Halifax (Canada)—Some of Canada’s most accomplished Aboriginal artists to perform during the second annual Arctic Inspiration Prize Awards Ceremony at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 11, 2013, at the World Trade and Convention Centre, 1800 Argyle Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

Presented by Canada’s National Arts Centre in collaboration with the Arctic Inspiration Prize during the ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting, the event will feature several of the North’s most accomplished performers, including drum dancer David Serkoak (Nunavut), throat boxer Nelson Tagoona (Nunavut), singer-songwriter Leela Gilday (NWT), throat singers Sylvia Cloutier (Nunavik) and Beatrice Deer, (Nunavik), and Joseph Nayally and Walter Landry from the Dehcho Drummers (NWT).

For media interview requests, please see contacts below.

All of the artists performing at the ceremony recently took part in the National Arts Centre’s Year of the North celebrations, which included Northern Scene, a dazzling festival held last spring in Ottawa to showcase the work of 350 of the best established and emerging artists from Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, as well as Nunatsiavut and Nunavik.  The NAC’S Year of the North also included a 10-day music and education tour in October 2012 by the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Nunavut, Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

“Northern Scene allowed us to discover the wealth of talent that exists in Canada’s North,” said Northern Scene producer Heather Moore.  “We are thrilled to be working with the Arctic Inspiration Prize and ArcticNet to once again showcase these amazing traditional and contemporary artists to an international community.”

About the Arctic Inspiration Prize

Every year, the Arctic Inspiration Prize awards $1 million to a multi-disciplinary team or teams that have created a viable plan to put their Arctic knowledge into action for the benefit of the Canadian Arctic and its peoples. The Prize is generously donated by the Vancouver-based S. and A. Inspiration Foundation. For more information, please visit arcticinspirationprize.ca.

About the National Arts Centre (NAC)

The NAC is Canada’s foremost showcase for the performing arts. It works with thousands of artists from across Canada and around the world and collaborates with dozens of arts organizations across the country. The NAC is strongly committed to being a leader and innovator in each of the performing arts fields in which it works — classical music, English theatre, French theatre, dance, contemporary music, variety and community programming. The NAC is also at the forefront of youth and education activities, supporting programs for young and emerging artists, presenting programs for young audiences and producing resources and study materials for teachers and students. The NAC is the only multidisciplinary, bilingual performing arts centre in North America and one of the largest in the world. For more information, please visit nac-cna.ca.

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For more information please contact:

Carl Martin
Communications
National Arts Centre
613 947 7000, ext. 560
carl.martin@nac-cna.ca

Sarah Simpson
NATIONAL Public Relations
902 332 8044
Cell : 902-403-1046
ssimpson@national.ca