Since 2018, Manitoba singer-songwriter Ila Barker has been hosting AIRsessions, a free music workshop series that mentors Indigenous youth ages 13 to 25. Initially offered only in Winnipeg, AIRsession has became pan-Canadian for over then four years now. Earlier this summer, Barker, who founded the program in partnership with the former Music Alive (now part of Arts Alive, the National Arts Centre’s school, youth and family programming hub), paid another visit to the young people of Churchill, Manitoba, as part of AIRonTour.
“Music programming like AIRsessions has always really been about having an opportunity to share the community with people who are into the same things that I am, and to give me an outlet to process feelings through,” explains Barker.
AIRsessions is focused on community connections, safer space building, and artist mentorship. Each virtual session is facilitated by Barker and a guest artist in residence, who shares their music, their background, and advice from the music industry in a fun and supportive creative workshop setting.
“I’ve always described the session kind of like a podcast, but it’s your favourite artist or somebody you know, and you’re in the room with them, getting to ask the questions you want to know too and dive in deeper, maybe give a piece of your own advice,” says Barker.
Created with the aim of offering sustainable music programming while forging links with the community, AIRsessions allows young people to develop their music skills alongside Indigenous artists.
“It’s a program that invites Indigenous up-and-coming musicians, or musicians of any skill level, to find communities and connect to resources and have a shared space to work on building with each other, and this idea that we come together in a circle, and all can bring good things,” Barker explains.
Vulnerability and creativity
With AIRsessions, this musician of Anishinaabe and European heritage, with roots firmly planted in the Manitoba prairie, is also campaigning for gender equality and Indigenous representation in music. “Through my music journey, I have found a deeper connection with my community and the Indigenous music community,” she says.
Wishing to strengthen this connection while giving back to her community, Barker hopes the program will foster a lasting relationship with the community. Each time she returns to Churchill she’s accompanied by a different artist. “During each visit, we introduce elementary and secondary school students to really diverse and cool Indigenous musical styles, peers and mentors,” notes Barker.
By always returning to the same community and cultivating the relationships she builds over the course of her visits, Barker believes that “it allows for more vulnerability and creativity, providing a space [conducive to] songwriting.”
From guitar clinics and discussions about projects and music to songwriting sessions and production work, the AIRsessions workshops offer young people a wide range of music-related activities, both in the classroom in collaboration with their teachers, and outside of school.
“The theme for this trip [in June 2024] is National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day, so we’ll be doing some songwriting exercises and activities around truth and reconciliation,” says Barker.
“During each of our trips, we’ve been able to produce at least one demo that we’ve presented to the children. During our last two visits, we also gave a presentation to the community,” she continues.
The AIRaward
Building on its success, earlier this year AIRsessions awarded the inaugural AIRaward to Veronica Blackhawk, a two-spirit Anishinaabe and Cree multidisciplinary artist from Northwest Angle #33, Ontario. “Veronica is a super talented multidisciplinary artist currently based in Winnipeg. They have recently gone fully independent, along with receiving a nod from the Grammys as one to watch this past year, with music released under the name: Tinge”, says Barker.
Veronica is the leader and principal songwriter of the indie-rock trio Tinge. Following the release of their debut EP, Big Deep Sigh, Tinge garnered attention from the GRAMMYs, with acclaimed performances at major festivals around Manitoba.
“The AIRsessions award was extremely helpful for my growth as a young artist learning to invest in quality work & materials. The mentorship alongside this has gone a long way as Ila continues to demonstrate strong leadership, presenting opportunities for networking, gigs and employment," says Veronica.
Sponsored by Arts Alive, the AIRaward comes with $3,000 bursary intended to allow a young Indigenous artist to study music, benefit from artistic or professional mentoring, receive training or professional development, upgrade their instruments and/or equipment, or record a demo.
“We’re interested in artists who want to further their career. We want to help create that next wave of artists ushering in that change—speakers and activists leading the way for our peoples,” says the AIRsessions founder.
