CREATIVES EMPOWERED
CREATIVES EMPOWERED is a non-profit collective of artists + creatives. We are Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, empowering each other as an allied community. We are film + tv, media and arts professionals – from emerging to established – based in western Canada. Established in 2020, we are the first organization of its kind in Alberta.
DID YOU KNOW? Our strong and growing IBPOC membership, and the community we serve, also represents various intersections of identity, including those who self-identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, People with Disabilities and women.
EVENTS + RESOURCES
Pathfinders Film Institute
Pathfinders Film Institute
Pathfinders Film Institute offers comprehensive film production training programs complete with certified courses for aspiring BIPOCfilmmakers & storytellers interested in pursuing a career path in the Canadian film and television industry.
Pathfinders Film Institute offers comprehensive film production training programs complete with certified courses for aspiring BIPOCfilmmakers & storytellers interested in pursuing a career path in the Canadian film and television industry.
“I found the Creative Leadership Intensive to be an incredibly impactful experience. It gave me practical tools and insights that I can apply to my work, but more importantly, it created a space where I felt truly understood as an IBPOC creative. Hearing from other professionals and connecting with peers who share similar challenges was inspiring and a great reminder of the value of my voice and perspective in this industry. It also gave me the confidence to take bigger steps toward leadership in my creative career. Having an organization like Creatives Empowered is so important because it provides a platform for IBPOC creators that doesn’t always exist elsewhere. It’s not just about the knowledge or skills—it’s about building a community where we can connect, learn, and support each other. Programs like this really amplify underrepresented voices and help us step into leadership roles without compromising who we are.”
CREATIVE LEADERSHIP INTENSIVE – NOV 16 & 17
Join us for this special online IBPOC Creative Leadership Intensive taking place on Sat Nov 16 & Sun Nov 17! Empower yourself with skills to be a resilient storyteller and produce your own content + creative works. Featuring Jennifer Podemski (Redcloud Studios Inc.), Rochelle Grayson (Mosaic Accelerator), Reena Samra (BIPOC Healing & Wellness Centre), Soni Dasmohapatra, Cody Lightning & Joshua Jackson (Hey Viktor!) and Hengameh E. Rice (Anahita’s Republic). APPLICATION DEADLINE: NOV 8 at 11:59pm MT.
CONTENT CREATOR WORKSHOP – NOV 9
Apply now for our exclusive online IBPOC Content Creator Workshop on Sat Nov 9! Featuring Ron E. Scott (Prairie Dog Film + Television), Andrew Phung (AP Entertainment), Michelle Wong (Seven24 Films) and Jennifer Irons (META Talent Agency). 4 of our workshop participants will also be selected for Prime Time 2025 in Ottawa – an excellent opportunity to network, pitch yourself and your content! APPLICATION DEADLINE: NOV 1 at 11:59pm MT.
“Creatives Empowered allowed me to take my existing career a step further and offer the proper training avenues that fit my current skillset—enabling me to pursue opportunities and move the dial on diversity, equity, and inclusion in film, tv, media, and arts. CE recognizes that representation and opportunities for racialized talent is the right way to move the dial of justice, equity, and inclusion forward. To further decolonize the industry’s acceptable practices, CE provides resources to flourishing talent, that brings other intersections and lived experiences to the table. The movement is a step ahead to carve out success stories for individuals like myself, who benefit from the mandate of this organization.”
INTRODUCING OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS!
A warm welcome to our new Board Members, Soni Dasmohapatra, Art Proctor, Edmon Rotea, Betty Tong and Jenny Steele! Learn more about these amazing individuals…
And our sincere gratitude and appreciation to Founding Members Michelle Wong and Dr. Kamala Parel-Nuttall for all of their incredible support and dedication to Creatives Empowered since we established in November 2020.
GUIDELINES FOR ENGAGING US
Do you need to increase and diversify your workforce, staff, contractors, membership, programming and audiences? Would you like to know how to authentically connect with underrepresented individuals and communities? Then download this important tool for Alberta’s cultural sector, that’s been collaboratively created by equity-deserving organizations from underrepresented communities in specific regions across Canada.
“Creatives Empowered has constantly provided insight, communication and opportunities for BIPOC artists. Through Creatives Empowered, I was able to get into the WarnerMedia Access to Action Program in collaboration with DGC Alberta. I have also been a panelist on a CE event that greatly opened doors for discussion on BIPOC creatives in the artistic ecosystem in Alberta. They continue to do great work in advocating for inclusion and equity in the arts, and are putting their mouth where their money is by partnering with Allies who can provide such opportunities.”
OUR ULTIMATE VISION
To explore and encourage new and diverse ways of creating works that are inherently non-colonial. To create a more equitable cultural sector, that accurately reflects the world we live in. And to eliminate systemic racism within arts + culture.
OUR MISSION
CREATIVES EMPOWERED is a safe and supportive community for artists + creatives who are Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, based in western Canada. We advocate for and represent our members and their needs. We increase professional opportunities for IBPOC talent. We provide empowering and educational resources, events and professional development. We network, collaborate and share with like-minded individuals and organizations across Canada, and worldwide.
OUR VALUES
We must be empowered to be ourselves and to create.
We are the creative talent that does exist.
How we engage with one another is just as important as the work we create.
Our presence is a right, and needs no apology, nor an explanation.
Our stories + cultures are ours to share, and best represented by us.
Creating spaces free of racial + unconscious bias, frees up our creative energy, and empowers our health.
Dismantling negative stereotypes of IBPOC professionals is essential.
Collaborating with allies should always be empowering – for everyone involved.
True inclusivity must be authentic – not performative or tokenistic – and accountability is a prerequisite.
VISIT OUR IBPOC CONSULTANTS DIRECTORY
A free public service, and the first of its kind, the IBPOC Consultants Directory features expertise on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility, to assist individuals + organizations in the cultural sector seeking to diversify their staff, contractors, membership, programming and audiences.
“I have benefitted directly from Creatives Empowered and the work they do to support and create opportunities for marginalized individuals in Alberta. Through an online campaign that Creatives Empowered ran, I became connected to free Production Assistant Training with WarnerMedia and DGC Alberta. And through the Opportunities Page on their new website, I found a job posting for a Project and Operations Manager with Documentary Organization of Canada. I applied for this virtual, full time position and was hired. I am new to the film and television industry, and none of this would have been possible without the services Creatives Empowered has provided me access to.”
Warner Bros. Discovery Access to Action Canada is in Alberta!
We are proud to partner with Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada and Access to Action Canada along with the DGC – Alberta District Council.
Together we have facilitated an incredible film + tv training initiative for Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, LGBTQ2AI+, People with Disabilities and women.
Creatives Empowered successfully conducted a strategic outreach and engagement campaign to recruit candidates from these underrepresented communities for WarnerMedia Access Canada and DGC Alberta.
Our selected candidates then went on to receive FREE ONLINE TRAINING that could potentially lead to a Production Assistant position with large studio productions in Alberta’s booming film + tv industry.
The CMF is delighted to invest in CREATIVES EMPOWERED, as we look at various ways to fund activities that support and empower Black, Indigenous and People of Colour creative talent in Alberta.
− Valerie Creighton, President and CEO, Canada Media Fund
NOTICE TO CREATIVES EMPOWERED MEMBERS
2023 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW
Electronic copies can be requested free of charge at info@creativesempowered.ca.