KUGLUKTUK - Stephen Novak, the economic development officer in Kugluktuk, is working to get funds from the Government of Nunavut's Arts and Crafts Development fund to help pay for two projects benefiting working artists in the community.

"I'm working with a few groups of ladies here to do some arts and crafts workshops and working with some carvers to possibly do a little trip out on the land for them to mark and harvest some carving stone and get them some tools," said Novak.

Having a local supply of carving stone will help them to diversify their supply of materials beyond what's available at the community's grocery stores, he added.

"There's something about having the traditional Inuit carving that was made with stone that carvers went and harvested themselves - it lends a lot of authenticity to it."