WHAT HAPPENS TO A CULTURE WHEN ITS STORYTELLERS ARE SILENCED?
In western Canada, BIPOC artists still fight to be seen, heard, and valued in an industry built without them.
Equity isn’t a nice-to-have - it’s a fundamental human right. It’s overdue. And it’s worth funding.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The momentum of 2020 sparked hope. But now, backlash to EDIA is real. Budgets are shrinking. Support is vanishing.
YET Creatives Empowered (CE) is thriving, the demand for our organization is growing, and we’re in an amazing position to expand.
We were born from that moment—and now, we need your help to scale everything we’ve built.
Our non-profit empowers Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) in film, television, media, and the arts in western Canada. Our community also includes 2SLGBTQIA+ folks, People with Disabilities, and women. Check out our Fun Facts tab! 👆🏾
With your support, CE's programs will grow, more opportunities will appear, and the next generation of BIPOC creatives will get their chance to shine.
OUR VISION
We imagine a future where BIPOC creatives don’t just hustle for scraps—they’re funded, featured, and in charge.
Where Indigenous writers run the room. Black filmmakers win big. Racialized queer artists aren’t the exception—they’re the norm.
Creatives Empowered is making that vision real. We’ve grown to nearly 300 members in just four years. And we’re just getting started.
Help us prove that belonging in Canada’s creative industries isn’t a promise—it’s a practice.
“Creatives Empowered continues to lead the industry by giving me and other BIPOC folks a voice to be heard. We face a lot of challenges in the industry and through programs like the BIPOC Content Creator Workshop, we got the chance to meet professionals that have emerged and challenged the status quo to improve opportunities for us BIPOC. I am much more aware of different venues and ideas to take my career to the next step. There are a lot of organizations that talk a good talk. CE actually keeps walking the walk, and one workshop after another keeps helping build the industry.”
~ Farid Bedwany, Participant, CE's BIPOC Content Creator Workshop
OUR STORY
We’ve built a movement with grit, late nights, and sheer community power.
But you can’t build equity on burnout.
This campaign ensures Creatives Empowered doesn’t just survive—we grow. Sustainably. Strategically. For the long haul.
Your support fuels the team, programs, and safe spaces BIPOC creatives count on—year after year.
YOUR IMPACT
With your support, here’s what we’ll keep doing—only bigger, better, and bolder:
- Professional Development + mentorship that transforms careers
- Workshops that open doors and break barriers
- Events where BIPOC creatives connect, share, and shine
- Partnerships that amplify BIPOC creatives globally
- Real-world opportunities—not someday, but now
In western Canada, we’re often the first place BIPOC creatives feel truly seen. Let’s make sure we’re not the last.
Check out our Testimonials tab! 👆🏾
WHAT THE FUNDS WILL DO
Your donation isn’t just paying bills—it’s building futures. Here’s what your dollars make possible:
- Core Team – So we can stop volunteering and start scaling
- Programs – Like our Creative Leadership Program, which alumni say changed their lives
- Events – For connection, inspiration, and industry access
- Resources – Practical tools for career growth
- Infrastructure – To serve more creatives, more powerfully
HOW TO SUPPORT
Equity in our creative economy can't wait—and neither can we.
Every dollar is a seed, a statement, a stand.
Help us fund the future of BIPOC creativity in western Canada.
Donate now. Spread the word. Be part of the movement.
👊🏽 Special Thanks for Photo & Video Support to Solid Rock Productions & Foreignerz 🙏🏽
IMPORTANT FYI:
All Perks will be distributed to folks who've contributed once our campaign goal of $35,000 has been reached.
Perks
You’ll receive a Digital Thank-You, but more than that—you’ll know you helped plant the roots of real change.
Your name will be added to our gorgeous, ever-growing Wall of Solidarity - a visual tribute to the people powering equity in the arts.
Get a Beautifully Crafted Toolkit (copy + visual asset) to spread the word and amplify Creatives Empowered. You’re not just donating - you’re activating your network. Plus your name on our Digital Wall of Solidarity (if you wish).
You’ll receive a Sleek Digital Badge for your website or socials—only available during this campaign. Plus your name on our Digital Wall of Solidarity (if you wish).
You’ll receive a beautiful, Shareable Digital Certificate—celebrating your solidarity and featuring a quote or statement from our team or community. Plus your name on our Digital Wall of Solidarity (if you wish).
Your name or dedication will appear in a Video Tribute we’ll share across our platforms, celebrating the people who made this campaign possible. Plus your name on our Digital Wall of Solidarity (if you wish).
Join a Private Digital Salon with CE’s core team + guest artists for a forward-looking, intimate conversation about where we go next. You’ll be part of shaping that vision. Plus your name on our Digital Wall of Solidarity (if you wish).
Highlights
See all activity7Fun Facts!
 | We successfully recruited 16 candidates from IBPOC + underrepresented groups to become DGC permittees and half of our candidates worked on HBO’s The Last of Us ! |  | To-date we’ve produced 24 virtual and in-person events and shared 136 resources for IBPOC Artists & Creatives on our website. To eliminate barriers to access, all our resources, events and programs are offered free of charge.
| We’ve partnered with the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) to take 9 IBPOC Content Creators to the Prime Time Conference in Ottawa - to network, pitch themselves and their film & television projects. |  | We’ve created western Canada’s first by-and-for IBPOC Creative Leadership Program specifically for Content Creators, Creatives and Artists working in film, television & the arts. |  | We’ve created a highly popular and over-subscribed IBPOC Content Creator workshop for over 30 IBPOC Creatives to-date - and offer it free of charge. |  | We’ve created a highly popular and over-subscribed IBPOC Acting workshop for over 40 IBPOC Artists to-date - and offer it free of charge. |  | Since 2022 we’ve partnered with MBS Illumination Group to provide free access to training on film & television lighting for IBPOC + underrepresented groups. |  | We offer free life time membership to IBPOC Artists & Creatives, and to the organizations they own and operate. To date, we’ve organically acquired close to 300 members and counting. |  | We’ve created Canada’s first IBPOC Consultants Directory - a free resource for expertise on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility. |  | We’ve created a free Opportunities page and a free Community Bulletin Board page on our website - to amplify events and opportunities for IBPOC + underrepresented groups. |
Testimonials!
 | “I found CE’s IBPOC Creative Leadership Program to be an incredibly impactful experience. It gave me practical tools and insights that I can apply to my work, but more importantly, it created a space where I felt truly understood as an IBPOC creative. Hearing from other professionals and connecting with peers who share similar challenges was inspiring and a great reminder of the value of my voice and perspective in this industry. It also gave me the confidence to take bigger steps toward leadership in my creative career. Having an organization like Creatives Empowered is so important because it provides a platform for IBPOC creators that doesn’t always exist elsewhere. It’s not just about the knowledge or skills—it’s about building a community where we can connect, learn, and support each other. Programs like this really amplify underrepresented voices and help us step into leadership roles without compromising who we are.” ~ Gerald Pagdato |  | Before Creatives Empowered, the amount of spaces that I feel comfortable in were limited to none. During the 2024 IBPOC Creative Leadership Program, I felt seen and heard. I developed leadership skills that will actively propel me into my industry with confidence. By crafting a collection of guest speakers and program facilitators, the workshop was engaging and intriguing. I was able to develop a deeper understanding of leadership and gain connections with other leaders across the province. In times of uncertainty, authentic storytelling and creative leadership needs to be protected. Creatives Empowered provided me with a space to safely share my experiences and to rebuild trust in myself.” ~ Everett Sokol |  | “The Creatives Empowered Acting for Professional Film & Television Workshop was a wonderful dive into the skills and mindset that current and upcoming actors need to thrive in the industry. I felt happy, honoured and inspired to be in the company of amazing talent and to learn from them. As a beginner, this workshop exposed me to the beautiful craft that is acting and reassured me that I want to keep exploring this path. As a Woman of Colour, I’m very grateful for the work that Creatives Empowered does to provide more opportunities and education to BIPOC folks like me. Thank you again for the opportunity.” ~ Andrea Juárez |  | “The IBPOC Content Creator Workshop was so helpful and informative. BIPOC creators are given an opportunity to learn from industry professionals in a safe space designed for creating successful artists, from all different disciplines and backgrounds. With each speaker, I was able to take away something of great value that will help me achieve my goals in becoming a successful Indigenous filmmaker and artist. Creatives Empowered continues to impress with its opportunities to elevate underrepresented communities and bring diversity and equality to the artistic community.” ~ Bruce Thomas Miller |  | "Creatives Empowered has constantly provided insight, communication and opportunities for BIPOC artists. Through Creatives Empowered, I was able to get into the WarnerMedia Access to Action Program in collaboration with DGC Alberta. I have also been a panelist on a CE event that greatly opened doors for discussion on BIPOC creatives in our artistic ecosystem. They continue to do great work in advocating for inclusion and equity in the arts, and are putting their mouth where their money is by partnering with allies who can provide such opportunities." ~ Omatta Udalor |  | “I have benefitted directly from Creatives Empowered and the work they do to support and create opportunities for marginalized individuals. Through an online campaign that Creatives Empowered ran, I became connected to free Production Assistant Training with WarnerMedia and DGC Alberta. And through the Opportunities Page on their new website, I found a job posting for a Project and Operations Manager with Documentary Organization of Canada. I applied for this virtual, full time position and was hired. I am new to the film and television industry, and none of this would have been possible without the services Creatives Empowered has provided me access to.” ~ Austin Pantherbone |
Activity
You’ll receive a Digital Thank-You, but more than that—you’ll know you helped plant the roots of real change.
Your name will be added to our gorgeous, ever-growing Wall of Solidarity - a visual tribute to the people powering equity in the arts.
Get a Beautifully Crafted Toolkit (copy + visual asset) to spread the word and amplify Creatives Empowered. You’re not just donating - you’re activating your network. Plus your name on our Digital Wall of Solidarity (if you wish).
You’ll receive a Sleek Digital Badge for your website or socials—only available during this campaign. Plus your name on our Digital Wall of Solidarity (if you wish).
You’ll receive a beautiful, Shareable Digital Certificate—celebrating your solidarity and featuring a quote or statement from our team or community. Plus your name on our Digital Wall of Solidarity (if you wish).
Your name or dedication will appear in a Video Tribute we’ll share across our platforms, celebrating the people who made this campaign possible. Plus your name on our Digital Wall of Solidarity (if you wish).
Join a Private Digital Salon with CE’s core team + guest artists for a forward-looking, intimate conversation about where we go next. You’ll be part of shaping that vision. Plus your name on our Digital Wall of Solidarity (if you wish).
