A message to Inuit Art Centre supporters

Qaumajuq (Inuit art centre) exterior rendering. Michael Maltzan Architecture Inc.

My heartfelt thoughts go out to each one of you, along with your families and friends. I hope you are doing well, and finding strength and encouragement.

I am sending you this update on the WAG Inuit Art Centre with stories that I hope will provide an optional alternative to the newsfeeds we’re all watching and might keep us focused on future possibilities.

Your incredible commitment to building the Inuit Art Centre is changing our community and will provide a legacy for future generations. In these challenging times, your support of the community and the arts means so much. Thank you.

While the Winnipeg Art Gallery is now closed to the public, construction on site is continuing with the contractors following all recommended guidelines.

We continue to work to open the Centre this year, and understand everyone’s health and safety is paramount.

There continues to be international anticipation of the Centre’s opening. The Inuit Art Centre has been featured in a number of publications recently, both for its architecture and its mission. Architectural Digest’s Why Design Lovers Should Visit Winnipeg describes how unique the Inuit Art Centre is to have “a conservation studio inside the vault that will be visible so that visitors can watch conservators working with the collection.”

While the building is stunning, it’s what’s inside that will really count.

In January, the WAG launched Canada Life Free Sundays@WAG, which saw thousands coming through our doors. It’s been wonderful to open up the WAG to new audiences, and even more importantly, to have them know this is a place they belong. The Inuit Art Centre will be another step in the evolution of making the WAG a true community centre – where people of all backgrounds and ages gather to share, learn and play. While we are closed, our team continues to provide art and activities you can experience at home, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the Gallery soon.

Creating connections between community and art is our mandate. In this update you can read about some of those connections.

I am honoured the Government of Nunavut chose the WAG as a temporary home for its remarkable collection. The works provide a foundation for sharing and collaboration. It was incredible to have a group of Nunavut cultural workers meet at the WAG this past January to exchange knowledge, skills and practices.

Once the Inuit Art Centre opens, it will be used for even more training initiatives, from giving high-school students a peek at art careers, to hands-on opportunities for emerging curators and museum workers.

The curatorial team of the Inuit Art Centre’s inaugural exhibition, INUA, are close to unveiling the show. In the meantime, I’ve included video footage of Heather Igloliorte touring the WAG/Inuit Art Centre construction and talking about the upcoming show. You can also read on for a glimpse into the world of Asinnajaq, a member of the curatorial team bringing a fresh and thought-provoking approach to INUA.

You are amplifying the team’s strong voices with your investment. And you are bringing the Inuit Art Centre and its programs into being.

Thank you!
Stephen Borys
Director & CEO