"This Is Our Future Home": Kahnawà:ke Launches Final Phase of Historic Campaign for New Cultural Arts Center

KAHNAWAKE, QC, Sept. 23, 2025 /CNW/ - After years of visioning and preparation, the Mohawks of Kahnawa:ke Cultural Arts Center is proud to announce the launch of the final phase of its historic capital campaign. This major initiative, led in partnership by the Kanien'kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center (KORLCC), Kahnawà:ke Tourism, Turtle Island Theatre, and the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK), will bring to life a new multi-purpose cultural complex that will stand as a cornerstone of identity, memory, and shared future.

The Center will bring together under one roof a language revitalization hub, a community museum, and a 178-seat performing arts theatre. Designed as a space of celebration, preservation, education, and sharing, it will offer a state-of-the-art and welcoming environment for exhibitions, classes, archives, performances, workshops, and ceremonies—a true home for Kanien'kehá:ka language, culture, and artistic expression.

For the first time, community members and visitors alike will be able to gather in a space worthy of the richness and depth of Kanien'kehá:ka history and identity.

"This isn't just a building project. It's a statement of who we are and where we're going," said Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, Chair of the Capital Campaign Cabinet.

"For generations, our language and culture were pushed to the margins. But we've never stopped fighting for them. This new center is a gift to our children, and their children. A place to learn, to gather, to remember, and to imagine. It will be a symbol of pride, resilience, and self-determination—not just for our community, but for all who walk through its doors."

The campaign has already raised $51 million—more than 91% of its $55.5 million goal—thanks to the generosity of major donors and institutions during the silent phase. As the campaign enters its public phase, the focus now shifts to inviting the broader community, both within and beyond Kahnawà:ke, to make a lasting contribution.

The Center is scheduled to open in spring of 2026. Construction is well underway, and the project is already generating excitement and momentum. The Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec have committed $16 million and $11 million respectively, recognizing the Center's cultural and social significance. Hydro-Québec has also pledged $10 million, while the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec has contributed $120,000 to the campaign. The project has also received generous support from dozens of individuals, businesses, and community organizations who believe in its mission and long-term impact.

"We are almost there," said Sky-Deer. "This is a project that has brought Elders, youth, artists, educators, and community leaders together. Now we're asking the public to take us across the finish line. Every donation, large or small, is an act of commitment to our collective future. But this Center is not only for us—it is also a place of welcome, of encounter, of reconciliation. We believe that mutual understanding is the foundation of coexistence, and this Center will be a beacon of Onkwehonwe knowledge for all who seek to learn with open minds and hearts."

You can visit the project website here, view the campaign video here, and make a contribution here.

SOURCE Mohawk Council of Kahnawake

Media contact : Julien Acosta, C4 Communications, [email protected], 514 993-8543