Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 05/02) - Following a bleak year of unpaid bills and an uncertain future, organizers say the Great Northern Arts Festival is back on track to provide artists the venue and the audience the same show they've come to expect for 14 years.

Darrin White, executive director for the Great Northern Arts Festival, said the festival has overcome some financial hardships and is on track for a first-class exhibition of art and entertainment. - Terry Halifax/NNSL photo

Executive director Darrin White said he came on board facing a stack of unpaid bills and a long list of angry sponsors. White said they've cut back on administration costs and the show will go on.

"I don't think it's any secret that it was a tough winter for the festival, but things are definitely on the upswing," White said.

"We cut and saved as much money as we could over the winter and things have worked out very well; in fact we met our goals as far as financing a couple weeks ago."

He said all the financial obligations have been met, but there is no money left for a cushion or some extras that they have enjoyed in previous years.

Not every region is equally represented by arts travel funding, so there are some areas that won't be as well represented as they had hoped, but White said some artists will pay their own travel costs to get here.

There will be about 100 artists attending this year and he says that is about equal to previous years.

Country singer and star of North of 60 Tom Jackson will perform at the festival, along with drummers, dancers and a host of other events.

White says new to this year's festival will be a gallery dedicated to media arts, which will be showcased outside the curling ice area.

There will be a fashion show and a hats extravaganza night, where designers are all asked to create a hat for a fun display.

Along with the art and entertainment, comes the business. White said there will be visiting trade officials from the United States and Canada gallery buyers from Texas, Michigan and California.

More important than just the display and sale of art, White says the festival is a community dedicated to benefit the artists, for now and for years to come.

"Firstly, we are a society for the artists," White said. "If we can help build these long-term relationships between artists and the buyers, then we are achieving our objective."

"These artists are all from rural areas and we have the ability to bring them all together with buyers in one room."

The festival runs from July 12 to 21.