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Email General Manager, Kyra Fisher at
Tel: 867-473-8669 / Fax: 867-473-8634
Visit our website at www.uqqurmiut.com
Artists and craftspeople living in the Northern community of Pangnirtung work to promote and preserve their local culture and to foster the continued development of their artistic heritage. In 1994, the Uqqurmiut Inuit Artists Association, a community-based, not-for-profit business directed by an Inuit board, partnered with the Nunavut Development Corporation to incorporate Uqqurmiut Arts & Crafts.
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The Uqqurmiut Centre for Arts & Crafts was conceived and constructed more than ten years ago to serve the Inuit artists. The Centre is situated on the leeside of a mountain, and hence, the Inuktitut word for “the people of the leeside” is Uqqurmiut. The Centre includes facilities and equipment to support the Pangnirtung Print Shop, the Pangnirtung Tapestry Studio, a retail craft gallery and space for administration and meetings.
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Uqqurmiut Arts & Crafts produces tapestries; woven items such as sweaters, hats, scarves, hats, and zipper pulls; limited edition prints; and commercial signage. Among the most recognized craft items is the famous "Pang Hat" with matching scarves and mitts. These winter fashions are available in a variety of vibrant colours and designs and are sure to make a statement. Prints and tapestries are the most widely recognized fine art items that circulate throughout North America in a well-established network of galleries.
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The company supports the production of local arts and crafts through the purchase of these products and the employment of cottage workers. As many as 80 Inuit artisan residents have earned income from this aspect of the business, making products in their own homes.
The Centre also works to preserve the fragile artistic record of the culture and traditions of the Inuit of the Cumberland Sound region. It contains an archive of over 10,000 original drawings that document the Inuit culture of Pangnirtung residents. These drawings provide inspiration for the tapestries and prints created at the Centre.
The three buildings of the Uqqurmiut Centre are a significant presence for Inuit arts and crafts in the Nunavut economy. They also provide the community with a major share in one of the most important economic activities on Baffin Island.
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Our products can be purchased online through the Arctic Nunavut Online Store.
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Board of Directors:
| Marlene Angnakak |
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| Jaco Ishulutaq |
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| Geetee Maniapik |
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| Jacopie Maniapik |
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| Manasie Noah |
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| Joelee Papatsie |
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| Jaco Qaqasik |
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