Lineup announced for Alianait Arts Festival in Arctic Canada

The Alianait Arts Festival, a renowned arts festival held annually in Arctic Canada, announced its 2023 line up on Wednesday.

This year’s circumpolar roster includes artists from across northern Canada, as well as Alaska, Greenland and Sweden.

“It’s nice to have artists come together from across the North, without boundaries, and create on our Alianait stage,” the festival’s executive director Alannah Johnston said in a phone interview.

“Way back, there wasn’t these borders separating us, so it’s really important for the festival, and also just for everyone, to be able to come together without those boundaries.”

Annual Iqaluit festival

The festival is held every year in Iqaluit, the capital city of Canada’s eastern Arctic territory of Nunavut.

This year will mark its 19th edition.

Artists performing this year include Greenlandic band INUK, Alaska’s Ugiuvak Drummers & Dancers and Jimmy Qamukaq and Jacky Qrunnut from Artcirq, an Inuit performance collective, based in the Nunavut community of Igloolik.

Johnston said one of the many strengths of the festival is featuring established acts along with the best of the territory’s rising talents.

“We always have up-and-coming artists from Nunavut because we love to showcase that too,” she said.

This year’s edition will also feature Vinnie Karetak & Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory’s production of Qaumma. 

“We always put on at least one play during the festival, and presenting Qaumma this year should be very interesting, very emotional,” Johnston said.

Several performances to be streamed 

The festival runs from June 29 – July 2 and tickets go on sale June 8.

For those not in Iqaluit, several performances will be streamed on the festival’s Facebook page.

Johnston said she hopes people across Canada, and the North, tune in to some of the shows to see some of the best established circumpolar performers as well as up-and-coming talent from Nunavut.

 “All the artists that we’ve picked for this stage,  are going to be really excellent.,” she said. “I think our visitors are going to really love them.”

More details will be available later this month on the Alianait webpage and  social media accounts.

Comments, tips or story ideas? Contact Eilís at eilis.quinn(at)cbc.ca 

Related stories from around the North: 

Canada: Director hopes film on Hebron relocation can both educate and spark healing, Eye on the Arctic

Norway: Certification marks help both Sami artisans and consumers, says council, Eye on the Arctic

Russia: German project to house everything published in Siberian and Arctic languages to seek new funding, Eye on the Arctic

Sweden: 2022 Gollegiella Nordic Sami language prize awarded in Stockholm, Eye on the ArcticCan

United States: How Inuit culture helped unlock power of classical score for Inupiaq violinist, Eye on the Arctic