At the Watson Art Centre in Dauphin, a Ribbon Skirt Workshop will be held on January 17, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Dauphin and District Allied Arts Council is organising the all-day session to teach participants how to create traditional First Nations and Métis ribbon skirts. This workshop aims to preserve Indigenous craft and deepen community engagement in the Parkland region.
Participants will learn sewing techniques and cultural teachings in a six-hour class open to residents of Dauphin and nearby communities. According to the University of Waterloo Office of Indigenous Relations, ribbon skirts are “a meaningful symbol of identity, resilience, and survival for Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people,” representing identity and connection to the earth. The event follows the growing recognition of ribbon skirts across Canada after Senate Bill S-219 (the National Ribbon Skirt Day Act) received Royal Assent on Dec. 15, 2022, designating January 4 as National Ribbon Skirt Day.
The workshop marks a new outreach in the former Dauphin Town Hall, a provincially-designated historic building that now serves as the Watson Art Centre, a community arts hub managed by the Dauphin and District Allied Arts Council. The centre regularly hosts painting, pottery and cultural programs, and this is the Watson Art Centre’s first dedicated ribbon skirt workshop, reflecting a broader shift toward Indigenous heritage arts in the region.
Spaces are limited. Tickets are listed on the centre’s online ticketing platform (SimpleTix); prospective participants should check the site for availability and register through the centre’s website to arrange any materials needed for the session.
