The VA NetworkStories From The Space In Between
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A Gathering of Story, Spirit, and Creation
For as long as we have been here, we have been telling stories. Not just to entertain, but to teach, to guide, to warn, to weave the world together in patterns of relation. Story is not a product, it is a practice. A law. A responsibility. And yet, in the modern world, story has been severed from its roots, turned into something to be owned, sold, and consumed.
The VA Creative Collective is a return to the old ways, where story is carried, not extracted. Where creators are custodians, not commodities. Where the telling of a tale is an act of reciprocity, ensuring that knowledge moves the right way, through the right hands, at the right time.
This is a place where Indigenous creators stand in their power, where narrative sovereignty is not just an idea but a practice. A place where future generations can look and see themselves reflected, not as subjects in someone else’s story, but as authors of their own.
not a social network- a relational one.
A Living Network, Rooted in Relation
The VA Creative Collective is not a static thing – it moves, it grows, it follows the pathways of knowledge-sharing that have always existed. It is not just a directory, but a relational network where Indigenous creatives – filmmakers, photographers, musicians, artists, writers – can connect, showcase their work, and build relationships across industries, cultures, and continents.
We invite Indigenous creatives to step forward, to take up space, to claim their place in the web of storytelling that has always belonged to them. Whether you are an elder carrying the knowledge of many lifetimes, a young artist finding your voice, or someone in between, this is a space built for you.
We welcome non-Indigenous allies into this space – not to take, but to listen. To learn. To unlearn. To support the storytellers who have carried the world’s oldest and most enduring knowledge systems. Whether you are within the screen industry or simply someone who understands the power of right story, this is an opportunity to engage in reciprocity. To amplify without distorting. To uplift without extracting. To become part of a system where storytelling is not a transaction, but a relationship.
ensuring that the stories being told serve the communities they come from, strengthening language, culture, and intergenerational knowledge-sharing.
Not Representation – Sovereignty
Too often, Indigenous creatives are invited to participate in industries that were never designed for them, forced to fit their work into frameworks that cannot hold the weight of their knowledge. The VA Creative Collective does not seek to “include” Indigenous voices in someone else’s system – it seeks to build a new one.
Indigenous creators retain control over their own work, ensuring that cultural integrity is never compromised.
Stories are shared in right relation, with the permission of the people, the land, and the elders who hold them.
Creative collaborations are built on reciprocity, ensuring that storytelling gives back – to the people, to the land, to the future.
A Fire That Fuels Future Generations
Story is survival. It carries memory forward. It ensures that future generations inherit knowledge, not silence. The VA Creative Collective exists to make sure that the storytellers of today have the visibility, support, and resources they need to keep the fire burning for those who come next.
Here, Indigenous creatives are not just seen – they are centered. Their work is not just displayed – it is valued, protected, and empowered. This is about creating pathways for future Indigenous artists – not just to be included, but to lead.
For those who seek to connect, to collaborate, to contribute – not as spectators but as participants in the living world of Indigenous storytelling – the fire is already burning. Come sit with us.
As part of the One Fire Festival, we invite you to gather around a virtual campfire like no other. Our Campfire Sounds are more than just crackling embers and gentle winds; they are the harmonious rhythms of Indigenous artists’ worlds. These captivating audio landscapes are created by the artists themselves, who share their sacred fires burning on their ancestral lands. As you immerse yourself in these evocative sounds, you’ll be enveloped in the warmth of their stories and culture, forging a deep connection to the heart of Indigenous artistry. Join us for this unique fireside experience, where the flames dance to the beat of Indigenous wisdom, and the stories of their lands come alive
The VA Network acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country
throughout the world, & their connections to land, sea, & sky.
We pay our respects to Elders past & present, & extend that respect to all First Nations Peoples on whose land we live, connect, travel, create, & love.
We celebrate the diversity of all First Nations Peoples
& their stories reflected in their unique artistic practices.
Please join us in respecting the ongoing legacy of the first artists of this country, & all countries.
⏲ 1hr 15min
Environmentalism / Culture Change
Finding our way back to our role as custodians of creation.
At its core, The VA Network is about connections and celebrating the stories in the spaces in-between.
The VA Network is built on foundations of relation to one another, the more-than-human world, and
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