The Indspire Awards represent the highest honour the Indigenous community bestows upon its own people, recognizing Indigenous professionals and youth who demonstrate outstanding career achievement on a national level.
As an award-winning arts innovator, multidisciplinary artist, and leader Sandra Laronde has been changing the cultural landscape across Turtle Island – and around the world.
Sandra is the founder of game-changing arts organizations, including Red Sky Performance, a leading company of contemporary Indigenous performance that has won numerous awards and created an enduring worldwide legacy.
She also founded Native Women in the Arts (NWIA), the Temagami Artistic Collective, an Associate Artist program for next-generation Indigenous leaders, and she was the Director of Indigenous Arts at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity for nine consecutive years.
Sandra has collaborated with numerous arts and cultural organizations, highlighting Red Sky’s innovative performance and leadership at notable forums such as the Venice Biennale, Cultural Olympiads in Beijing and Vancouver, The Kennedy Center, Canadian Stage, Jacob’s Pillow, and with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Regina, and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestras, among others.
She has also played a crucial role as a cultural ambassador, participating in trade and diplomatic missions all over the world, including Europe, Asia, and South Africa. Sandra’s mission is to empower Indigenous peoples through arts, culture, leadership, and diplomacy – and to widely share the power and beauty of Indigenous culture.
Watch the Indspire Awards on APTN, APTN lumi, CBC TV and CBC Gem on Sunday, June 18 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT)
The ceremony can also be heard on CBC Radio One and the CBC Listen App at 8 p.m. (9 AT, 9:30 NT)
Edmonton, Alberta