With $500,000 from the federal government, Qaggiavuut is one step closer to fulfilling the dream of a performing arts centre in Nunavut.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne of the arguments we have is that this would be very good for our economy, that there is a cultural tourism potential with the Qaggiq Hub. This is one way we can prove that thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a market for Inuit performing arts,SA国际影视传媒� said executive director Ellen Hamilton, about what Qaggiavuut is doing with the money.

The federal funding came by way of the Creative Export Canada Program, and the Qaggiavuut Nunavut Performing Arts Centre is

Hamilton explains the funding was specifically for work related to preparing its two shows, the much-lauded Kiviuq Returns and Arctic Song, for the world stage, including international marketing, promotion, and showcasing.

Arctic Song is QaggiavuutSA国际影视传媒檚 latest creation, born of a , which also led to .

SA国际影视传媒淭he funding allowed us to hire approximately 42 Inuit artists, arts managers and technical artists to train as tour managers, actors, stage managers, video projectionists, photographers, musicians, singers, drum dancers and arts facilitators,SA国际影视传媒� said Hamilton.

SA国际影视传媒淚t included training in Iqaluit and in Montreal at the National Theatre School of Canada and showcases to international festivals, theatres and showcases. It has also allowed us to develop video promotional materials.SA国际影视传媒�

Hamilton adds that Qaggiavuut generated more than $1 million in the past year for NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 economy.

SA国际影视传媒淚n other words, we are strengthening the Nunavut economy through the arts, as much as we are strengthening language and culture,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

That number can only increase with a professional space to call home. For now, Qaggiavuut operates out of a small house in the capital, holding rehearsals and courses wherever it can.

Project manager, performer and theatre technician Rico Manitok says just as tourists flock to Yellowknife, they would flock to Iqaluit.

SA国际影视传媒淵ellowknife has the tourism with the northern lights, they could see the northern lights and a show here,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Qaggiavuut sparks international interest 

SA国际影视传媒淏etween Kiviuq and Arctic Song, weSA国际影视传媒檙e starting to have a product that is providing really high-value employment for Inuit artists, promoting Inuit culture, but also Nunavut, to the world. By doing so weSA国际影视传媒檙e proving there is a market, and if we had a space here, people would come here,SA国际影视传媒� said Hamilton.

Most recently, Qaggiavuut pitched Arctic Song in Montreal to international music festivals at the International Folk Alliance in mid-February. That yielded performances in Finland in June, Norway in July, France in August, Shanghai, China in September, as well as Indigenous music festivals in Canada.

Qaggiavuut performer and project manager Christine Tootoo and Vinnie Karetak will travel to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August to pitch Kiviuq Returns to theatres and theatre festivals from around the world.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 the largest showcase for theatre in the world, and everyone looking for unique and interesting theatre is going to be there,SA国际影视传媒� said Hamilton.

Tootoo is excited.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut ISA国际影视传媒檓 a little bit nervous,SA国际影视传媒� said the young performer.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檒l just have to rehearse.SA国际影视传媒�

Meanwhile, project manager and artist Kathleen Merritt is currently coordinating all things Arctic Song.

The Qaggiq Hub is planned to also include teaching spaces, activities for children, a sewing space for seamstresses, and spaces for hunters and artists to sell their products SA国际影视传媒� an all-inclusive traditional and professional hub.

SA国际影视传媒淭here would be events, activities, festivals, theatre runs going on all the time,SA国际影视传媒� said Hamilton.

SA国际影视传媒淥f course, there would be socio-economic benefits, as well. It costs $350 a day to keep a man in prison. The performing arts are one of the ways you reduce risk. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 also a very effective way of educating people, keeping them motivated.SA国际影视传媒�

Benefits across the territory

Qaggiavuut continues to tour Nunavut communities, creating workshops for young Inuit interested in the performing arts. The workshops are linked to its shows. Manitok offers an example of why developing the performing arts in the territory may be just as important as mining, . Youth who had dropped out of school, went back to school.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey saw that we were coming, and they wanted to be a part of the workshop,SA国际影视传媒� Manitok said, adding they had to be in school to participate.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 one that sticks out. When we were in one community, I had one youth come up to me and say, SA国际影视传媒榃hen my friend committed suicide a month or two before SA国际影视传媒�SA国际影视传媒� He wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 going to school. When he found out we were going to that community, he wanted to be a part of it.

SA国际影视传媒淗e seemed a bit rough, but when we started doing the workshops, he just brightened up. He was telling the younger kids, SA国际影视传媒楲ook, these people are here to teach you. Listen.SA国际影视传媒� And he kept going to school.SA国际影视传媒�

Manitok has also come across youth who want to learn what he does SA国际影视传媒� the technical side of performance.

SA国际影视传媒淪o I had them help me set up the projectors, the scrims, and all that stuff.SA国际影视传媒�

Manitok, from Rankin Inlet, also points out his father and uncle worked at a mine.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd I donSA国际影视传媒檛 see myself. ISA国际影视传媒檓 probably the first one in my family to do what ISA国际影视传媒檓 doing right now. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e like, SA国际影视传媒榃hy donSA国际影视传媒檛 you just get a GN job?SA国际影视传媒� I like what ISA国际影视传媒檓 doing. ISA国际影视传媒檓 paid to do it,SA国际影视传媒� said Manitok, who was, in fact, a GN employee for five or six years.

The performance hub would generate young Inuit professionals through an array of courses, some of which it already offers in partnership with other schools.

Hamilton says this past year, Qaggiavuut expanded its staff to six full-time employees, including five Inuit and herself, as well as 36 part-time Nunavut artists and technical artists.

Qaggiavuut hopes to begin in May to provide the necessary details on construction costs, design, operating, governance and funding.

SA国际影视传媒淭o date, through private donations, we have raised more than $200,000 SA国际影视传媒� this from individual Canadians who support us. We are a charitable society and the funds are kept in a trust account until the feasibility study is underway,SA国际影视传媒� said Hamilton.

The design for the Qaggiq Hub was provided by Diamond Schmitt Architects, the firm responsible for the National Arts CentreSA国际影视传媒檚 $110.5-million upgrade and several other high-profile, as well as community, art centres internationally, as a donation.

For a preview of Arctic Song, head to QaggiavuutSA国际影视传媒檚 home at Building 411 in Iqaluit the evening of Friday, April 26. Admission is by donation.