Archives in Action

Date: May 26 2025

This workshop brings together Indigenous filmmakers, archives 
practitioners, and academic researchers for a roundtable discussion on the 
urgent need to develop national frameworks for the preservation, access, 
and distribution of audiovisual materials in Mi’kma’ki and across Canada.
 
Film is an important medium for conveying First Nations culture, language, 
teaching, and history. Yet, audiovisual materials remain among the most 
vulnerable cultural materials due to a range of systemic 
challenges—insufficient preservation methods, under-resourced technical 
infrastructure, limited and unstable funding, and intellectual property 
regimes that do not support artists or communities.
 
Participants will explore these critical issues and actionable steps to be 
taken by key stakeholders, including government bodies, cultural 
institutions, and funding agencies. This conversation aims to shape a 
“manifesto for action,” setting the groundwork for a national policy agenda 
that recognizes, protects, and sustains Indigenous audiovisual heritage.