A Music Industry Mentorship Program Promotes Nunavut-Based Musical Talent

The Nunavut Music Industry Development Project ensures that artists can look within their own communities to build teams to support their artistic endeavours.

Strengthening the Nunavut arts sector

Nunavut is home to some of the most talented and well-known artists in Canada. However, the territory lacks local music industry professionals. As a result, Nunavut artists must often work with music teams based in the South. Aakuluk Music, an Iqaluit music label that helps Nunavut musicians produce and promote their music, created the Nunavut Music Industry Development project to address this issue.

Ensuring Nunavut residents are involved in sharing Nunavut music

Between August and December 2020, a Canada Council for the Arts grant enabled Aakuluk Music to pair five Nunavut participants with southern, full-time professionals who acted as mentors in four key areas of the music industry: music publicity, digital marketing, the role of a record label and basic arts management. Due to COVID-19, each group conducted their training and mentorship sessions via video conferences. Supporting Nunavut musicians also helped spread awareness of and exposure to the Inuktitut language across Canada.