WHAT WE DO:

  • Coordinate and manage the Qaggiq School of Performing Arts, a series of programs to train emerging and established Arctic performing artists
  • Advocate for Qaggiq: a professional Nunavut Performing Arts & Cultural Learning Hub
  • Promote the preservation and maintenance of the Inuit culture and language through the performing arts
  • Develop and deliver performing arts programs to Nunavut children and youth
  • Support the creation of new Inuit performance work
  • Build and maintain an 'artist map' and database of current Nunavut performing artists
  • Create aritstic and economic opportunities for Nunavut performing artists
  • Research, collect, document and transfer Inuit songs, stories, dances

RATIONALE: WHY DO WE NEED THE QAGGIQ?

  • 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 and theatre.
  • Many of the Inuit performing arts were banished by missionaries during the past century and are only now being reclaimed by artists 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 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