Inuvik (July 31/06) -Despite problems with attendance and slightly lower sales, this year's Great Northern Arts Festival put smiles on organizers' faces.

"We raised $130,000 for the gallery, which will go to expenses and towards next year's festival," said festival sales manager Karen Balinak.

Kugluktuk's Natalie Griller, left, and Sachs Harbour's Edith Haogak talk during the Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik. Griller said meeting other artists was one of the best parts of the event. - Adam Johnson/NNSL photo

She said she was pleased with the number, despite a small drop from the previous year. Part of the reason for the optimism is the paying down of the festival's debt, which has burdened the organization for the past few years, said curator and festival co-founder Charlene Alexander.

With the debt out of the way, she said, the festival could start to focus on the future, including its upcoming 20th anniversary.

At one point, the $300,000 festival hosted as many as 150 artists from around the North and beyond. The 60 artists featured this year were considered a much more "sustainable" number, said executive director Marnie Hilash.

"It was all just a blur to me," she said with a laugh, as she rested in the now empty room that housed the festival's gallery at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex.

The festival, which celebrated its 18th anniversary this year, brought visitors from all over the globe, said Hilash.

"It was all great," she said. "We had a visitors' map up and pins have been placed on nearly every corner of it."

She said the festival, which hosted around 60 artists this year, was bolstered at the last minute by local artists and performers, which she said was a great help.

Carver and festival veteran Eli Nasogaluak, formerly of Tuktoyaktuk, said traffic was slower this year compared to previous years. This included collectors from the south, who are usually the festival's biggest spenders.

"It's not too bad, considering there's not as many artists as in previous years," he added.

Of course, sales are not the festival's sole purpose, as Kugluktuk artist Natalie Griller noted. "The workshops have been fantastic," she said, giving artists ideas about craft, but also explaining the business side of art.

In that sense, she said the smaller size of the festival could be seen as a good thing, as it gave artists more time to work and interact with fellow artists.

Co-founder Alexander said the Great Northern Arts Festival has been quite the ride. "It's like being a mother," Alexander said of watching the festival develop over the years.

"It's had its ups and downs, but once you get all the artists here, it has this instant energy," she said.

"All the problems just get left behind."