Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Oct 28/05) - A report that examines creative neighbourhoods across Canada identifies Nunavut's X0A region as "the most creative rural area in Canada."

Artists by Neighbourhood in Canada is a report issued this month by Hill Strategies Research. The statistical study examines artists as a percentage of the labour force in various postal regions - "neighbourhoods" - based on 2001 census data.

The region encompasses Baffin Island and, according to the Canadian Census, has 230 artists among its 6,700 total workers for an artistic concentration of 3.4 per cent, four times the national average, the report states.

Nunavut's X0C postal region, on the western edge of the territory, has an artistic concentration of 1.5 per cent, making it tied for sixth among rural regions in Canada.