Photo from IRP and EleV Mural Project showcasing stained glass art by Indigenous artists.
“Not all learning comes from a classroom. Not all learning is through a textbook. Hands-on experience is a very valuable experience.”
— Delaney Prysnuk, Artist, Copper Caribou
Across Canada, Indigenous artists are creating work that strengthens cultural identity, shares knowledge, and carries stories forward across generations. Through EleV's commitment to Indigenous art and storytelling, artists and youth are supported in continuing to deepen these creative pathways.
A recent example stands in Yukon, Canada, where a collaborative mural brings together Gwich'in, Tlingit, Kaska Dena, and Northwest Coast art forms. Through EleV's partnership with Inspire Reconciliation Potential (IRP), young people worked alongside Indigenous artists including Vashti Etzel, Megan Jensen, Delaney and Montana Prysnuk (Copper Caribou), and Amy Tessaro to create a piece that weaves beadwork, stained glass, painting, and tanned moose hide. The process centred hands-on learning, mentorship, and connection across generations, creating space for youth to engage with artistic traditions while contributing their own voices.
Through projects like this, art becomes more than expression—it becomes a pathway for connection, learning, and reconciliation, led by Indigenous youth and communities.
Why It Matters:
Art and storytelling create space for Indigenous youth to connect with culture, identity, and community
Hands-on, intergenerational learning strengthens knowledge-sharing and cultural continuity
Indigenous-led creative projects shift narratives and centre Indigenous voices in meaningful ways
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About the Mastercard Foundation
The Mastercard Foundation is a Canadian Foundation and one of the world's largest foundations, with a mission to advance education and financial inclusion. It works with visionary organizations to enable young people in Africa and in Indigenous communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. The Foundation was established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company. The Foundation is an independent organization and separate from the company. Its policies, operations and programs are determined by the Foundation's Board of Directors and leadership. For more information please visit mastercardfdn.org.
