Kuujjuaq to host new arts space through Avataq-Isuarsivik partnership

A new cultural workshop is in the works for Kuujjuaq, thanks to a partnership between Avataq Cultural Institute and Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre.

The initiative promises to bring much-needed workspace and support to Nunavik artists, many of whom have long faced barriers to practising and promoting their art.

“What we hope is that local artists will be able to create their own prints and also have the capacity to take orders from artists in other communities,”said Andrée-Anne Vien, co-ordinator at Aumaaggiivik, which is Nunavik’s arts secretariat within Avataq.

“That brings a small income for their families, which is something that’s currently missing in Nunavik.”

The region lacks a formal structure to manage and distribute art to the broader market, Vien said.

Some artists sell through local shops like the Tivi Gallery in Kuujjuaq or rely on touring exhibitions such as Revival: Printmaking in Nunavik (2014–2019), which is currently on display at the Ottawa Art Gallery.

Vien said artists are often limited by space, time and resources.

“Families are sharing spaces, so it’s rare that an artist has access to a room for their art or the capacity to dedicate full-time to it with work and family responsibilities,” Vien said.

“We want artists to get an income out of their work but our priority is to give access to proper, well-equipped, safe spaces to create.”

The new centre would feature a large multipurpose room, printmaking studio, jewelry workshop and office space.

It would be open to local artists and Isuarsivik clients, offering programming in visual and performing arts, crafts and other areas.

There are plans to establish training that helps artists understand the professional side of printmaking, such as edition limits and pricing, so they can maintain the market value of their work.

The plan is for the workshop to be established near the Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre in Kuujjuaq.

“Avataq is a small non-profit. We can’t own and maintain a building like this on our own. But Isuarsivik can, and that’s why this partnership is so important,” Vien said.

The partnership with Avataq aligns closely with the culturally grounded model used by the recovery centre, which helps people dealing with addiction, said Isuarsivik executive director Etua Snowball.

“This establishment will provide services for locals and guests,” he said. “Printmaking, jewelry workshops, basket-making, possibly theatre and music are all very much needed here in Nunavik.”

The cultural component was part of the centre’s original vision, Snowball said, but the partnership with Avataq has helped sharpen its focus.

“Printmaking gives us pride and it’s a necessary art form that needs to be brought back into our history,” he said.

He described the $6.1-million centre as “shovel-ready,” with architectural plans finalized and funding efforts underway. So far, they have secured $900,000.

The hope is for it to open by late 2026 or early 2027.

“We’re still looking to secure a good portion of the funds, but we are collecting them as we speak,” Snowball said.