Artists from across the North join in celebrating this year’s AIP finalists and laureates
Every year, the Arctic Inspiration Prize celebrates its new laureates at an awards ceremony that showcases the AIP finalists, winners and performances by artists from across the North. This year’s ceremony will also celebrate the AIP’s 10th anniversary and will feature past laureates throughout the show.
This year’s ceremony will be hosted by northern artists and performers Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory and William Greenland. “We are delighted that Laakkuluk and William will be hosting this year’s show,” said Wally Schumann, Chair of the Arctic Inspiration Prize Charitable Trust. “Both are creative forces unto themselves and represent past winning AIP teams.”
With Leela Gilday once again taking the lead as artistic director, the virtual AIP awards ceremony promises to be an ambitious, pan-Arctic celebration that will feature three incredible performances from northern artists:
- PIQSIQ (NWT/Nunavut): With a style inspired by northern beauty, sisters Inuksuk Mackay and Tiffany Ayalik are Inuit throat singers from Arctic Canada who blend their ancient tradition form with contemporary technology to create haunting soundscapes and improvisational compositions that change with every show.
- Dena Zagi (Yukon): Dena Zagi is a Traditional Contemporary duo and their music is written in the Kaska Language and the lyrics are about the land, animals, respect, ancestors and traditions. Dennis Shorty is both singer & songwriter and plays the guitar. Jennifer Froehling is a singer and plays both the traditional drum & drum set and First Nation flute.
- Huqqullaaqatigiit Drum Dancers (Nunavut): The Huqqullaaqatigiit drummers and dancers hail from Cambridge Bay, NU and are led by Julia Ogina, who received the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Decoration for her leadership in protecting, promoting and revitalizing Inuit culture, traditions, and language. This performance was curated by Executive Director Looee Arreak, of Qaggiavuut! Nunavut Performing Arts Society – past AIP laureates, whose mandate is to promote the preservation of Inuit language and culture through the performing arts.
“I am delighted to be celebrating the past 10 years of creativity and innovation alongside the AIP community. This year’s ceremony is all about imagination and making our biggest dreams come true. And, it seems especially fitting for this 10th anniversary ceremony that each of the performances feature past AIP laureates or finalists,” said Leela Gilday, AIP artistic director.
Finally, each winning team will receive a piece of original artwork that helps to represent the themes of the laureate teams. Each of this year’s pieces were created by a past AIP laureate or finalist, helping to connect the past 10 years of impact with the work that is about to come to life.
Stay tuned for more exciting news on how to watch this year’s ceremony, which will air on March 4.
About the AIP
As the largest annual prize in Canada, the Arctic Inspiration Prize (AIP) inspires, enables and celebrates the achievements of the people of the North. The AIP recognizes diverse teams and enables their innovative projects in the fields of education, sustainable housing, health, performing arts, traditional knowledge, language, and science. Each year, the AIP awards: one $1 million prize, up to four prizes of up to $500,000 each, and up to seven youth prizes of up to $100,000 each. The AIP is owned and governed by the northern-led AIP Charitable Trust and is a community of Indigenous organizations, governments, industry, philanthropy, and many other partners from the North and South.
For further information, please contact:
Allison MacLachlan
(613) 316-3473
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