Summer Institute 2022

This years iteration of The Summer Institute, Water Knowledge, will be led by social practice artist KC Adams. In Anishinaabe teachings, women are water carriers and are taught Gage’gajiwaan; water flows forever and everywhere and all around. This session is about passing on water knowledge bundles to better understand our relationship with water. During the first week, Adams will lead the participants onto the land so they can receive knowledge bundles on how to build Indigenous clay vessels and learn about water through elders, texts, walks, and land-based learning. Throughout the second week, participants will be encouraged to produce individual work based on the knowledge bundles they received.

KC Adams  is a Winnipeg-based artist who graduated from Concordia University with a B.F.A in studio arts. Adams has had several solo exhibitions, group exhibitions and been in three biennales including the PHOTOQUAI: Biennale des images du monde in Paris, France. Adams participated in residencies at the Banff Centre, the Confederation Art Centre in Charlottetown, the National Museum of the American Indian and the Parramatta Arts Gallery in Australia. Her work is in many permanent collections nationally and internationally. Twenty pieces from the Cyborg Hybrid series are in the permanent collection of the National Art Gallery in Ottawa and four trees from Birch Bark Ltd, are in the collection of the Canadian Consulate of Australia, NSW. She was the scenic designer for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Going Home Star: Truth and Reconciliation. She helped design a 30-foot public art sculpture called Niimama for the Winnipeg Forks and a piece for the United Way of Winnipeg called Community. Adams was awarded the Winnipeg Arts Council’s Making A Mark Award and Canada’s Senate 150 medal for her accomplishments with her Perception Photo Series.

The session is open to visual artists, writers, critics, curators, and scholars who identify as women and non-binary. It will run from August 8th to August 19th, 2022.

There is no fee to participate in Water Knowledge and lodging at the Misipawistik Culture Camp is covered by Plug In ICA but Summer Institute participants will be responsible for their own travel and accommodations while in Winnipeg.

Application Deadline: Tuesday, April 19, 2022 by 5pm CST

Spots are limited and applicants will be notified of their results by June 2022.