AKA’s artistic direction considers the intentionality behind grassroots founding – led by a female artist collective making space in Saskatoon for experimental art practices. Our relevance is tied to our ability to take risks, to be responsive and agile in our support of artists and their ideas. AKA values: AKA acknowledges that emergent practices can happen at any stage in a career. At the core of our work, we prioritize flexible relationships with artists, enabling them to propose their own direction, adapting to artists’ individual needs for support, education, and learned experiential knowledges. Throughout our history AKA has been informed by the cultural context of this land and the perspectives of the people who live here. This means that we support and prioritize work by Indigenous artists, newcomers, and artists who experience marginalization for their beliefs, backgrounds, or identities. We define community as joint ownership referencing the founding of artist-run centres, social responsibility, and the idea that a place can be created and given meaning through the actions of its users. This is the foundation upon which we seek to build kinships with artists, communities, and partners. AKA is dedicated to the ongoing education and transparency required to be an ally, and meaningful acts of reconciliation/conciliation.