Nearly $2.9 million from GNWT for arts and film

By Derek Neary Northern News Services

The territorial government invests closes to $2.9 million in the arts sector annually.

The NWT Arts Council has a $700,000 budget. Contributions to arts and crafts through Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED) varies from year to year but, in its various forms, it totals close to $1 million. There’s $470,000 for operational funding to various arts organizations through the Arts Organizations Operating Fund. The Cultural Organizations fund offers up to $433,000 in total for organizations that develop and promote arts and culture. Regional arts and crafts funding is set at $250,000. Support to Northern Performers amounts to $101,000. Another $100,000 is dedicated to the marketing and promoting of NWT artists and artwork.

The NWT Arts Council’s grant program aided 84 projects in 11 communities in the 2022-23 fiscal year.

Under the Arts Organizations Operating Fund, which is offered through the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, 14 organizations split $460,000 in 2022-23. The single largest amount went to the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre at $165,000.

Support to Northern Performers helped 17 applicants in 2022-23, with Folk on the Rocks and MusicNWT receiving the largest sums at $10,000 apiece.

Canada Council for the Arts

The Canada Council for the Arts provided $427,000 in funding to NWT artists and organizations in 202122, down 20.7 per cent from $538,400 the previous year. Grants to four organizations, at $299,400 collectively, represented the lion’s share of the funding while $127,500 went to eight artists. The remaining $11,500 was disbursed to other programs and activities. At $157,400, media arts was the category that received the largest share.

Film funding

The NWT Film Commission’s Film Industry Rebate

Program will operate with an estimated $300,000 in 2023-24, up from $100,000 over the past two years. The rebate program awarded two successful applicants a total of $100,200 in 2021-22. Alberta Forest Road Productions Inc. made use of the majority of that: $75,200 for production costs of the short film Cold Road. The program is intended to entice filmmakers to shoot in the NWT by offering 25 to 40 per cent cash rebates for items such as travel, the purchase of goods and services and wages and training provided to local residents. The incentives are higher for locations outside of Yellowknife.

The Producers Incentive Pilot Program has an annual budget of $100,000 to invest in NWT producers by providing support at the pre-development and development stages of a project. This support “incentivizes and empowers NWT production companies to develop professional quality, commercial-ready projects for presentation to broadcasters, co-producers, and other financiers,” according to the NWT Film Commission. Seven projects were funded in 2022-23.

Under the Support for Film umbrella, the territorial government also offers up to $25,000 per year to support special partnerships, up to $20,000 annually toward “commercial media productions,” up to $15,000 per year to cover costs relating to marketing and promotion and up to $5,000 a year for costs associated with pitching or creating trailers for small productions.

As well, self-employed NWT film producers can apply for funding as entrepreneurs under the Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED) Program. Ten applicants received SEED funding toward film projects in 2022-23.

The NWT Film Commission and Northwest Territories Professional Media Association, in partnership with other organizations and national broadcasters, helped launch the Northern Canada Producer Accelerator program in 2022. It features educational sessions and one-on-one mentorship with industry professionals. Six NWT producers were selected for the inaugural program.

2022 highlights

Among the notable developments in the NWT film industry in 2023-23 were the telefilm feature film Cold Road, written and directed by Dene film producer Kelvin Redvers, being filmed in Hay River in March 2022.

The ABC Television drama Alaska Daily, staring Hilary Swank, filmed in Dettah and Yellowknife in September and November 2022. Members of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation assisted in the production.

The ITV series Alone Season 1 (United Kingdom version) filmed in Fort Providence from August to October 2022. The Deh Gah Got’ie First Nation helped advise in the production.