Opportunities NORTH ARTS Canada Council for the Arts injects $1.2 million

By Derek

The Canada Council for the Arts doled out $1.2 million to Nunavummiut artists and arts organizations in 2021-22, but that was a 42.9 per cent reduction from $2.1 million in financial support a year earlier.

Six arts organizations took in $833,000, a dozen artists made use of $372,400 and one arts group benefitted from $19,800. Indigenous arts was, by far, the largest category with $986,000 in assistance from the council.

Under the Department of Culture and Heritage, the Government of Nunavut has set aside $325,000 for arts initiatives in 2023-24. The revised estimate for 202223 in that purpose came in at $300,000.

The territorial government also supports the arts and crafts subsidiaries through the Nunavut Development Corporation. Pangnirtung’s Uqqurmiut Arts and Crafts store will get $238,000 in 2023-24, the sales division in Ontario that markets and sells Inuit art will make use of $200,000, the Jessie Oonark retail outlet in Baker Lake will receive $165,000, Kiluk retail and production in Arviat is in line for $140,000 and Taluq Designs in Taloyoak has $70,000 coming its way.

The GN has also earmarked $93,000 for the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, which periodically hosts Inuit performing arts.

Grants and contributions

Numerous Nunavut artists and arts organizations benefit from GN grants and contributions each year. In 2021-22, $195,000 went to Alianait Entertainment Group for multiple initiatives.

Aakuluk Music Incorporated made use of $68,000 in Community Tourism and Cultural Industries program funding.

Artcirq divided $60,000 among four events.

Nuvu Music put $55,000 toward album production and the recording of a CD.

The Unaaq Cultural Society devoted its $40,000 in contributions from the government to an Inuktitut music song book and music promotion training in the Inuit language.

Hitmakerz geared $24,000 in funding assistance toward album production.

Film support

The Nunavut Film Development Corporation will receive $1.1 million in GN funding toward the Nunavut Film, Television and New Media program in 2023-24, the same as last year.

In 2021-22, the corporation took in $985,000 for the Nunavut Film, Television and New Media program, $376,000 for program partnerships funding and $200,000 in core funding.

The agency calculated that of its $1.26 million in funding contributions in 202122, each dollar generated $7.04 spent in Nunavut and $10.22 of total spend.

It also noted that 88 per cent of funding recipients were Nunavut Inuit and 86 per cent of the projects funded under the Nunavut Spend Incentive Program were created in Inuktut, supporting 253 jobs for Nunavut Inuit and the projects were shot in five communities in the territory.

The largest single contribution was $350,000 through the Nunavut Spend Incentive Program, which was approved for a 10-part comedy series titled ‘People,’ by One for My Peeps Inc.

Two feature films — Slash/Back and The Shaman’s Apprentice — were released in 2021-22.