AIRsessions | New Season of Free Music Workshop Series Announced for Youth in Winnipeg's North End

Manitoba Music and the National Art Centre are teaming up with facilitator and curator Ila Barker to present a second season of the community-building, music-based workshop series AIRsessions. Created for youth ages 13-25 who are residents of Winnipeg's inner city, the series builds on the success of its first season last year and continues to feature guest artists in residence who shares their story, craft, and skills.

Kicking off on January 16, the free "drop-in style" sessions will happen twice monthly on Thursday nights 6 - 9 p.m. at the Indigenous Family Centre (470 Selkirk Avenue). A hot meal will be served to the participants at every session.

“AIRsessions, or Artist in Residence sessions, was created to fill a clear need for reoccurring programming for inner city youth,” says Barker. “The ongoing presence of the series will help allow for an organic, safe, and comfortable space to be developed in order to facilitate the process of artistic creation"

Barker, a Winnipeg-based singer/songwriter, will act as the primary mentor alongside guest mentors, including Boogey the Beat, Hera Nalam, Jason Burnstick, Nadia Burnstick, Nikki Komaksiutiksak, Roman Clarke, Sebastian Gaskin, Sierra Noble, and more. The dates for upcoming sessions: February 6 & 20, March 5 & 19,  April 9 & 23, May 14 & 28, and June 11 & 25. Visit the Facebook page for ongoing updates

AIRSessions sponsors include the Indigenous Family Centre, Indigenous Music, and sākihiwē festival, and Indigenous Music. This year, the Music for Life program of the Winnipeg Quaker Meeting of the Epiphany Indigenous Anglican Church and Kairos Cambrian/Agassiz has donated multiple instruments, including guitars and ukuleles, to be housed at the Indigenous Family Centre for use during AIRsessions.

For more information or to pre-register, please contact Barker at ilabarkermusic@gmail.com