The heavily indebted Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association is in disarray, if not unofficially defunct.

The non-profit organization鈥檚 office in Iqaluit recently closed. Its telephone number is no longer in service.

A board member, speaking off the record, said there hasn鈥檛 been a board meeting since prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and no information has been circulated to board members during that entire period.

Board chair Jesse Tungilik couldn鈥檛 be reached for comment.

The Department of Economic Development and Transportation (EDT), which used to provide $550,000 in core funding to the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association (NACA), isn鈥檛 giving any money to NACA from the 2021-22 budget, nor did it in 2020-21.

Asked for insight on NACA鈥檚 status, the GN department stated: 鈥淓DT has not been made aware of a change in NACA鈥檚 legal status as an organization. EDT has been informed that NACA is no longer maintaining an administrative office in Iqaluit.鈥�

The department added that it鈥檚 鈥渁ssessing NACA鈥檚 situation and exploring options to move forward.鈥�

Janet Pitsiulaaq Brewster, who served as NACA鈥檚 executive director for close to two years until last September, said she discovered 鈥渟ignificant debt鈥� that the organization had run up in the past. Although she said she couldn鈥檛 go into detail publicly for confidentiality reasons, she disclosed that there was enough money owing that it impacted day-to-day operations and 鈥渢he ability to stay afloat.鈥�

She briefed EDT about NACA鈥檚 difficulties prior to her departure, and that included 鈥済overnance issues,鈥� which is a similar challenge that many organizations face across the territory, she said. She referred to it as a 鈥渟ystemic issue,鈥� not something that鈥檚 the fault of any individual. But a lack of oversight from the territorial government played a role, she contended.

Covid-19 was another major factor in NACA鈥檚 decline, she suggested, as the lockdowns made it even more difficult to 鈥渞ally board members.鈥�

NACA was formed in October 1998 to promote and work on behalf of the territory鈥檚 visual artists. The annual Nunavut Arts Festival was its centrepiece event, along with various workshops and conferences.

Former Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu MLA Pat Angnakak, while speaking in the legislative assembly in March, inquired about NACA鈥檚 footing. She noted that the last time she asked about the association in 2020, EDT Minister David Akeeagok told the House that the organization was not in compliance with the terms and conditions of its GN contribution agreement.

鈥淪adly, there is no update. It is still ongoing. I want to assure this House that there is no partnership agreement in place until all that is settled with the (NACA) board. Right now, there is no resolution to date with the Nunavut Arts and Crafts and their board. Right now it is in a limbo,鈥� Akeeagok said at the time. 鈥淲e would like to continue to work with them, but when you don鈥檛 have that, you don鈥檛 have (an agreement). I want to assure this House that what鈥檚 been approved for our partnership program, when terms of conditions are not being met, we do seize that. At this point, as sad as I am, we have seized that.鈥�

Arts organization needed

Brewster said it鈥檚 important that Nunavut maintain an arts and crafts organization that can support Nunavummiut artists.

鈥淲ell over thirty-five per cent of adult Nunavut Inuit self-identify as artists and many of those artists come from multi-generational families of artists,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are so many economic drivers for having an arts organization. There are really, really important mental health drivers because we know when we鈥檙e creating art that we鈥檙e healthier and happier鈥� I speak as an artist when I say that.鈥�

She added that the art from Nunavut has helped raise the profile of the territory across the country.

鈥淚nuit art is part of the Canadian psyche,鈥� she said.

Although EDT stated that it鈥檚 not 鈥渁ble to comment on the financial position of an independent organization like NACA,鈥� it noted that 鈥渨hen EDT enters into an agreement with an organization like NACA, the department does not assume or accept responsibility for debts that the organization may have incurred.鈥�

The department added that it 鈥渞emains committed and continues to work to ensure that Nunavut artists, arts organizations, and communities have access to programs and services that support the arts sector,鈥� adding that more than $5 million has been committed to support the overall arts sector in 2021-22.