History
The Creative Kids program began its development in 2007 when SaskCulture and its partners started discuss the need for a program that reduced financial barriers for children and youth interested in arts and cultural activity. At that time, the national KidSport™ initiative was the only provincial program of this kind in the province. However, it provided support for sports activities , but not cultural or creative activities. Community leader David Millar, former member of the Saskatchewan Arts Board (SAB), initiated discussions with SaskCulture and the SAB on providing a solution.
SaskCulture brought together local volunteer community leaders and established the first Creative Kids Committee to discuss and plan a new program. These initial meetings resulted in SaskCulture commissioning a community dialogue session in 2008, and a detailed feasibility study in 2009. Community members identified several smaller programs working to support youth in cultural programs, such as Dream Brokers and Heart of the City Piano Program, but the need for an all encompassing provincial program was evident. The feasibility study, completed by Praxis Consulting, also validated the need for the program and revealed a genuine interest in Saskatchewan to support it.
The concept was introduced as part of the Regina Business and the Arts Luncheon held annually since 2007. Initial dollars raised from this event went into the Saskatchewan Arts Board Foundation until the program could be established.
In October 2009, the SaskCulture Board of Directors was ready to move forward with the study’s recommendations and decided to establish Creative Kids as a program of SaskCulture. In February 2010, a full-time staff person was hired as Creative Kids Coordinator to develop, implement, and coordinate the Creative Kids program.
The Creative Kids program obtained its charitable status as a program under the Give Kids a Chance charity, operated by Sask Sport Inc. KidSport™ Saskatchewan is also a program of Give Kids a Chance charity. Thanks to this partnership, Creative Kids was able to begin granting as early as September 2010.
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