Iqaluit (Jul 03/06) - Like the last piece of a puzzle, the Nunavut Arts Festival took its place in the storm of Iqaluit's Alianait! Arts Festival, but not without some cost.

"There's so much going on," said volunteer Janet Ripley-Armstrong of a lower-than-average turnout at the event, which ran from June 21-28.

Pangnirnung's Ame Papatsi demonstrates his two-hand drawing technique at the eighth annual Nunavut Arts Festival, hosted by the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association. This year's show, which took place at the same time as the Alianait! Festival, drew fewer artists than usual. - Adam Johnson/NNSL photo

Part of the problem seemed to be artist turnout, as 25 artists came from around the territories. Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association (NACA) executive director Beth Beattie said as many as 50 artists had come in previous years.

This year, travel considerations had been left in the hands of individual communities, rather than being organized by NACA.

Despite any perceived problems, both Beattie and Ripley-Armstrong had positive words to say about the festival's association with Alianait!

"It's great for us," Beattie said. "They take care of the nighttime stuff."

Now in its seventh year, the festival's mandate is to bring artists from around the territory together to share experience and techniques, and to learn more about the business side of the art world, said Beattie.

To that end, a series of presentations from the Canada Council of the Arts, the Inuit Art Foundation, the Canadian Museum of Civilization and many others sought to illuminate the art world.

Grise Ford painter Pauline Akeeagok, on her first trip to the festival, said the seminars were interesting, but it was the chance to meet and interact with other artists that made the trip worthwhile.

"All over Nunavut, there are Inuit coming together to show their art," she said. "Seeing their art is very nice."

"It's really helpful," said Iglulik carver Mosha Arnatsiaq. "You learn more. Other artists give you the skills that they have."

NACA board chair and Pangnirtung artist Ame Papatsie said the festival had been a success for him, resulting in a number of commissions and bulk orders of his paintings and other visual work.

"I'll be busy for a while," he said.

"Art is my passion, my therapy, my psychologist, my doctor," he said with a smile as he drew. "It's everything to me."

Overall, Beattie said she was pleased with the outcome of the festival, and thought that consistency would help it grow.

"If we have it at the same time of year, every year, we can draw people from all over the world."