Bachelor of Creative Arts student Saelym DeGrandpré has been selected as a 2025 Semi-Finalist for the Pow Wow Pitch competition.
Now celebrating its 10th year, the annual competition aims to shine a spotlight on Indigenous vendors, artists, business builders, innovators and entrepreneurs from all across Turtle Island, no matter their backgrounds or industries, or whether they’re just starting or looking to grow to the next level.
DeGrandpré, an Ottawa-based urban Inuk artist, was shortlisted in the Pow Wow Pitch’s Creative category for her creative works, which blend traditional Inuit art with contemporary design through diverse digital and tactile mediums spanning carving, printmaking, illustration and design, and jewelry making.
“It’s such an honour to be recognized alongside so many inspiring people,” said DeGrandpré, a recent graduate of the Graphic Design & Interactive Media program at Yorkville affiliate, Toronto Film School.
“This opportunity means so much to me. I’ll be working with mentors, growing my vision, and connecting with so many inspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs.”
DeGrandpré said she’s excited for the opportunity to pitch for the chance to win $25,000 to take her business, Taqqiq, to the next level.
Her pitch, she said, focuses on the ways she blends carving, graphic design, and digital illustration to tell stories rooted in Inuit culture, femininity, and identity.
“Over the past six years, I’ve developed my practice to celebrate tradition while also bringing Inuit representation into new spaces, from digital media to the beauty industry,” she said.
“Alongside this, I’ve been working with Connected North to share Inuit culture through art workshops in schools across Canada, which has been a meaningful way to engage with and inspire youth.”
If she were to win the competition – and the prize money that accompanies it – DeGrandpré said she would use it to grow her reach and to collaborate with Indigenous small businesses and companies, helping them strengthen their brand identities through graphic design.
“I would also invest in expanding my antler makeup brush project, working with Indigenous makeup artists and beauty businesses to create tools that are both functional and culturally meaningful,” she said.
In addition to the main Pow Wow Pitch competition, DeGrandpré is also in the running for the contest’s People’s Choice Award, which comes with a cash prize of $1,000 and a spot in the Grand Finale.
Voting is open until September 11, 2025, and you can vote HERE to support DeGrandpré.
