Brenda Crabtree

Brenda joined the Arts Club board in 2021. Brenda has both Nlaka’pamux and Sto:lo ancestry and belongs to the Spuzzum Band. Brenda is the Director of Aboriginal Programs and Special Advisor to the President on Indigenous Initiatives at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Brenda is an anthropologist, educator, community facilitator, and cultural advisor. She is also an artist, curator, and mentor. Brenda received her BA and MA (Cultural Anthropology) from Western Washington University. She was honoured by the BC Achievement Foundation in 2016 as an enduring champion for Indigenous artists and has been a key figure in developing groundbreaking programs. In her art practice, Brenda fuses Northwest Coast First Nations materials and traditions with political texts. Brenda’s material practice is a vehicle for political activism, bridging art, politics, and history. Brenda serves in an advisory capacity for the City of Vancouver Arts + Culture Committee, the BC Creative Achievement Foundations, First Nations Art Advisory, and the Bill Reid Gallery. Brenda also serves on the board of directors of the YVR (Vancouver Airport) Art Foundation.