Government of Canada Supports Kenojuak Cultural Centre and Print Shop

News Release

Funding will help foster and preserve Inuit art and culture

June 27, 2016 – Cape Dorset, Nunavut – Department of Canadian Heritage

The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced $4.5 million in funding from the Government of Canada for the construction of a new centre for creating, sharing and preserving Inuit art and culture. This amount is in addition to the $2 million already provided by the federal government.

With this support, the Municipality of Cape Dorset, in partnership with the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative, will construct the new Kenojuak Cultural Centre and Print Shop in Cape Dorset, Nunavut.

The Centre will be a multi-purpose facility that includes permanent and temporary exhibition galleries; purpose-built artist studios with facilities for lithography, etching, drawing and stone cutting; and a space where the community can gather to preserve and share its stories, traditions and culture.

Quick Facts

  • Total funding of $6.5 million has been provided by two federal departments toward the total estimated project cost of $10,020,000:
    • Canadian Heritage ($4.5 million)
    • Infrastructure Canada ($2.0 million)
  • Cape Dorset is recognized internationally as the centre of Inuit graphic arts, which have been produced at the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative print shop since its establishment in 1959.
  • The mission of the new Centre will be to:
    • foster the living arts and culture of the Inuit of the Foxe Peninsula;
    • promote an understanding of Inuit art, culture and traditions;
    • contribute to the preservation of traditional skills, knowledge and language;
    • continue to develop and produce distinctive Cape Dorset prints; and
    • promote and ensure the continued creation of high-quality art that has made Cape Dorset the “Capital of Inuit Art.”

Quotes

“The Kenojuak Cultural Centre and Print Shop will provide a space where artists can work and a new generation of artists will be trained. It will also provide a place where tourists and other visitors can learn about the living heritage of the Cape Dorset region, and from which the Inuit can share their unique culture with all Canadians.”

—The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage

“Today’s announcement reaffirms the federal commitment to invest in people and to make our communities into the places where we want to work, live, play and raise a family. The construction of the Kenojuak Cultural Centre will not only create jobs, it will create an important cultural centre where residents and visitors can celebrate the unique traditions and the art and culture of the Cape Dorset region.”

—The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“Our community is extremely grateful to Canadian Heritage, Infrastructure Canada and all the other Canadian and Nunavut government departments for supporting this project. Along with our national, private fundraising campaign, they have demonstrated their deep commitment and support for our Kenojuak Cultural Centre. Our Elders have been waiting a long time for this Centre, and the whole community is very enthusiastic about seeing this project built. The Centre will be a place for our people and visitors to hear our stories and learn more about our ancestors. And it will give our artists better spaces to create, develop their skills, and show our youth and future generations that they can find their own purpose and success in art.”

—Padlaya Qiatsuk, Mayor of Cape Dorset

Associated Links

Stay Connected

Follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Flickr.

For more information (media only), please contact:

Pierre-Olivier Herbert
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
819-997-7788

Roxanne Carrière
Regional Manager, Communications
Canadian Heritage
Prairies and Northern Region
204-228-8866

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
pch.media-media.pch@canada.ca


Search for related information by keyword

Hon. Mélanie Joly Canadian Heritage Arts, Music, Literature

Page details

Date modified: