Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

NUNAVUT
The Qaggiavuut society for a Nunavut Performing Arts Centre is planning a summit for the end of June.

Qaggiavuut members, from left: Rhoda Ungalaq, Ellen Hamilton, Oleena Nowyook and Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory. This summer the society will host a summit where the advisory board will meet in person for the first time. - photo courtesy of Qaggiavuut

"The summit will bring together all members of the Qaggiavuut board and advisory council for the first time in order to consult on a vision for a performing arts centre that serves Nunavummiut," executive director Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory stated in a March 20 news release.

The organization's Iqaluit-based board regularly consults with the advisory council, which is comprised of 12 to 15 performing artists from all over the territory. Until now, the advisory board has only communicated with the board via phone and e-mail and in person when some members would occasionally pass through Iqaluit, Williamson Bathory told Nunavut News/North last week.

"They are very valuable members of our society. They have been providing us with advice on our name and helping us with principles and supporting us with our mandate, to build the performing arts centre," she said.

Members of the advisory council are based everywhere from Repulse Bay to Pond Inlet to the Kitikmeot, she said.

"The board is Iqaluit-based. We structured it that way because it is important to have people who can meet on a regular basis in Iqaluit since the centre will be built there, but also because it will be a centre that provides services and reaches to all the communities, it is very important to have advice that comes from the whole territory," she said.

The three-day summit is being used as a foundation for the feasibility study that the society has been planning. The feasibility study will provide the society with a much more comprehensive understanding on the viability of a regional performing arts centre.

"It will provide the ground stone for how to build the centre, and how best the centre can reach everybody, how traditional activities can affect the architecture, programing and the general feel of the centre," said Williamson Bathory.

Leena Evic, co-chairperson of the board of directors, has high hopes for the proposed centre.

"Nunavummiut deserve a beautiful building that is unique to our region and nurtures Inuit language, culture and art," Evic said.

The June summit will also be used to discuss the fundraising strategy for the society.

"How to raise the money to build the centre, the fundraising campaign is really going to focus on the cooperation between private and all kinds of public funding," Williamson Bathory said.

As the advisory board is composed of performing artists, the summit will also have a music-making component to it. Williamson Bathory said. The performances and jam sessions that will take place will be open to the public. The date of the summit will be announced shortly.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.