Host Your Next Event at the Indigenous Artisan’s Trail (IArT) Venue
The Indigenous Artisan’s Trail (IArT) Venue is available complimentary to companies and entrepreneurs to reserve for events and pop-ups from July to October 2022 at the Tourism Inspiration Centre on Route 97, above Peachland (3960 BC-97C Peachland, B.C.).
The IArT Venue comes with a secure, air conditioned, accessible indoor space with the option to open the front to the stage. The IArT stage faces the Tourism Inspiration Centre patio and seating area for visitors to view performances. Event hosts will have access to the Tourism Inspiration Centre bathrooms and storage.
IArT could be reserved for single day or multi-day events, such as:
Food and beverage tastings
Pop up shops
Markets
Artist studio, gallery, and retail space
Performance art with music and dancing
Workshops
Private meetings and events (up to 60 people)
And more…
To schedule your event, submit an Expression of Interest form:
Get Involved
For more information about TOTA’s Indigenous Tourism projects and IArT contact TOTA’s Indigenous Tourism Specialist at Indigenous@TOTABC.com.
For event details, view the official schedule:
About IArT
Background
IArT was created to connect locals and visitors to Indigenous artwork where they are, by travelling to various communities. The sharing of Interior Salish art and culture would bridge a gap and provide an opportunity to celebrate the traditions and land of the Indigenous people of Canada.
The goal of IArT was to be a regional tourism enterprise acting as a gateway to engagement, providing access to the social and economic benefits of tourism. By bringing the Interior Salish art, language, dance, and stories to the forefront of the Thompson Okanagan tourism experience, this project aimed to address the capacity deficits created by colonialism.
Launch
IArT was unveiled during the International Indigenous Tourism Conference in November 2019 at the Kelowna Art Gallery
IArT officially launched in May 2021 at the Kelowna Rotary Centre for the Arts building, then relocated to Bernard Avenue as part of Meet Me On Bernard, a street animation project to encourage active transportation downtown Kelowna. IArT presented a digital Indigenous art experience “Being Out On the Land: Feeds, Streams, and Captures,” which brings Indigenous art from artists across Canada to the forefront of the Thompson Okanagan tourism experience.
In 2022, IArT was moved to the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Inspiration Centre and available to rent for public and private events.
To get a quote and schedule your event, submit an Expression of Interest.
Exterior Design
The details of the outside of the trailer are based on the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre which was created using the technique of rammed earth. This process entails the layering of a combination of local soils and minerals to create the beautiful colour variation.
Thank You to IArT’s Sponsors
The IArT Venue is a collaboration between TOTA and Indigenous Tourism British Columbia (ITBC). This project was made possible with the support of Western Economic Diversification Canada, Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust, Rural Dividend Fund, Rotary Centre for the Arts, Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI BC) and UBC Okanagan’s Indigenous Incentives Program.
