The organizers of the Alianait Arts Festival (June 21 – July 1) will unveil new portable murals created by Inuksuk High School art students on Wednesday, June 10^th at 1:00 pm.

For 3 years now, the Alianait Arts Festival has organized a mural project as one of its events, thanks to the funding support of the City of Iqaluit.  The stunning mural located on the back of City Hall has become a tourist attraction and was featured in the Nunavut Youth Committees 2008 calendar.

This year, Inuksuk High School art students are creating 4 portable murals that will be mounted in various locations around Iqaluit.  Three of the murals are memorial portraits of well-loved Inuit musicians – Charlie Adams, Jimmy Ekho and Susa Aningmiuq, and these will be unveiled on Wednesday.  The fourth mural is under development and will be a depiction of musicians playing and celebrating the joy of music.

Business owners who are interested in mounting one of these murals in a high visibility location can contact Nadia Ciccone at 979-1484.

Alianait and the Inuksuk High School Art Class will unveil these murals in the Library on June 10^th at 1:00 pm.

The public is welcome to attend.

The organizers of the Alianait Arts Festival announce this year’s line-up of national and international performers & their new website!

The Alianait Arts Festival is the hottest, coolest multicultural arts event on the top of the world, and today, the Alianait Arts Coalition is excited to announce its 2009 schedule of events.  We will be presenting over twenty events with a line-up of performers from as far away as Africa, Scotland and Greenland and will again be setting up our spectacular Big Top in front of Nakasuk School.

The theme of Alianait 2009 is “Arctic Winds” and will feature throat singers, vocalists and wind instrumentalists from across the north and around the world. United by the idea of “one breath, one life, one people”, we anticipate many exciting opportunities for collaboration.

The Festival will kick off on June 21, 2009, National Aboriginal Day, with a free afternoon show which will feature throat singers from Nunavut and Nunavik, Ellen Hamilton & Friends, Johnny Issaluk and the Inuksuk High School Choir.

The Alianait Opening Concert will follow on June 22nd with:

• Maanilu Asianilu, a youth Brazilian drumming group from Kangiqsujuak
• Naujamiut, a traditional Inuit band from Repulse Bay
• The Bop Ensemble – featuring Canadian folk Shaman Bill Bourne, Wyckham Porteous & Jas Olhauser from Alberta & British Columbia www.billbourne.com/bopensemble.htm
• Treasa Levasseur, a smoldering singer-songwriter originally from Winnipeg, backed by guitarist David Baxter and a big sound 5 piece band from Toronto www.treasalevasseur.com
• A fantastic Circus collaboration will be presented on Saturday, June 27th featuring Nunavut’s internationally acclaimed Artcirq and Productions Kalabante, an African / Quebecois circus troupe featuring Yamoussa Bangoura www.kalabante.org 

The Closing Concert on June 30, 2009 will feature:

• Kaina Nowdlak, Iqaluit’s favourite accordionist
• Liima Inui, rock, reggae, world & pop musicians from Greenland just in time to release a new CD www.myspace.com/liimainui
• Kobotown, a magic mix of calypso, dub poetry, roots reggae, folk and funk – Trinidad born now living in Toronto www.kobotown.com
• Troy MacGillivray & Nuala Kennedy, award-winning Halifax fiddler www.troymacgillivray.com and enchanting Scottish flautist www.nualakennedy.com
• Productions Kalabante, an amazing collaboration of jazz vocals and African drums www.kalabante.org

The Alianait Arts Festival will also feature:

• The Nunavut Arts & Crafts Festival
• Film Festival presented by Ajjiit Media
• St. Jean Baptiste Celebration featuring Marco Calliari www.marcocalliari.com and presented by the AFN
• Qaggiq – Return of the Sun Celebration, presented by Pond Inlet’s Tununiq Arsarniit Theatre Group
• A Night of Storytelling, featuring Inuit, Francophone & Anglophone storytellers, including Jimmy Muckpah
• Hip Hop & Rock show featuring the Baffin Breakers from Clyde River, The Eskiez from Igloolik and local performers 
• Photo Exhibit at the Legislative Assembly
• Two art exhibits at the Nunatta Museum
• Music Fusion featuring visiting and local performers
• Family Show featuring children’s entertainer Mr. Mark www.mrmark.ca and local musicians
• Canada Day Festivities and Concert presented with the City of Iqaluit

We are looking for local musicians to play at various shows throughout the festival.  If you are interested in playing or know someone who might be, please contact Karen MacKenzie at kate_mack@hotmail.com.

Contact: Heather Daley, Executive Director

979-6468