Library and Archives Canada launches funding and services to help preserve Indigenous

Friday, April 5, 2019 - Gatineau, Quebec

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to announce the launch of its Listen, Hear Our Voices initiative, which offers funding and digitization services to preserve Indigenous culture and language recordings. This initiative is part of the institution's Indigenous Documentary Heritage Initiatives (IDHI).

This initiative provides funding of up to $100,000 per project to eligible Indigenous organizations to digitize existing culture and language recordings, and to help them build the skills, knowledge and resources they need to carry out this work in their communities.

LAC invites all eligible Indigenous organizations to submit their applications by noon on July 17, 2019 (Pacific Daylight Time).

Interested parties can find guidelines, eligibility criteria and the application form on the preserve Indigenous culture and language recordings web page.

An Indigenous review committee, external to LAC and comprised of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation representatives from across Canada, will review applications and make recommendations for funding.

Indigenous organizations, individuals, collectors and creators can also receive digitization services from LAC for their existing culture and language recordings. LAC accepts all formats of recordings and digitizes them at the Preservation Centre in Gatineau, Quebec. LAC will send back all original and digital files after digitization.

As part of the Government of Canada's reconciliation efforts, LAC is working to support Indigenous communities as they seek to preserve and make accessible their existing audio and video heritage. To further this work and recognize Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation, LAC has created the Indigenous Heritage Action Plan. The action plan consists of 28 concrete actions that LAC will undertake over the next five years.