnership, students had the chance to work with French artist Céline Condorelli on her new work and at the end of the project displayed their artwork at Remai Modern in the Cameco Play Area on level 2!  

This program has developed over the years to include outdoor education and Indigenous knowledge transfer and today is led by Remai Modern Indigenous Program Guide, Kelly Tolley. Every week Kelly shares her wealth of knowledge with the students and teachers, including lessons on creating mini canoes, rattle, drum and pouch making, painted hides, eco dying and preparing a birch bark canoe.  

High School: Oskāyak High School (Sept 2022 – June 2025)

The Art for Life program actively involves students from various classes each term, including the Leadership, Cree, Cultural Arts, and Clothing and Textile classes. In addition to formal art instruction in the classroom, Oskāyak students collaborated with Indigenous Program Guide Kamisha Alexson, to create artwork for the new fire hall on Preston Avenue. Inspiration for these pieces was derived from Indigenous sacred fire teachings – which were generously shared by the school’s Elder, Darrell Paskimin and the then Vice Principal, Jennifer Altenberg. This partnership aims to create both temporary and permanent art pieces for the fire hall and the opportunity to develop other collaborative projects, engaging multiple classes in the process.

Charles Red Hawk Elementary School (2017 – ongoing) Creative Communities, supported in part by Dakota Dunes Community Development Corporation.  

Our partnership with Charles Red Hawk Elementary is dedicated to cultivating a lasting connection with the school, emphasizing Indigenous teachings and language. At its heart, this collaboration prioritizes relationships and community building. Remai Modern’s Program Guides Robin Adair, Kamisha Alexson and Nicole Cote actively engage with the community, collaborating with groups and individuals. A notable project involved all age groups in designing and constructing classroom tipis, aligning with curriculum outcomes and community values. Students participate in exhibition-based experiences, and projects evolve over time in response to the curriculum and the community’s aspirations. The partnership acts as a bridge between communities and cultures, crucial for the student’s transition to new schools in the city after completing grade 4. Coordinated art instruction, diverse workshops, interactive events, and museum visits contribute to the success of this collaboration, fostering a shared sense of gratitude for the opportunity to exchange skills, insights, and knowledge.

Remai Modern reviews and revises our programming to enhance accessibility, engagement, and empowerment through art. Programs are adapted to meet the needs of underserved youth, amplify the voices of those with disabilities, and support individuals in addiction recovery through therapeutic artmaking. These initiatives underscore our commitment to inclusivity, creativity and community well-being by fostering dynamic, accessible, and therapeutic experiences that empower individuals and celebrate diversity. 

In a recent partnership, Remai Modern is supporting local multimedia artist Gabby Da Silva with her magazine project, invisibly ill. The project and its publication explore the experiences of individuals with disabilities. This collaboration integrates Sherbrooke Community Centre seniors and the iGen grade 6 class from École College Park School, focusing on intergenerational learning and connections with participants contributing to the zine’s creation.

Our other recent and ongoing Health Outreach partners include the Youth Resource Centre, Calder Centre Mental Health and Additions, The Irene & Leslie Dubé Centre for Mental Health, AFRO-Mentorship Initiative and the Saskatoon Cancer Centre.

This program is designed for new Canadians and refugees in Saskatoon, providing a unique opportunity for them to connect with the local community. This connection, in turn, promotes integration and cultural exchange. This initiative serves as a platform for cross-cultural dialogue, facilitating a deeper understanding and appreciation of diverse perspectives. Our newcomer program includes funded tours for partner organizations and their participants. Each visit features a 45-minute guided tour of our facilities, followed by an engaging 30-minute artmaking session in our Cameco Learning Studio. Partner organizations have the flexibility to select a day and time that best suits their schedules, ensuring that newcomers can conveniently engage with art and culture. 

Our newcomer partners include Saskatoon Open Door Society, Global Gathering Place, International Women of Saskatoon, and Saskatchewan Intercultural Association. 

Through this program, we collaborate with multiple partners to address the unique needs of seniors in various community settings. Committed to inclusivity and accessibility, these initiatives ensure that art and creative engagement are accessible to seniors from diverse backgrounds.  

From specialized activities for seniors at Oliver Lodge’s Day Program to fostering multi-generational learning environments at Samaritan Place, we deliver artmaking experiences that transcend barriers, creating meaningful connections. Our programs combine off-site visits led by a Program Guide and art kits that are mailed or dropped off to provide independent artmaking inspired by our permanent collection. 

Our current partners include Stensrud Lodge, Goodwill Manor in Duck Lake, Central Haven, Samaritan Place, St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School and Oliver Lodge. 

Art kits are a versatile and engaging way to support the diversity of residents in Saskatoon and surrounding areas. Delivered monthly through drop-off or mail services, these kits include step-by-step instructions and all necessary supplies to create an artwork. Art kits started during the pandemic, and as we navigate these ongoing conditions, the kits remain a valuable resource for vulnerable community members, particularly when support staff are unavailable to deliver programming on-site and care home resources are stretched thin. 

Remai Modern is seeking an art kits sponsor to ensure the program continues. By sponsoring art kits, your company and logo will be featured within the over 69 kits delivered each year, reaching more than 1,440 diverse individuals. For inquiries about marketing and sponsorship opportunities, kindly reach out to us at development@remaimodern.org, or call (306) 385-7382.