The Foundations in Indigenous Fine Arts (FIFA) certificate is offered by the UVic Faculty of Fine Arts and the Division of Continuing Studies, in partnership with the En'owkin International School of Writing and Visual Arts in Penticton, BC. Students will study on campus at the En’owkin Center located on the Penticton Indian Reserve in the Okanagan, which sits on the traditional territory of the Syilx people. Students studying at the En’owkin Center are immersed in a rich cultural community of learners from diverse Indigenous nations from across North America. They engage in academic studies supported by traditional practices such as seasonal feasts, ceremony and social gathering.

The FIFA certificate exists to develop Indigenous writers and artists, and continues the longstanding partnership between UVic and the En’owkin Center. The program has two main focuses: 

• Creative writing courses: With an emphasis on contemporary creative writing forms, Indigenous worldview is explored in traditional and contemporary oratory, storytelling and performance arts.
• Visual arts courses: Visual expression is nurtured and developed in various disciplines, including painting, sculpture and installation art, by actively engaging students in projects, presentations and exhibits.

Upon completion of this program, graduates will receive a certificate in Foundations in Indigenous Fine Arts, awarded jointly by the En'owkin Centre and UVic.