The Craft Council of British Columbia wishes to acknowledge that we are located and operate on the ancestral, unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples—Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.

Given that we are indebted to the rightful landowners, we recognize a severe lack of diversity in our member profiles that should undoubtedly be corrected. As it stands, the CCBC represents few artists from marginalized communities—this includes, but is not limited to, BIPOC and LGBTQ2+ artists.

We recognize and are acting on our privileged position in the arts by making an increased effort to champion unrepresented artists in British Columbia. Moving forward, any effort to procure consignment vendors, members, exhibiting artists, and community relations will be guided by the inclusion of artists from marginalized groups.

As we move forward, we intend to act with care and compassion. We are thinking of ways that we can prioritize the needs of our community, measure our progress, and maintain healthier member relations. These priorities are subject to constant renegotiation as the needs of our community change, and we hope to continue to discuss and correct our faults.

This effort, it should be stated, is not an attempt to fulfill a quota or promote sales but comes in response to a heightened awareness of the inequities that are present not only in our institution but systemically embedded into institutions within and outside the Canadian context. These efforts are only a small step in rectifying an issue that deeply impacts marginalized artists.

We encourage all artists to review the Canadian Crafts Federation’s brief overview discussing the cultural appropriation that Indigenous people of Canada continually experience.