Creating in a Pandemic:

A Report on Saskatoon’s
Art Scene

Graham Wall

Author’s note: Hyperlinks double as citations; traditional footnotes are used for printed works.
Introduction
The purpose of this report is to supplement the information provided in the index for Saskatoon.
I will be focusing on art galleries, art festivals, music festivals, and recording studios. Notes on
home recording and literary arts will also come into play; this information will then be
summarized in two infographics that consider the sociological themes present in these categories.

Art Galleries
Out of the 15 art galleries listed in the index, 13 of them offer free admission. The two that do
not are Remai Modern and Wanuskewin Galleries at Wanuskewin Heritage Park. The latter is
worth expounding upon here.
The centre hosts field trips for high school students. A few of Wanuskewin’s values include
honouring elders, having mutual trust and respect, and celebrating diversity. The first of these
values is important because Wanuskewin Heritage Park offers Indigenous youth (Northern Plains
Indigenous peoples, in particular) an environment in which they can engage with their culture in
a meaningful way.
There are a couple of other galleries worth noting. AKA, Saskatoon’s only artist-run centre, will
appeal to youth who are interested in social justice. Not only has it been a female-led
organization since its inception, but the centre also values recognizing art from Indigenous
peoples and newcomers to Canada. Artists of various levels of expertise are welcomed to the
centre.
PAVED Arts mentions Young Canada Works at the bottom of their About page, and from this it
can be inferred that Young Canada Works financially supports them. PAVED also offers a
discount to students/underemployed people who wish to become members.

Art Festivals
The two art festivals mentioned in the index include the Contemplative Arts Festival of
Saskatoon (hereafter CAFS) and Nuit Blanche Saskatoon. Unfortunately, the former was
cancelled this year, and on their Facebook page it says that they hope to have the festival in May,
2021. An online event is being held for the latter, aptly titled Nuit Blanche Eve, which goes from
December 31, 2020 until January 2, 2021. Admission is free, and artists can submit their work
until December 3, 2020.
The two festivals differ in their purposes. CAFS focuses on the relation between art and
spirituality, placing emphasis on forming deeper interpersonal relationships and coming to terms
with individual creativity. Nuit Blanche, on the other hand, “encourage[s] projects that
incorporate the use of spectacle and light, and that interact with public spaces and Saskatoon’s
urban landscape.” This difference in purpose highlights that art has both a subjective and an
objective element. CAFS focuses on the psychological aspect of art, while Nuit Blanche has
aesthetic standards and focuses on the external world instead of the inner world (in this case,
Saskatoon’s geography).
Although it is understandable, it is discouraging that CAFS was cancelled this year. Grosvenor
Park United Church was to host this event, and they are just one of the many places of worship in
the city that have had to temporarily close their doors due to COVID-19. A recent example of
this is that C3 Church has decided to only have online services for the time being. Community is
an important component of many religions, and youth involved in a religious community likely
feel disintegrated—especially youth who want to create and observe art for spiritual purposes.
That being said, it is encouraging to see that Nuit Blanche Eve is happening. This event is
pertinent to youth because it will feature art from ten University of Saskatchewan students. Nuit
Blanche intends to create “opportunities for viewers to see our city differently and to explore
areas they may not have entered before.” Despite the event being online, this could be helpful to
youth who have spent much time at home. There is no proper replacement for seeing things in
person, but seeing pictures or videos of artistic works in different areas of Saskatoon is at least a
compensation.

Music Festivals
Five music festivals have been held in the city so far this year, and three of them have been
virtual. One of the festivals that resorted to virtual hosting was Folkfest, which celebrated its 40th
year. The online event included music and dance performances, along with cooking
demonstrations. Folkfest is relevant to Saskatoon youth because the festival has a Spotlight on
Youth feature, which involves the Youth Ambassadors participating in heritage dances and
discussing why the festival is meaningful to them. Individuals between the ages of 15 and 21 can
become Youth Ambassadors; a couple of their responsibilities include being pavilion co-hosts
and welcoming visitors.
Folkfest is not the only festival in the city that welcomes youth ambassadors, as the John Arcand
Fiddle Fest also includes them. One of the goals of this festival is to transfer knowledge from
elders to youth through means like workshops and networking. The festival was cancelled this
year, but they held a virtual concert on August 6.
The Strata Festival of New Music hosted the Online Student Composer Symposium this summer.
With a focus on jazz and folk music, the program was intended for students age 15 or older to
learn from an impressive faculty of composers and musicians. Accommodations were made for
beginner, intermediate, and advanced students.

Recording
Saskatoon has 13 recording studios. Judging by their social media pages, at least a few of them
are operating despite the pandemic (e.g., Pulsworks Recording Studios, Nolita Studios, and Beez
Neez Recording). Pricing information is not available on their websites, although contact
information is readily available. It is not clear whether or not all 13 studios are open, based on
the lack of updates on certain websites/social media pages.
Considering social distancing measures, it has not been easy for Saskatoon musicians to practice,
perform, or record in groups this year. There are, however, individual ways of making music;
one of these ways is home recording.
It is beyond the scope of this report to provide a thorough comparison of professional recording
versus home recording. That being said, the former has a superior reputation in comparison with
the latter that might not be entirely plausible.
Billie Eilish, who recorded in her brother’s bedroom studio, won four Grammys in 2020.
Companies like M-Audio and Focusrite offer affordable equipment that can be ordered on
Amazon. Recording software like Audacity, Pro Tools First, and GarageBand are available for
free.
The point here is that, for youth interested in music production and recording, recording at home
is an option. The negative effects that COVID-19 has had on band practices, concerts, and
visiting the local studio do not have to stifle musical creativity altogether. With the right tools,
good music can be made at home, and productivity can increase in home recording even when
there are decreases in practices, concerts, or professional recording sessions.
In the words of Emily Dickinson, “To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee.”

Literary Arts
Saskatoon offers a handful of resources and opportunities to writers. An organization like the
Saskatoon Writers’ Collective has been active since 2001. Writers of any skill level can join, and
membership costs $20 a year. In addition to social events and open mics, the collective offers
classes, workshops, and lectures. Members receive discounts on most workshops; other perks
include reader rewards at McNally Robinson Bookstore, a monthly newsletter, and access to an
online forum.
Students at the University of Saskatchewan have an opportunity to contribute to and volunteer at
St. Thomas More College’s literary magazine, In Medias Res. This long-lasting publication,
which began in 1995, publishes poetry, travelogues, visual art, and more. The editorial board is
made up of student volunteers.
There are other opportunities beyond these. Sage Hill Writing hosted the Saskatoon Teen
Writing Program online this past August. In Saskatoon Public Library’s Fall program guide, the
following events are listed: Writers’ Open Mic Night, Healing in Creative Writing, Haiku, and
Can Writing be Taught? Most of these events are intended for adults, although Haiku is
recommended for teenagers and adults alike.
 Sociological Themes in Saskatoon’s Art World
Art Galleries Art Festivals Music Festivals Recording Literary Arts

- Multiculturalism - Spiritual/ - Multiculturalism - Social network: - Social events

religious musicians use the
- Diversity of community - Diversity of services of a - Diversity of skills
skills skills recording studio
- Artworks - Online forum
- Sponsorship/ created by - Transfer of - Individual
funding between individuals of knowledge from music creation as - Volunteer work
organizations particular elders to youth a response to
groups COVID-19 - Reaching an
- Volunteer work audience through
publishing
Conclusion
As Howard S. Becker puts it in his classic book Art Worlds, “All artistic work, like all human
activity, involves the joint activity of a number, often a large number, of people.”1 Twenty-
twenty has made it difficult for Saskatoon’s artistic community, along with its supporters, to
cooperate in traditional ways. Cancellations and online events have instead become the norm.
However, these complications have not made it impossible for youth to become involved in
Saskatoon’s art world. This report has discussed some of the possibilities available in the city:
learning from elders, joining organizations, attending events, volunteering, contributing to art
shows and magazines, and making music at home.
It must be admitted that this report has limitations. For example, it would be remiss to think that
the resources and opportunities discussed are equally accessible to every person within the
appropriate age bracket (i.e., 15–29). Socioeconomic status is just one important variable that
can affect the likeliness of an individual engaging in particular artistic activities. This is a topic
worth engaging on another occasion. The purpose of this report has simply been to mention a
few of the resources and opportunities available to youth in Saskatoon’s art scene.

1
Howard S. Becker, Art Worlds (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008), 1.