Carrie Sweeney

Publisher’s New Collection Celebrates Francophone Children’s Literature

June 24, 2025 by Carrie Sweeney

Board President of Les Éditions de la nouvelle plume (ÉNP) Claude-Jean Harel talks about their use of our Book Publishing Production Grant, which helps them publish up to 5 books each year and meet their goal of developing francophone literature in Western Canada.

Maurice l’orignal et son aventure hivernale is part of Bibliothèque Plume Jeunesse, their collection of first-reader books for grades one through six. You can check out more of their books here.

“Creative Saskatchewan’s Book Publishers grant helps La Nouvelle Plume publish 4 or five books each year. We are helping develop francophone literature in Western Canada and the North, and Creative Saskatchewan’s funding helps us accomplish this. Although just released at the end of March, Maurice l’orignal et son aventure hivernale has become an instant success at La Nouvelle Plume. La Nouvelle Plume is happy to have received the story from Alberta’s Sofia Gareau-Brennan and we’re delighted with our new collection, Bibliothèque Plume Jeunesse. We’re Saskatchewan’s only French-language publisher and Creative Saskatchewan’s funding helps us accomplish our mandate and be an important cog in the province’s thriving book publishing industry.”

Are you ready to take your creative business to the next level?

Showcase or Sell Travel Grant Opens Doors for Producers

June 19, 2025 by Carrie Sweeney

Adrian is a Saskatchewan-based Producer who successfully applied for our Showcase or Sell Travel grant, which provides support to individuals and businesses to attend markets, industry showcases, and pitch events. The funding from this grant allowed him to attend the Banff World Media Festival this month.

“My name is Adrian Dean, I’m a producer working in the kids space. The Showcase Yourself grant has been really beneficial for me because it’s allowed me to attend markets. For example, I’m at the Banff World Media Festival right now, and at this festival I’m able to connect with decision makers, buyers and really see what the trends are and where the industry is going over the next few years, which is going to help me to in turn put that information into my business plan and take my projects forward so I can sell them.”

Are you ready to take your creative business to the next level?

Sponsorship: The Annual Black Business Networking Event

June 12, 2025 by Carrie Sweeney

Yinka Adebule, CEO of Coalition of Black Small & Medium Enterprises (CoBSMEs), talks about the importance of the annual Black Business Networking event held in Regina:

“Hi, my name is Yinka and I’m the CEO of Coalition of Black Small and Medium Enterprises. The Black Business Networking event is an annual event that supports and celebrates Black businesses. It’s also a platform where stakeholders and businesses connect and share ideas. Creative Saskatchewan has been a trusted partner of CoBSMEs. The funding from Creative Saskatchewan for the 2025 Black Business Networking event went towards the musical band that performed at the event. The Black business community is a diverse group, it said to contribute something unique to the economy and society. With the help and support of Creative Saskatchewan, we believe we can continue to showcase and grow the creative sector within the Black business community.”

Creative Saskatchewan is proud to sponsor initiatives like this that support the success of Saskatchewan’s creative entrepreneurs, while raising the profile of the black business community!

Digital Showcase Highlights Saskatchewan Tech Innovation

June 6, 2025 by Carrie Sweeney

Jack Hilkewich, Executive Director of Saskatchewan Interactive Media Association, talks about their Digital Showcase event that happens twice a year, once in Saskatoon and once in Regina, with a goal of highlighting what’s happening in Saskatchewan’s interactive digital scene.

Here’s what he had to say:

“My name is Jack Hilkewich, I’m the Executive Director of Sask Interactive Media Association. So this event that we’re holding is our digital showcase, which is a venue for a lot of our membership to exhibit their projects that they’ve worked on, games that they’ve made, apps that they’ve developed. It’s a chance for them to network with people in the industry that come out to see the tech that’s going on and we hope it allows them to meet people that are like-minded and maybe form some partnerships in the future.

Creative Sask has been a major part of all our programs. They help fund every event that we put on and they also help us promote the event and they do so much for us. The economic impact is quite far-reaching, and I think we’re going to see a lot of successful stories coming out of Saskatchewan. And yeah, I’m excited for that.”

We’re proud to support SaskInteractive and the Digital Showcase! They provide essential resources, professional development, and advocacy for game developers in Saskatchewan. Game on! 🎮

We Were Broncos Debuts in Saskatchewan, Showcasing Ryan Straschnitzki’s Paralympic Dream

May 28, 2025 by Carrie Sweeney

Released on May 28, 2025

A man in a wheelchair on a basketball court. — Ryan Straschnitzki, star of the series We Were Broncos.

Prairie Cat Productions, in partnership with Creative Saskatchewan, proudly hosted the premiere screening of We Were Broncos today at The Artesian in Regina. The event welcomed special guests including Ryan Straschnitzki, the cast and crew, representatives from the Government of Saskatchewan, and members of the local community.

We Were Broncos is a compelling new documentary series that follows Ryan Straschnitzki—survivor of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash—as he pursues a new dream: competing in wheelchair basketball at the Paralympic Games. After being cut from the national sledge hockey team, Ryan shifts his focus to a new sport, navigating the challenges of elite training while continuing to heal from past trauma.

“Ryan’s story is powerful, personal, and so full of hope,” said Alana Ross, Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport. “The world grieved with the players and their families. Now we celebrate the strength and resilience that is so clearly embedded in this young man’s character. Creative Saskatchewan exists to help tell the important stories of our province and our people, this story is a shining example of that.”

“This is the first documentary that truly explores Ryan’s life beyond the crash,” said Lucas Frison, Producer at Prairie Cat Productions. “It’s a story of resilience, ambition, and the strength of the human spirit. We’re honoured to have shared it with audiences today.”

The series, which will air on AMI, was filmed in Humboldt, Saskatoon, Regina, and Calgary. It not only highlights Ryan’s journey but also shines a spotlight on the wheelchair basketball community in Western Canada.

Creative Saskatchewan invested $160,425 in the production, which has already generated an estimated $609,000 in positive economic impact for the province. The production also leveraged over $450,000 in out-of-province investment into Saskatchewan.

“We Were Broncos is a shining example of how Saskatchewan’s creative industries can drive economic growth while telling powerful, globally relevant stories,” said Erin Dean, CEO of Creative Saskatchewan. “Ryan’s journey exemplifies our community’s resilience, and we’re proud to support a project that brings Saskatchewan’s spirit to the world.”

The premiere event marked a celebration of local storytelling, community strength, and the growing impact of Saskatchewan’s film and television sector.

About Prairie Cat Productions

Prairie Cat Productions is a Canadian Screen Award-nominated production company based in Regina, Saskatchewan. Our projects vary greatly in genre and scope, ranging from scripted films to documentaries and promotional videos. We love to focus on telling stories that celebrate life on the Canadian prairies and have worked with Telefilm Canada, CBC, the Accessibility Network, SK Arts, Canada Council for the Arts, SGI, the Regina Police Service, and more.

About Creative Saskatchewan

Creative Saskatchewan is the economic development agency for Saskatchewan’s creative industries and the official film commission for the province. The agency’s investments propel creative entrepreneurs as they create, perform, innovate, and export in their pursuit of commercial success.

For more information please contact:

Lucas Frison, Producer, Prairie Cat Productions

O: 306-580-3411 | lucas@prairiecatproductions.com

Megan Folden, Director of Marketing and Communications, Creative Saskatchewan

O: (306) 798-2191 | C: (306) 529-7377 | megan.folden@creativesask.ca | creativesask.ca

ScreenSask: Fresh Identity, Established Legacy

May 7, 2025 by Carrie Sweeney

Creative Saskatchewan funds seven industry associations, helping them achieve their mandates to support Saskatchewan’s creative small businesses and creative producers, and helping build extraordinary businesses. We have been providing core operating funds in addition to programming dollars for ScreenSask since 2013.

Established in 1986, ScreenSask, formerly known as Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association (SMPIA), recently underwent a rebrand. ScreenSask is an association of filmmakers, crew, producers, suppliers and stakeholders who work in Saskatchewan’s film industry.

“ScreenSask exists to create community, build capacity and help grow businesses and jobs in Saskatchewan’s film industry.” says Robert Hardy, Executive Director at ScreenSask, “We’re thrilled to partner with Creative Saskatchewan in so many ways, on so many levels, to do that. We encourage anyone who wants to help us to join ScreenSask, and be part of the team.”

ScreenSask aims to facilitate interaction between people working in the film industry, and to help to create an environment that provides opportunities for the promotion and appreciation of media production in Saskatchewan.

A room full of people visiting. — ScreenSask’s Mixer Event

Membership with ScreenSask comes in a variety of options, each providing unique benefits tailored to different needs. Members gain a voice in the organization through participation in committees and annual general meetings. They receive access to industry publications, discounted rates on workshops, conferences, insurance, and eligibility for training programs and funding opportunities. Additionally, members can share their news through ScreenSask’s media channels and have their profiles featured in the online industry directory.

Other services offered by ScreenSask include professional development and training, discussion forums, and decision-making and advocating for changes in public policy in the interests of the film and television production industry.

Creative Saskatchewan proudly sponsors many of ScreenSask’s programs, including their recent Meet the Buyer and Producer Series of webinars, which provide invaluable inside information on navigating the industry.

When it comes to funding productions—that’s where we come in! Creative Saskatchewan’s role is to help clients navigate the grant application process from start to finish, review applications for eligibility, ensure applications are vetted by industry professionals, and invest in projects with economic potential. Creative Saskatchewan offers several grants related to Film & TV:

The Feature Film & Television Production Grant provides financial support to eligible applicants for feature film and television productions that have secured a relevant market trigger or distribution agreement of fair market value.

The Film and Television Development Grant assists qualified Saskatchewan production companies with undertaking the development of eligible projects and bringing productions to fruition. This program has three streams, the First Draft Stream,the Final Draft Stream, and the Slate Development Stream.

The Filmmaker’s Grant supports emerging Saskatchewan filmmakers with mentorship and production funds to produce content under 10 minutes intended to build the filmmakers’ professional portfolio.

The Showcase or Sell Travel Grant helps cover the costs of travel expenses to specific market opportunities.

Filmmakers are also eligible to apply for our Marketing Grant.

As the official film commission for the province, Creative Saskatchewan also offers a wide range of services to producers considering a partnership with Saskatchewan:

Locations gallery and Saskatchewan Look Book
John Hopkins Regina Soundstage and production offices
Production Directory
Film permitting information
Locations scouting services
And more!

Creative Saskatchewan is proud to contribute to the screen industry in Saskatchewan by supporting ScreenSask in their efforts to build a favourable economic and creative climate, cultivate a positive image of the industry, and represent all personnel from beginners to veteran professionals. ScreenSask’s unwavering support for the film industry in Saskatchewan is instrumental in building a thriving and sustainable creative sector.

Publisher’s New Collection Celebrates Francophone Children’s Literature

Showcase or Sell Travel Grant Opens Doors for Producers

Sponsorship: The Annual Black Business Networking Event

Digital Showcase Highlights Saskatchewan Tech Innovation

We Were Broncos Debuts in Saskatchewan, Showcasing Ryan Straschnitzki’s Paralympic Dream

ScreenSask: Fresh Identity, Established Legacy

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