Contemplative Arts Festival of Saskatoon

05/23/2025

This Saturday May 24th, 2025, the Contemplative Arts Festival of Saskatoon is back with a one-day Mini Festival. Some of our favourite artists return to share their spiritual and artistic practices.
Lyndon J Linklater will raise a tipi on the lawn at 10:00 in the morning, and will offer a sacred smudge ceremony and traditional storytelling.

Join us for soup and bannock lunch at 12 noon,
Then afternoon workshops from 1:00 to 3:00 pm:
- Creative writing with Belinda Betker,
- Beading with Marisa Merasty Buffalo,
- T'ai Chi Chih classes with Donna Aldous,
- Birchbark crafts with Lyndon Linklater.
Workshop fees are $10 at the door, cash please.

More free drop-in activities from 1 to 3 pm:
- Paint a community Mural with Tracy Dudar,
- Kything with Shawn Sanford Beck.
- Fold origami paper crafts with Nathaniel Trebish,
- Walk a rainbow labyrinth.
- Join a community conversation at 3:15 to reflect on "What the World Needs".

Don't miss the Free Flow performance at 7:00 pm, featuring Lyndon J Linklater and Terri Bear-Linklater, Belinda Betker reading poetry, and Chris Lindgren playing the harp. A casual reception will follow.

Check out the full day's schedule here. https://www.contemplativeartsfestival.ca/minifestivalmay242025
We'd love to see you on Saturday!

05/20/2025

You're invited! This Saturday May 24th, 2025, the Contemplative Arts Festival of Saskatoon returns with a one-day Mini Festival, as some of our favourite artists return to share their spiritual and artistic practices.
Lyndon J Linklater will raise a tipi on the lawn at 10:00 in the morning, and will offer a sacred smudge ceremony and traditional storytelling.

Join us for soup and bannock lunch,
followed by afternoon workshops from 1:00 to 3:00 pm:
- Creative writing with Belinda Betker,
- Beading with Marisa Merasty Buffalo,
- T'ai Chi Chih with Donna Aldous,
- Birchbark crafts with Lyndon Linklater.
Workshop fees are $10 at the door, cash please.

And free drop-in activities from 1 to 3 pm:
- Paint a community Mural with Tracy Dudar,
- Kything with Shawn Sanford Beck.
- Fold origami paper crafts with Nathaniel Trebish,
- Walk a rainbow labyrinth.
- Join a community conversation at 3:15 to reflect on What the World Needs.

And don't miss the Free Flow performance at 7:00 pm, featuring Lyndon J Linklater and Terri Bear-Linklater, Belinda Betker reading poetry, and Chris Lindgren playing the harp. A casual reception will follow.

Check out the day's schedule here. https://www.contemplativeartsfestival.ca/minifestivalmay242025

08/19/2024

Two of the artists who appeared at our 2024 CAFS event are organizing this very interesting event in Saskatoon. Please enlarge the photos below for all the details! The Carte Blanche residency starts today and runs for a couple of weeks. Check it out!

07/20/2024

We're so excited that Grosvenor Park United Church will be hosting the one, the only, Issa Jane Siberry for a concert in November. Tickets are already selling, so get yours today! Tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/jane-siberry-in-concert-tickets-874555267347

05/26/2024

Don't miss Coco Love Alcorn in concert, tonight (Sunday) May 26th at 7:30 pm at Grosvenor Park United Church in Saskatoon!
As the festival’s Artist in Residence, Coco Love Alcorn will present a full concert on Sunday night. She will be joined by a choir of local singers for two pieces.

Winner of a CFM Award for Best Contemporary Singer Of The Year, Coco combines diverse influences including jazz, R&B, pop, folk, and Gospel. This concert is a fundraiser to support the Contemplative Arts Festival of Saskatoon.

Tickets are on sale now at Eventbrite for $33.28 per person, or $30 at the door.
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/coco-love-alcorn-in-concert-tickets-849068746477

Location: Grosvenor Park United Church in Saskatoon. Please visit the Festival home page for accessibility and parking information. https://www.contemplativeartsfestival.ca/

05/26/2024

Sunday is the last day of the Festival! Here are a few photo highlights from Saturday. We hope you'll come for all the special offerings from these wonderful presenters, artists and musicians, and celebrate with Coco Love Alcorn in Concert at 7:30 tonight!

Sunday morning begins with a faith service at Grosvenor Park United Church at 10:00, led by Rev. Nobuko Iwai, with special music by Coco Love Alcorn. Everybody is welcome, and there's coffee time afterwards from 11:15 to 11:45.
From 1:00 to 5:00 the free drop-in activities are available:
The Prairie Sculptors Association exhibition, Labyrinth Walk, Origami, Meditation Room, Play with Clay, Tipi time, and Zentangle Drawing.
1:00 the Lanyard beading workshop begins with Marisa Merasty-Buffalo (sold out).
1:30-2:30 Discussion Panel 2 - Embodying the spiritual
2:00-4:00 Birchbark basket making with Lyndon J Linklater
2:30-4:30 Creative living, a conversation with Brenda Baker
2:30-5:00 Contemplative T-shirt making with Rhonda Gallant-Morari
3:00-4:00 Runes, Roots and Reconciliation book talk with Darcy Blahut and Shawn Sanford Beck
4:00-5:00 Slow Tea with Nobuko Iwai
5:00 Sacred smudge ceremony with Lyndon J Linklater
(supper break)
6:45 Doors open for * Coco Love Alcorn in Concert * from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.
Tickets are available on Eventbrite or at the door.

Complete schedule at https://www.contemplativeartsfestival.ca/schedule .
Coco in Concert https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/coco-love-alcorn-in-concert-tickets-849068746477 .

05/25/2024

Saturday is a big day at the Festival! All the free drop-in activities are on from 10 am to 5 pm, including the beautiful sculpture exhibition by the Prairie Sculptors Association.
- 10 am: Contemplative Cooking workshop with dee Hobsbawn-Smith, making Cards of encouragement with Shelly Manley-Tannis, and Acrylic Painting with Doris Hasell.
- At 10:30 am Elder Maria Linklater will give a free presentation about making dolls for children.
- 11 am is the first T'ai Chi Chih class with Donna Aldous.
- 1 pm is Mixed Media sculpture workshop with Zoltan Markan, and a Songwriting workshop with Coco Love Alcorn.
- 1:30 is a contemplative Photography walk with Glenn Kurmey
- 2:00 is Birchbark Basket Making with Lyndon J Linklater, and Slow Tea with Nobuko Iwai
- 3:15 there's a Wire Sculpture workshop with Lee Fuller
- 3:30 is T'ai Chi Chih class with Donna Aldous
- 4:00 is Discussion Panel 1 on Connecting with the land.
From 5 to 6:30 pm we'll break for supper.
Doors open at 6:30 for the Free Flow performance, beginning with harp music by Chris Lindgren. Free Flow starts at 7:00 with dee Hobsbawn-Smith, Lyndon J Linklater, Chris Lindgren, Ken Neitz, Belinda Betker, and Coco Love Alcorn. A reception will follow.

Find the full Schedule at https://www.contemplativeartsfestival.ca/schedule
and Workshop details at https://www.contemplativeartsfestival.ca/workshops

05/25/2024

What a joyful and inspiring evening singing with Coco Love Alcorn!
And we're looking forward to more! Coco's schedule at the Festival is here: https://www.contemplativeartsfestival.ca/artist-in-residence
Don't miss Coco Love Alcorn in concert on Sunday May 26th at 7:30. https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/coco-love-alcorn-in-concert-tickets-849068746477

Yay!! I had so much fun leading this vocal workshop tonight! Thank you to the Contemplative Arts Festival of Saskatoon for bringing me. 🙂 🙂

Still lots coming over the next couple of days. I lead a songwriting workshop tomorrow and I’ll be performing a concert on Sunday. Come join us!

Schedule/info/tickets:

https://www.contemplativeartsfestival.ca