Dear supporters of Qaggiavuut! Society for a Nunavut Performing Arts Centre,
We have had many new developments that we are excited to share with you. An Inuktitut version of this news will follow.
Outstanding board members
Our board has solidified to become a group of seven outstanding and active Iqalummiut performers all dedicated to the cause of building a performing arts centre in Iqaluit. Our co-chairs are Ellen Hamilton and Mathew Nuqingaq. Our regular board members are Rhoda Ungalaq, Oleena Nowdlak, Sylvia Cloutier, Andrew Morrison and Stacey Aglok MacDonald. If you are interested in reading the biographies of our members, please find them on The Society page of our website: www.qaggiavuut.com
Dynamic staff
We are also excited to announce that we have gathered enough funding to hire our first staff member. Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory now joins the society as its Executive Director. Laakkuluk has been given two main directives for the coming year: overseeing the development of the Nunavut performing artist database and working on the upcoming feasibility study for the performing arts centre. You can also find her biography on our website.
First-class training
Our board and staff are soon to embark on a trip to Ottawa to receive first-class training from the National Arts Centre (NAC). Hosted by the CEO of the NAC, Qaggiavuut! will be spending three days at the end of October 2011 learning how the NAC board structure works, how the facility is operated and how the building itself functions. This board and staff development workshop is an incredible opportunity to strengthen our society to national standards and will help us immensely as we begin our feasibility phase in the next year.
National attention
We have also begun an interesting documentary project with award-winning director Marie-Hélène Cousineau (co-director of Before Tomorrow with Madeline Ivalu). Cousineau is working on a six-part series for APTN on Inuit mentorship. Qaggiavuut! as an up-and-coming organization, is going to be mentored by a prominent Inuk business leader and learn how to be successful both in the northern context and by using Inuit ways. This APTN program is set to air in 2012. Qaggiavuut! will not only receive invaluable guidance, but also garner national attention through this project.
Annual General Meeting and Coffeehouse
Please feel welcome to come to the first all-ages Qaggiavuut! AGM and performance evening. There will be refreshments and non-alcoholic beverages.
When: November 4, 2011
6:30pm AGM
8pm Coffeehouse
Where: The Francophone Centre, Building 981
Nominations: We are looking for new Board members!
To be eligible to stand for election as a Qaggiavuut! board member you must be an Iqaluit resident and believe that we need a Nunavut Performing Arts Centre. All board members must be willing to donate a minimum of 50 volunteer hours per year to the Society. Nominations must be made by October 28th, 2011 at 5pm. For more information, contact Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory at contact@qaggiavuut.com or 867-222-6414.
More news
In our next newsletter you can look forward to hearing more news about our upcoming feasibility study and about the ever-expanding database of Nunavut performing artists. Please be sure to check our website www.qaggiavuut.com for regular updates. Qujannamiik!
