| June 2026 | It is hard to believe we are halfway through 2026 and nearly done our current Fiscal Year. That also means that Showcase and our AGM are fast approaching. The AGM is where we will be electing the Board of Directors. This year we are looking for 2 new Board Members. The time commitment is 4 Board Meeting weekends a year, November, April, June and September along with Showcase each October. OSAC will pay milage, per diems and accommodations for Board Meetings. If you are interested, please contact Kevin kevin@osac.ca . Lottery sales are the lifeblood of many Saskatchewan nonprofits, including OSAC. At a recent SaskCulture meeting, OSAC, along with all the organizations that receive core operational funding from the Lottery Trust through SaskCulture, were told that lottery sales have been down for the past year plus. We were also informed to expect a “small” cut starting with our 2027/2028 grant from the Lottery Trust when we apply for our next 3-year funding cycle this November.
You have often heard the office talk about the importance of mentioning the lotteries every chance you get. Whether it is from the stage before a concert, at the opening of an exhibition or to your friend and neighbours, please talk about the importance of the Saskatchewan lottery system to support not just the Arts, but Sports and Recreation activities throughout the province. The OSAC survey was recently sent to the Chair, as well as the Visual and Performing Arts contacts of our members. The feedback that we receive from you will help us as we begin writing our next three year funding application for SaskCulture, as well as giving us areas where we need to improve. Please complete the survey by the deadline. | | Volunteer Award!
OSAC would not exist without the hundreds of volunteers who give tirelessly their time and more to ensure the Arts can happen in their communities. Since 1994, OSAC has encouraged Arts Councils to nominate local volunteers who have made a difference in their community. In that time, over 80 of these valuable volunteers have been recognized by OSAC and their Arts Councils. If you know someone in your community who is worthy of this recognition, please apply.
Volunteer Nomination Form The deadline for submissions is June 30, 2026. If you have any questions, please email Kevin or call the office. Life Member Nomination
The OSAC Board of Directors' annual call for nominations for the OSAC Life Member award is now open. This award is presented to honour individuals (volunteer, artist, supporter, administrator) who have made MAJOR contributions to the arts provincially and through their association with OSAC.
The individual will also have made significant contributions to the arts at the local level, in their communities, arts councils, and/or schools. The individual may also have made an impact on the arts at the national or international level. Nomination Form. The deadline for submissions is June 30, 2026. If you have any questions, please email Kevin or call the office. YEAR-END & EFT
OSAC’s fiscal year-end is July 31, 2026. If you have any outstanding cheques that have not been cashed or invoices that need to be paid, please cash or forward payment ASAP. We appreciate your attention to this matter, as it helps make for an efficient audit process. Please update your EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) Contact Email or Banking Information if either has changed in the last year. When we send out a payment to your arts council, an email notification is provided. If you have any questions, please contact Catherine 2026/2027 MEMBERSHIP
Invoices for the new fiscal year for membership will be emailed in August. The membership fee is $277.50 (including GST & PST). |
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DELTA HOTELS by MARRIOTT SASKATOON DOWNTOWN – Host Hotel BOOK your room at the DELTA HOTEL HERE Last day to Book: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 |
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SOCIAL MEDIA WORKSHOPS
Facilitated by BEVERLEY THERESA, Social Media Strategist & Consultant, Throwdown Social Media Check out the workshops here Friday - Workshop #1: "Strategy First: Building a High-Impact Social Media Foundation"
Saturday - Workshop #2: "From Likes to Results: Tactics for Content & Growth" Councils that attend the Friday workshop will have the opportunity to win a complimentary 1-hour one-on-one Social Media Session with Beverley. CLOSING PARTY
We are excited to have Munro & Patrick perform at our Closing Party on Saturday evening of Showcase. PHOTO BOOTH
Take a photo or two at the Showcase Photo Booth and then post your photo on OSAC’s Facebook or Instagram, scan the QR code to enter the draw” (with a chance to win a Showcase 2027 registration). Watch for the booth, which will be set-up at the Delta Hotel. New Mileage-Based Bursary Policy Please note that the $175 base bursary previously provided to each council will no longer be available. Under a new OSAC bursary policy, funding will now be based on the distance travelled by each council round trip to Saskatoon. This change is intended to provide bursary support that more accurately reflects travel costs. One bursary per Arts Council or Venue is available. SHOWCASE YOUTH BURSARY
OSAC offers a Youth Bursary for Arts Councils to bring youth attendees to Showcase. (“Youth” is defined as 29 years of age in the year 2026 or younger.) Arts councils are ELIGIBLE to register a youth who is a member of their arts council and/or “Spark or Inspire” Coordinator to receive 50% of the $220 registration fee back. The registration fee includes all conference activities and meals. It does not include the cost of accommodation or travel. The bursary application is available HERE |
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Invisible Winds on tour now! Invisible Winds kicked off its tour in St. Walburg and will continue on until 2029! Check out this CBC video on Invisible Winds. | | Wóknaga on tour now! Wóknaga began its tour in Assiniboia this month, the start of its three-year tour! Check out the full schedule HERE! | |
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2025/26 Performing Arts Season By The Numbers
As the 2025/2026 Performing Arts season comes to a close, we are proud to celebrate the impact created by OSAC presenters across Saskatchewan. Together, our members brought professional live performances to communities large and small, creating meaningful experiences for audiences while supporting artists from across Canada and beyond. | | Showcase 2026 Performers | Showcase 2026 applications have now closed and the jury committee has completed its selections. Successful applicants have been notified, and preparations are underway for another exciting showcase season. We received 119 applications from artists across Canada and the United States representing a wide range of disciplines and styles. Following a thorough review process, 14 artists were selected to perform at Showcase 2026. The committee's task is never an easy one, and we extend our sincere thanks to the jurors for the time, care, and thoughtful consideration they brought to the process. | Artists Reflect on Touring Saskatchewan | We have received some wonderful feedback from artists who toured our network this past season. While we all know the impact these performances have in our communities, it is rewarding to hear how much artists value the opportunity to connect with audiences across Saskatchewan. |
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| Ollee Owens
"Touring Saskatchewan through the OSAC network was an exceptional experience – each community we played in was so welcoming and supportive! OSAC did a phenomenal job acting as a liaison between all interested parties, making it easy to connect with each presenter as we went from town to town. We loved every minute of the tour and can’t wait to come back again!" |
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Rum Ragged
"Rum Ragged had an excellent experience on their OSAC tour. The OSAC team was great to deal with throughout the entire process, and the shows were incredible. We would definitely recommend touring with the OSAC network to any and all artists." |
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| Kate Ryan
"Touring with OSAC was a fantastic experience. The organization provided valuable opportunities to connect with communities across Saskatchewan while making the touring process accessible and well supported. The presenters were welcoming, the audiences were engaged, and the experience reinforced the importance of bringing live arts experiences to communities of all sizes. I am grateful for the opportunity and would happily participate in future OSAC programming." |
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| This season had nine Arts Councils participate in OSAC’s youth mentorship program, Spark. Teens and young adults under the age of 30 presented shows of their choosing in Indian Head, Yorkton, Biggar, Moosomin, La Ronge, Assiniboia, Leader, Macklin, and Langenburg. With the support and guidance of a mentor from the Arts Council, they brought fresh ideas and energy while gaining valuable news skills. Their selected artists included Kate Ryan, John Muirhead, Travis Dolter, Rum Ragged, Tommy Charles, Teagan Littlechief, and Sandra Bouza.
“Having the youth involved in our arts council has helped us refresh our council and gain new insight into what the youth in our community are looking for in presenters…Our youth were 100% involved. From selection at showcase, to advertising, set up, announcing and introducing, helping the band and clean up!!! We appreciated them very much and feel it has really benefited our council.” – La Ronge Arts Council |
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| Performing Arts in Schools |
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Thank you to all who booked and supported shows this year! A total of 88 performances took place in schools in all corners of the province including Eastend, Estevan, Creighton, Pinehouse, La Loche, and Macklin and reached an approximate total audience of 20,893 students. All tours received outstanding reviews from schools. Wishing everyone a fun and relaxing summer, especially the students and teachers! |
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| Aytahn Ross: Professor Wow & The Invisible World of Science | K-12 | 18 schools "Teachers absolutely loved the show. We greatly appreciated the bilingualism aspect. Also the teaching of science through practical and engaging examples. Mr. Ross has an excellent ability to capture young students and keep them engaged." - Ecole St Margaret, Moose Jaw |
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Green Thumb Theatre: The Shape of a Girl | Grades 8-12 | 11 schools "We loved the cross-curricular aspects of the performance and the ability for us to experience elements that we discuss in class come to life in real applications" - Yorkton Regional High School, Yorkton |
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| Sitruc James: Making Bullying Disappear | K-12 | 21 schools "Sitruc was wonderful! His magic show was awesome, he had the kids hooked from the minute he began until the show was over, and his messages about bullying were age appropriate and easy for the students to understand." - Central Elementary School, Swift Current |
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DuffleBag Theatre: Fairy Tales and Classic Stories ft Beauty and the Beast or The Three Musketeers | K-8 English & French | 23 schools “The performance was exceptional! The actors got the audience attention creatively and quickly at the beginning and engaged them in taking part in the play throughout. Lots of funny jokes for both kids and adults. Costuming and props were simple but effective, and high school drama teachers used this as inspiration for their drama work with students. Use of members of the audience as actors in the play was well done and made some of our students feel like celebrities. The overall energetic, fun, and engaging energy of the actors was fabulous! Highly recommend - our school very much enjoyed and felt lucky to get this performance in our building!” - Hudson Bay Community School, Hudson Bay |
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| Michael Harrison: Ventastic | K-12 | 15 schools “Our students were engaged with the performance from the first minute until the very end of the performance. Usually around the 45 minute mark, we have students starting to lose focus, but not this time. They loved it and laughed all the way through. Furthermore, the staff may have loved it even more. It was so entertaining for everyone. We would definitely recommend this performance. It was a laughter-filled hour and well worth the money.” - Watrous Elementary School, Watrous |
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Resources, Events, Opportunities |
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| | Contact us: Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils1102 8th Ave Regina, Sk S4R 1C9
Ph: (306) 586-1250 Fax: (306) 586-1550
Email: info@osac.ca Web: www.osac.ca
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