VISION: Qaggiavuut envisions a strong, growing Inuit performing arts community.

MISSION: 

Qaggiavuut will strengthen, promote, advocate and create space for Nunavut Performing Artists with a focus on Inuit. 

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: 

Decolonization

Healing and Wellness

Inuit Language and Culture

Diversity and Inclusion 

QAGGIAVUUT GOALS:

Create a Nunavut Performing Arts Space

Expand Qaggiq Performing Arts Training

Increase involvement from all Nunavut regions

Build economic opportunities for Arctic performing artists

Maintain the Inuit performing arts at risk

Nurture the creation of new Inuit performing arts work

WHAT WE DO:

  • Spearhead the Qaggiq Project, a strategy to train emerging and established Arctic performing artists
  • Advocate for a professional Nunavut Performing Arts space
  • Promote the preservation and maintenance of the Inuit culture and language through the performing arts
  • Develop and deliver performing arts programs to Arctic children and youth
  • Support the creation of Inuit performance work
  • Build and maintain an 'artist map' and database of current Nunavut performing artists
  • Create economic opportunities for Nunavut performing artists
  • Research, collect, document and transfer Arctic songs, stories, dances

RATIONALE: WHY DO WE NEED A NUNAVUT PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE?

  • Nunavut is the only territory or province in Canada without a performing arts centre and Iqaluit is the only capital city in North America without a space to present the performing arts.
  • Nunavut is rich in the Inuit performing arts—from throat singing to original rap, storytelling to circus, button accordion to drum dancing.
  • Many of the Inuit performing arts were banished by missionaries during the past century and are only now being retrieved before they are lost forever.
  • The arts honour and nurture the human spirit; they illuminate the meaning of our lives and help us to tell our stories.
  • The performing arts reflect a basic human need to find expression for thought and emotion with imagination and creativity.

WHAT A NUNAVUT PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE WILL DO:

  • Professionally present the performing arts in Nunavut
  • Promote the preservation of Inuit culture and language through the visual and performing arts
  • Promote Inuit arts and culture throughout Canada and the world
  • Provide a space for professional development and training to emerging and established Nunavut performing artists
  • Provide arts education programming to Nunavut children and youth
  • Provide for the training in the technical fields of the performing arts (lighting, sound, recording, filming, stagecraft, wardrobe and makeup design etc.)
  • Broadcast live performances throughout Nunavut, the Arctic, Canada and the world

WHO MAKES QAGGIAVUUT WHAT IT IS?

Membership: YOU make up the Qaggiavuut Society. Anyone can join our Society, and the only requirement is that you support the Qaggiavuut goal to strengthen Arctic performing artists and advocate for a Nunavut Performing Arts space.

Qaggiavuut Staff: Ellen Hamilton, Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, Looee Arreak, Jamie Griffiths, Ashley Savard

867-979-6485 Email: contact@qaggiavuut.com

Ellen's Cell: 867-222-5270 Ellen's Email: ellen@qaggiavuut.com

2016-2017 Board:

Congratulations to these leaders in the Nunavut performing arts! Qaggiavuut!