ABOUT THE COUNCIL

The NWT Arts Council was established August 1985, as an advisory board to the GNWT. The mandate of the NWT Arts Council is to promote the arts in the Northwest Territories.

The Arts Council provides recommendations to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on financial awards for creative artistic projects in the visual, literary, media and performing arts, and on issues and policies associated with the arts and artists.

Five members are appointed to the NWT Arts Council by the Executive Council of the Government of the Northwest Territories for a term of two years.

Members are selected for their expertise and abilities in the arts from five regions of the Northwest Territories: South Slave, Inuvik, Deh Cho, Sahtu and North Slave. 

COUNCIL MEMBERS

Laurie Young - South Slave Region - Term Expires January 31, 2012
Margaret Nazon - Beaufort Delta Region - Term Expires January 31, 2013
Leela Gilday - North Slave Region - Term Expires January 31, 2013
Barb Tsetso - Deh Cho Region - Term Expires January 31, 2012
Viviane Edgi-Manuel - Sahtu Region - Term Expires January 31, 2012

PROGRAMS

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment administers the NWT Arts Council funding program for artistic projects, through the Community Programs Office, Division of Culture & Heritage.

Members meet once per year to review applications.

The annual budget for financial contributions is $500,000.  

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants may be eligible for funding from the NWT Arts Council if:

• they have been a resident of the NWT for at least 2 years immediately prior to the deadline
• they are an emerging artist or an established artist
• they are a registered NWT organization with a mandate to enhance the arts
• their application is for a specific creative project

The deadline for applications is February 28 each year.

ASSESSMENT

The NWT Arts Council reviews all applications. Funding decisions are based on artistic merit and completeness of application.

Recommendations for financial assistance are forwarded for approval to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Applicants receive written notification of decisions.  

Incomplete applications are rejected as ineligible for funding.

FUNDING PRIORITIES

At the NWT Arts Council’s discretion, priority is given to:

• projects that enhance an applicant’s personal growth and development in an art form
• projects that encourage others to pursue this art form or direction (ie: workshops)
• projects that encourage the development of creative arts, as opposed to the sole financial gain of an artist or organization
• projects that enhance awareness of the NWT arts community
• emerging artists over established artists
• projects that support a number of individuals (ie: workshops)

DEFINITIONS

• art: an expression in the visual, literary, performing or media arts, through the use of individual skills and creativity
• original: fresh or unusual; not copied; new
• emerging artist: one who shows more than casual interest in pursuing a career in the arts, who shows promise and who has recognition as an amateur artist (ie: has community support)
• established artist: one who is well-known for their art and has been working at it for some time
• public art: a permanent display within a community

COUNCIL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR ARTS ACTIVITIES

Funding Year:                             2010/2011
Annual Budget:                          $500,000
Competition for Funds:               103 applicants
Total funds requested:               $1,174,646
Average request:                       $8,500
Projects funded:                        70 projects funded
Range awarded:                        $925 to $23,800
Average amount awarded:        $7,100

FURTHER INFORMATION:

NWT Arts Council
Community Programs Office
GNWT Education, Culture & Employment
PO Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT  X1A 2L9

Telephone: (867) 920-6370
Fax: (867) 873-0205
Email: boris_atamanenko@gov.nt.ca
Website: www.nwtartscouncil.ca