What Urban Shaman Inc. does

Urban Shaman Inc. is a Canadian non-profit Aboriginal artist-run centre headquartered at 203-290 McDermot Avenue in Winnipeg, Manitoba, founded in 1996 by Indigenous artists. It operates as one of only three Aboriginal artist-run centres in Canada, presenting contemporary Indigenous art across 2D, 3D, media/new media, and performance-based disciplines. The organization programs three curated exhibition spaces at its primary location — the Main Gallery (185.81 m²), the Marvin Francis Media Gallery (74.32 m²), and the Artist New Dimension (AND) Studio (23.23 m²) — and operates a Santa Fe Gallery satellite with free admission to the public.

The centre's programming is driven by ongoing artist submissions evaluated by the Gallery Director based on artistic merit and contemporary Aboriginal art relevance, supported by a volunteer Board of Directors, Advisory Committee, and a small staff of approximately 10 employees led by Gallery Director Daina Warren. Beyond physical exhibitions, Urban Shaman extends its reach through the Speech Act Project (2021-2023, with Winnipeg Trails Association and Canadian Heritage) and the related SpeechTrails mobile application, as well as a 360-degree virtual gallery and permanent public installations such as Bizindaadiwag at Michelle Jean Park. Its website is available in 8 Indigenous languages plus English, supporting accessibility and language preservation.

The organization's business model is a non-profit hybrid funded through three streams: small annual membership fees ($20-$150 CAD across Student/Underemployed, Member, Supporter/Pay-it-forward, and Institution tiers), unrestricted donations collected via CanadaHelps, and project and operating grants from government and foundation funders including the Canada Council for the Arts, Manitoba Heritage, Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Government of Canada (Indigenous Languages and Cultures Program), the Winnipeg Foundation, and the Asper Foundation. International cultural exchange is supported through partnerships with the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Ottawa, and SAW Gallery/Nordic Lab.

Name

Urban Shaman Inc.

Legal name

Urban Shaman Inc.

Website

https://urbanshaman.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Indigenous Art Gallery Services

NAICS

Museums (71211)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Indigenous & Community Cultural Institutions (THAJADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI)

Keywords

• Contemporary indigenous art
• Aboriginal artist-run centre
• Art exhibition programming
• Cultural arts services
• Indigenous language preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Urban Shaman relies on donations to open doors, turn on lights, program the gallery and provide services to members. Donations are accepted through CanadaHelps platform.
2. Membership fees: Annual membership tiers provide recurring revenue: Supporter/Pay it forward ($50), Member ($25), Student or Underemployed ($20), Institution/Organization ($150). Members receive email updates, exhibition invitations, priority for workshops, and 10% discount on purchases.
3. Government and foundation grants: Funding from government bodies and arts councils including Canada Council for the Arts, Manitoba Heritage, Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Government of Canada, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and municipal governments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Urban Shaman is an Aboriginal artist-run centre that programs and exhibits contemporary Indigenous art across multiple curated gallery spaces, selected through ongoing artist submissions by the Director based on artistic merit. Programming spans two- and three-dimensional works, media/new media, and performance-based art, with all exhibitions offered free to the public. The centre extends its reach through a multilingual digital platform, a mobile app for Indigenous language learning, and community partnerships supporting Indigenous language preservation.

Product overview

Urban Shaman is an Aboriginal artist-run centre presenting contemporary Indigenous art through a unified portfolio of physical gallery spaces and digital programming. The core offering comprises four curated exhibition spaces: the Main Gallery (185.81 m2), Marvin Francis Media Gallery (74.32 m2), AND Studio (23.23 m2), and Santa Fe Gallery. The organization extends its reach through the Speech Act Project (2021-2023), a multi-platform initiative including the SpeechTrails mobile application for Apple devices and a Virtual 360 Gallery. Supporting services include a membership program and ongoing artist submissions process. Programming spans two and three-dimensional works, media/new media, and performance-based art across all disciplines and artist career levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Winnipeg Trails AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Ongoing collaboration for The Speech Act Project (2021-2023), a language preservation initiative using Indigenous art to contribute to the enrichment of Indigenous knowledge and prevention of loss of Indigenous languages. Includes SpeechTrails mobile app development and public installations like Bizindaadiwag at Michelle Jean Park.
• Canada Council for the ArtscoreOthersPrimary government arts funding body supporting Canadian arts organizations including exhibition programming and operations.
• Manitoba Arts CouncilcoreOthersProvincial government arts council providing funding support for Manitoba arts programming.
• Winnipeg Arts CouncilcoreOthersMunicipal arts funding organization supporting Winnipeg arts programming and cultural initiatives.
• Manitoba HeritagecoreOthersProvincial government department supporting heritage and cultural programming in Manitoba.
• Government of CanadacoreOthersFederal government funding through Canadian Heritage Indigenous Languages and Cultures Program supporting Indigenous language preservation initiatives.
• Nordic Council of MinistersflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership for cultural exchange. Supported Alakkaajut exhibition featuring circumpolar artists Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Maureen Gruben, and Sissel M. Bergh. Includes SAW Gallery/Nordic Lab collaboration.
• Ontario Arts CouncilminorOthersOntario provincial arts council providing funding support for arts programming.
• Ontario Trillium FoundationminorOthersOntario-based foundation providing grants for community and cultural initiatives.
• Royal Norwegian Embassy in OttawaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational embassy partnership supporting Nordic-Indigenous cultural exchange programming.
• SAW Gallery/Nordic LabflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerExhibition producer and circulator for international cultural exchange exhibitions including Alakkaajut (Many Things Appear) featuring circumpolar artists.
• The Trans Canada TrailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational trails organization partnership supporting Speech Act Project and Healing Trails programming that integrates Indigenous language content along trail networks.
• Canadian HeritagecoreOthersFederal department providing funding through Indigenous Languages and Cultures Program - Indigenous Languages Component for Speech Act Project and SpeechTrails app development.
• NCI FMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal radio station providing media support and promotional partnership for gallery events and programming.
• Momenta Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertified B Corp providing Traditional Trails programming and bike tour leadership for Speech Act Project community events. Led by Adrian Alphonso and Lise Brown.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Indigenous Art Centre (Canadian Heritage): A federal government-operated centre that supports Indigenous visual arts through exhibitions, residencies, and acquisitions. It is a publicly funded Indigenous arts institution with a similar mandate, though federally rather than community-led.
• Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance (IPAA): A national alliance supporting Indigenous performing artists and organizations in Canada. It is thematically related through its Indigenous arts mandate and overlapping artist/community network, though its focus is on performing rather than visual arts.

Direct peers

• Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute: An Indigenous-led cultural centre in Oujé-Bougoumou, Quebec, dedicated to preserving and presenting Cree language, culture, and art. It is directly comparable as an Indigenous artist-run centre that operates museum and gallery programming.
• grunt gallery: An artist-run centre in Vancouver focused on contemporary Indigenous and diverse art practices, with exhibition, publication, and community programming similar to Urban Shaman's submission-based model.
• Woodland Cultural Centre: An Indigenous-owned and operated charitable organization in Brantford, Ontario, serving as one of the few Aboriginal cultural centres in Canada. It offers gallery space, language programs, and museum services analogous to Urban Shaman's artist-run model.
• SAW Gallery: An Ottawa-based artist-run centre with a strong focus on contemporary art and Indigenous/nordic cultural exchange. It is a current Urban Shaman partner and operates comparable curatorial and exhibition programming.

Broad incumbents

• National Gallery of Canada: Canada's national art museum, with a growing Indigenous art program and partnerships. It is a broad incumbent that competes for high-profile Indigenous exhibitions and donor attention nationally.
• MacKenzie Art Gallery: A public art gallery in Regina, Saskatchewan, with significant Indigenous programming. It is comparable in mission (presenting Indigenous and Canadian contemporary art) but operates at a larger scale than Urban Shaman.
• Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG): The largest art gallery in Manitoba and one of Canada's major public galleries, with a substantial Indigenous art collection and dedicated Inuit Art Centre. It is a broader incumbent that competes for Indigenous artists, audiences, and funders in the same Winnipeg market.
• Museum of Anthropology at UBC: A major museum at the University of British Columbia with extensive Indigenous collections and programming. Comparable as a cultural institution presenting Indigenous art, though it is university-affiliated and substantially larger in scope and budget.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urban-shaman-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Urban Shaman Inc.