On May 23rd, 2026, the Sâkêwêwak First Nation Artists' Collective will take the stage at Regina's Cathedral Village Arts Festival for the first time, bringing Indigenous musicians across country, rock, rap, and beyond to Holy Rosary Park. Bill Stevenson, Executive Director of the collective, is clear about what this moment means: not a powwow performance, but a full platform for the artistic range that Indigenous musicians have always possessed.
The Sâkêwêwak stage will feature artists including Drezus, Melody McArthur, Teagan Littlechief, and others—a lineup that reflects the collective's core mission to build platforms where Indigenous creators can show their full artistic selves. For over two decades, Sâkêwêwak has supported artists in the Regina area by creating opportunities for them to create, grow, and reach audiences far beyond what they might access alone. This year marks the collective's 30th year of operation, having started in June 1996. The organization's name itself carries meaning—a Saulteaux word meaning "they are emerging" or "they are coming into view," capturing both its artistic vision and cultural roots.
"We help build platform either through artist shows, artist talks, member shops where they can show off all their work, or other opportunities like the upcoming Sâkêwêwak stage at the Cathedral Village Arts Festival," Stevenson explained. The partnership with the Cathedral Village Arts Festival represents something the collective has never had before at this particular event: dedicated performance space and exposure to the broad audience that the festival draws each year. That matters, Stevenson believes, because it allows people to encounter Indigenous artistry on terms defined by the artists themselves, not by cultural stereotypes.
"I think it's a great opportunity and a great partnership between us for this, because it brings in a massive crowd of people and it exposes them to the power and dignity of Indigenous musicians," Stevenson said. He's equally clear about the work this visibility does. When audiences see Indigenous artists performing across multiple genres—not confined to traditional music—it fundamentally shifts how people understand Indigenous culture and presence in contemporary artistic spaces.
The free event runs Saturday evening starting at 4 p.m., combining music and dance at the Sâkêwêwak Stage in Holy Rosary Park. For anyone in Regina looking to spend an evening encountering artists working across the full spectrum of contemporary music, it's an invitation Stevenson is keen to extend. "It's a great opportunity to expose the culture and get to know us," he said.
What makes this stage significant is both its specificity and its simplicity. It's not a symbolic gesture but a practical one: a dedicated space where Indigenous musicians can perform as themselves, with full artistic range on display. The collective has spent three decades building the infrastructure for this kind of platform. This May, that work gets a public moment at one of Regina's major cultural events.