This year, Chartrand will not only be performing as part of the Indigenous Summer Tour but mentoring other artists that will be touring with her.

Chartrand has performed with her band in various communities across Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and considers herself an advocate and supporter of Indigenous women in music. She has sung and played guitar since childhood and considers her musical influences to include the diverse rock and blues styles of Etta James, Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks, Johnny Cash and Tina Turner. A married mother of five and grandmother of nine, Chartrand is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of Winnipeg’s local rock/blues band “Shades of Dawn.” This year’s feature artist is Dawn Marie Chartrand, an Indigenous singer/songwriter based in Winnipeg and originally from Rolling River First Nation, located 82 kilometres north of Brandon. 8-11, visiting four Indigenous communities and four non-Indigenous communities next month. The tour, which is also supported by Manitoba Hydro, will run Aug. The Manitoba Arts Network (MAN) received funding from the Canada Council for the Arts to bring diverse, inclusive and accessible live events to Indigenous and member communities for the third year in a row. Six Indigenous artists, including internationally-acclaimed Rhonda Head, who has performed across the world, will visit eight communities across southern Manitoba in August as part of the Manitoba Arts Network’s Indigenous Summer Tour.

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