Qaggiavuut Arts Society to run 1-week arts teaching course this summer

Nunavut's Qaggiavuut Arts Society is calling for established artists from across the Canadian Arctic to take part in a teacher training program they will run this July in Iqaluit.

"We are bringing [artists] together to talk about how to teach youth and children the artists' crafts," said Qaggiq project manager Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory.

In January, Qaggiavuut was one of three groups awarded the Arctic Inspiration Prize, for which they received $600,000. In March, the society hosted a week-long summit in Iqaluit that culminated in a original performance by participating artists.

Williamson Bathory said the teacher training, which will run from July 14 to 19, will follow a similar format with participants developing a original performance.The training will help artists sharpen their skills as well as support them in sharing their craft with their community.

"The bigger objective is, we want to make sure uqaativut, our language, pissivut, all our songs, all our age-old traditions as well as the very innovative new things happening in the arts, are a part of everybody's daily life," she said. 

For years Qaggiavuut has lobbied for a Performing Arts centre in Iqaluit. Williamson Bathory said the Qaggiq Teacher Training is another step in that direction.

"You can't have a performing space without the programming to accompany it, they are kind like two sides of a sledge," she said.

Artists interested in the training can fill out an online application. The deadline for submissions is June 22.