The Ermineskin arts and crafts gallery will include of a fully functional arts and crafts supply store, and a retail outlet to sell the handcrafted arts products purchased from members. It also plans to market products around the world via Internet e-commerce. A spin off opportunity for the gallery is the development of an arts and crafts training centre. This will enable Ermineskin Tribe members to retain and regenerate their arts and crafts skills.
Aboriginal art continues to be a hot seller at the auction houses.
Take for example a totem pole carved from argillite by Haida artist Robert Davidson in 1970. The carving stands more than nine feet tall and features representations of a raven, frog, human in transformation, bear and killer whale. A First for Aboriginal Art in Canada - Carleton University has appointed the country's first research chair devoted to aboriginal art and culture. He is Alan J. Ryan, an author and anthropologist but NOT an Aboriginal. The Bank of Canada has issued new currencies, including a new five dollar bill.