AKA is a centre for emergent practices for artists at any stage of their careers, providing space and support for critical, safe,
and open exchange.
Mandate and History | Collective | Ungovernance | Accessibility
AKA’s artistic direction considers the intentionality behind grassroots founding – led by a female artist collective making space in Saskatoon for experimental art practices. Our relevance is tied to our ability to take risks, to be responsive and agile in our support of artists and their ideas. AKA values:
FLEXIBILITY, SUPPORT, AND SELF-DETERMINATION
AKA acknowledges that emergent practices can happen at any stage in a career. At the core of our work, we prioritize flexible relationships with artists, enabling them to propose their own direction, adapting to artists’ individual needs for support, education, and learned experiential knowledges.
VISIBILITY AND INCLUSIVITY
Throughout our history AKA has been informed by the cultural context of this land and the perspectives of the people who live here. This means that we support and prioritize work by Indigenous artists, newcomers, and artists who experience marginalization for their beliefs, backgrounds, or identities.
CARE, KINSHIP, AND TRANSPARENCY
We define community as joint ownership referencing the founding of artist-run centres, social responsibility, and the idea that a place can be created and given meaning through the actions of its users. This is the foundation upon which we seek to build kinships with artists, communities, and partners. AKA is dedicated to the ongoing education and transparency required to be an ally, and meaningful acts of reconciliation/conciliation.
OUR AGREEMENTS
AKA is led by a majority BIPOC collective.
AKA is creating safe space for BIPOC staff succession.
AKA is meeting charitable regulations while finding our own path towards deconstructing our institutional framework.
AKA honours the emotional and intellectual labour of our volunteer collective with annual honouraria.
AKA is a sovereign space and recognizes that visual culture engages all voices.
AKA will work at the speed of trust.
AKA began as a grassroots collective and is becoming a grassroots collective.
AKA will walk a different path.
AKA acknowledges the violence of the institution and is learning to unlearn.
AKA recognizes the ties between cycles of poverty, racism, colonialism, sexism, and homophobia and works to unlearn them.
AKA is working to match the trust and openness within our artists and partners with how we are guided, led, and organized.
AKA is turning away from the shape, conformity, and rigidity of the institution.
AKA is listening and exploring what it means to be radically accessible.
AKA can make changes through small actions.
AKA actively provides opportunities for youth to learn and lead.
AKA is transparent and accountable, both in the present, the future, and for the past.
AKA recognizes our role in gentrification and are actively working to counter it.
AKA knows this is stolen land.
AKA cares about people.
AKA values all artists.
AKA is accessible to all bodies, and abilities.
AKA validates other forms of labour as work.
AKA is comfortable.
AKA is a place where people can feel free and feel proud.
AKA actively works with communities as collaborators and storytellers.
AKA works on meaningful, reciprocal relationships with support service organizations.
AKA is a space to tell our stories.
AKA is generous without expectation.
HISTORY
Founded in 1971 by Dorothy Boerma, Lorna Russell, Ann Newdigate, Jo Claire, Betty Meyers and others, The Shoestring Gallery was among the first in Saskatchewan to prioritize exhibitions representative of the province’s Indigenous and Ukrainian communities. In 1982, the collective became a member of the Association of National Non-Profit Artists’ Centres, changing its name to Also Known As (AKA) Gallery. In 1985, AKA moved to the Saskatoon Warehouse Artspace (SWA) where it resided for twenty years with The Photographer’s Gallery and Video Verite, (later to become PAVED Arts), Tribe Inc., and Blackflash Magazine. In 2005, when the warehouse building was sold; SWA was dismantled and 20 Above Holdings Inc. was created to purchase a new property (2008) at 424 20th Street West in the historic Riversdale district.
The Riversdale neighbourhood has been dubbed part of the cultural corridor of Saskatoon, and it is a rapidly gentrifying area dividing new populations of young professionals and displaced core neighbourhood residents. AKA’s neighbours are largely food, health and family support services continuing to serve clients who can no longer afford to rent or own property within Riversdale. Throughout AKA’s ten years in the area our programming has expanded to build sincere relationships with core neighbourhood communities and local service organizations by seeking relevant intersections with local and visiting artist projects, residencies and partnerships. As a non-profit arts hub in Riversdale, through 20 Above Holdings, together AKA and Paved support local artists, multidisciplinary arts groups, and essential service organizations.
COMMUNITIES SERVED
AKA is the only artist-run centre in Saskatoon, and one of two artist-run centres in Saskatchewan, that present all forms of contemporary artistic expression in the visual arts. We are committed to serving our membership, our public, and contributing to local, provincial, national and international arts discourse through presentation; dissemination and dialogue. Though geographically isolated, Saskatoon sustains a vigorous and diverse arts community.
In 2024/2025 attendance at AKA’s programming and events averaged 27,000 including exhibitions, school visits, workshops, professional development, artist talks, performances, screenings, and off-site events.
FUNDERS
AKA’s activities are generously funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, the Saskatchewan Arts Board, Sask Culture, Sask Lotteries, and the City of Saskatoon. Support for AKA's governance shift came from the Canadian Red Cross Community Services Recovery Fund. Support for Re-reading Tahltan came from the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Now Fund. Support Locals Only, a partnership between AKA artist-run and CHEP Good Food Inc., came from the Canada Council for the Arts New Chapter Fund, and the Saskatchewan Arts Board Artist in the Community grant.