NWT Arts and the NWT Film Commission Release Creative Industries Economic Recovery Funding

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Blog Entries

July 3, 2020

In May, NWT Artists, film producers, and registered arts organizations were invited to apply for funding to resume or re-define their professional activities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Northwest Territories Creative Industries Economic Recovery Funding

The response was amazing!  ITI received an enormous amount of applications from across the NWT.  So much so that the number of applications received exceeded the original program budget; and we had to find an additional $91,873 to ensure all projects that met the spirit and intent of the program criteria were funded. 

Projects were evaluated with a common lens – consistent with the priorities set for COVID-19 recovery funding and applied to other ITI programs; specifically the SEED program. 

Priority was given to individuals who were considered to be full-time artists before COVID-19 and whose business income had been reduced to zero due to the pandemic.  ITI wanted to support projects fully – and not just portions of a project; and preference was given to projects that would see money spent in the NWT; with funds going directly to the artist (or artists) for time to create artwork, or to an NWT business as a part of the project.

In the end, $341,873 was provided to 110 different creative projects.  $225,445 was given to projects in the Yellowknife-area and $116,428 will be spent regionally.

Our partner in this initiative was the Department of Education, Culture and Employment who contributed $75,000 in support of the creative sector as well.

Thank you to all the artists that applied to the program, and we look forward to seeing your artistic visions come to life.