Museum society wants to hear from Iqaluit residents

The Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum Society is asking Iqaluit residents for advice on how to better serve the needs of Nunavummiut. (PHOTO BY BETH BROWN)

The Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum Society is asking Iqaluit artists to come by on Friday afternoon with ideas on how the not-for-profit organization can up its game when it comes to supporting the arts in Nunavut.

In light of its coming 50th anniversary in 2019, the museum is hosting consultation meetings this week from Jan. 20 to Jan. 28, for members of the museum, the Iqaluit arts community and organizations with an interest in Nunavut’s heritage and culture.

For artists, a meeting will be held Friday, Jan. 26, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the museum. Interpreters and refreshments will be provided.

“The recommendations from these meetings will be used to create a new strategic plan for the organization,” the museum society’s chairperson, Cathy McGregor, said Jan. 22 in a public service announcement.

The museum is also asking all residents to send in suggestions for how it should move forward into the second half-century of its life spent preserving Inuit artefacts, marketing local artisan’s wares and promoting tourism in Iqaluit.

“As a community-driven museum, we rely on your feedback. We would like to hear from you about how the museum can improve its services to the people of Iqaluit and Apex, the Qikiqtani region, and the rest of Nunavut,” the release said.

To do this, the public service announcement suggested that residents write in to the Nunatsiaq News comment thread, or visit the museum to fill out a single page survey between now and Feb. 28. The surveys will be available between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Thursdays through to Sundays.

The museum society said community suggestions could:

• State what museum exhibits and programs have been most memorable.

• Share ideas for future events the museum could offer.

• Suggest people the museum could partner with to create new exhibits and activities.

• State what role elders would have in the museum’s work in the future.

• Comment on how the museum can do more to support artists in the development and sale of their work.

• Brainstorm how museum projects can be shared throughout Nunavut and Canada.

“We welcome input from everyone,” the release said.

“We want to prepare for this important occasion by reflecting on the work we have done so far, and considering how we can move forward to better involve the community and achieve our goals.”