Inuit Art Foundation set to surpass $1M in grants

A funding program to support Inuit artists at every stage of their careers is set to surpass the $1-million mark.

Launched by the Inuit Art Foundation, the Kajungiqsaut Grants were developed in 2022 in partnership with the Canada Council for the Arts.

They are designed to be accessible for Inuit artists, with a focus on first-time applicants, said Amy Norman, artist services manager at the Inuit Art Foundation.

“I think our grants are pretty unique. They’re specific and were designed by Inuit with Inuit artists in mind,” she said.

“That really forms the bedrock of what these grants are, and it makes them very different and less daunting from the kinds of opportunities artists might be used to when applying to more traditional funders, like provincial or territorial bodies.”

The program includes three streams: Sutaarutit — Inuktitut for ‘to gain material’ — offers $500 or $1,000 for tools and supplies; Iniqarvik, meaning ‘to have space,’ will open in December and provide $3,500 or $5,000 to support experimentation and skill development; and Turaagaq, or ‘vision,’ funds large-scale projects with grants of $10,000 or $15,000.

After this year’s grants are paid out, the foundation will have given more than $1 million total to Inuit artists, Norman said.

Applications for Sutaarutit grants close Nov. 10, while the deadline for Turaagaq is Oct. 19.

Applicants must be Inuit, at least 18 years old, and be recognized by their peers in their artistic discipline, according to the art foundation website. Depending on the stream, applications generally require an artist biography, a project proposal and examples of past work.

Norman said the initiative is aimed at lowering barriers to help artists progress in their work.

“We’re really keen on encouraging emerging artists to apply, especially for what we call the Sutaarutit stream, which is our materials grant. It has very minimal requirements and is a great first grant for someone who has never applied before,” she said.

The foundation will host a webinar on Oct. 1 to guide applicants through the application process.

Norman noted that nearly half of the applicants so far have come from the North.

“We’ve had applicants from every province and territory. About 46.7 per cent live in the North,” she said.

“So nearly half — which is great — but we’re always trying to reach more northern artists. We know access can be tricky. Shipping, for instance, is a huge challenge, which is why shipping costs can be included in all our grants.

“We’re always available — before, during, and long after the application process,” Norman said. “We see ourselves as an ongoing resource for artists.”

The non-profit Inuit Art Foundation, based in Toronto, is dedicated to supporting the work of Inuit artists across Canada.