Dara Schindelka (she/her) is a Saskatchewan femme folk artist with a touch of the North and the pull of the prairies. Dara is a classically trained pianist, singer and educator that not only performs but teaches music at the University of Regina Conservatory. Her knowledge and love of music is evident in her compositions and arrangements of both instrumental and vocal works.

Her latest track, “Love is Free,” from her new LP She Imagined mixes folk songwriting with modern digital instrumentation. No matter how hard extremists try to control others, they will never control the human heart that beats within each of us. Love is, and will always be, free from such systems.

Dara was chosen as an artist to showcase at the Ontario Presents Showcase September 2022 in Orillia, ON and did shows across Canada along the way. She returns to the stage this winter to perform She Imagined at numerous festivals and venues across western Canada. Her grant with SaskArts allowed for research about traditional folk songs that tell the stories of women. From this research, She Imagined was born and is a showcase of the past and present issues that face marginalized voices everywhere with a positive message of power and freedom.

Dara supports music festivals and live streams that bring awareness and help to women’s issues and has worked with Stay Human Productions, Rock Against Racism, Piwapin Women’s Shelter, Prince Albert Multi-Cultural Council, and FemFolk UK and most recently with the Saskatchewan Council for International Co-operation. Her debut EP, Thou Art Loosed, was a celebration of female strength and gained her awards and followers throughout 2020-2021.