The Fondation Famille Kenny Tang’s Impact Bursary

Highlighting the impact and commitment of Indigenous artists

Kenny Tang has been actively involved with the Foundation of Greater Montréal for nearly 10 years. After having served on the Investment Committee for six years, he became a Foundation Board Member in 2020. He has served on the Audit Committee since then, and returned to service on the Investment Committee this year.

In March of 2020, he launched the Fonds Fondation Famille Kenny Tang at FGM. It was created by Mr. Tang to honour the memory of Baby Mathis, to exemplify values of sharing, mutual aid and generosity, and experience them with his daughters Mila and Nora. The fund distributes grants each year, including an impact bursary valued at $2,000. This award is given out by the Wapikoni organization.

In partnership with Wapikoni Mobile

Since 2004, Wapikoni Mobile has been pursuing its mission to assist First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in expressing themselves. How so? Through supporting their cinematic and musical creativity, as well as ensuring wide distribution of their work. It provides Indigenous talent with personalized accompaniment through mentoring. In doing so, the organization contributes to their individual, professional and artistic development, while respecting their narrative sovereignty. Wapikoni operates a distribution network dedicated to getting their work discovered across Canada and around the world. Thus, it fosters the passing on of knowledge, and heightened awareness of Indigenous peoples’ realities.

Since 2021, the bursary offered by the Fondation Famille Kenny Tang has recognized the commitment that has gone into works created with Wapikoni Mobile, and their impact. “These artists and their creations have touched us, made us reflect, educated us. With these bursaries, I hope to highlight the impact they have had, not just in their communities, but on everyone”, said Mr. Tang.

A first bursary was awarded to Jack Belhumeur (pictured above), a Metis artist from Thunder Bay, recognizing his determination, his sensitivity to others and his unifying talents. In 2023, the presiding jury chose Normand Junior Tshirnish, an Innu filmmaker from Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam, to be the recipient of the fund’s second bursary, for his sensibility, his motivation and his engagement.

To see some of Jack Belhumeur’s work: Happiness ; Life on the move.

To contribute to the Fund