Noice! Vol. 1: A Night Of Inuit Circumpolar Excellence
On August 1, Noice! Vol. 1: A Night of Inuit Circumpolar Excellence took Club Saw in Ottawa, ON, by storm. Presented by Qamaniq Records and Debaser, Noice! Vol. 1 brought together a staggering lineup of Inuit musicians. Between them, the performers hold several accolades, including a Canadian Screen Award, a Sobey Art Award, as well as nominations for a Polaris Prize, a Canadian Folk Music Award, and three JUNO awards.
The event opened with an acoustic set by Niivi, an emerging performance and visual artist from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, QC. Juurini, a folk singer-songwriter who is also from Kuujjuaq, followed her set. Josh Qaumariaq, an arctic soul singer-songwriter and guitarist from Iqaluit, NU, performed with Michael Eckert, one of his band members in The Trade-Offs. Silla, the Inuit throat singing duo comprised of Charlotte Qamaniq (of Qamaniq Records) and Cynthia Pitsiulak, brought several artists on stage with them, including guitarist and vocalist Kevin Qamaniq-Mason and vocalist and Greenlandic mask dancer Laakkuluk Williamson—both of whom are featured in Silla’s latest album, Sila is Boss (2025). Riit was the event’s headliner and her band was accompanied by Alexia Galloway-Alainga. Together, they blended throat singing with electro-pop and Riit’s accordion songs prompted jigging in the audience. Traditional Inuit drumming by Donovan Gordon-Tootoo and Saali Kuata accompanied several of the performances, and producer and DJ Lambo closed the evening with some of his most recent work.
Malaya Qaunirq Chapman’s Film Premiered at the International First Peoples Festival
Inuk filmmaker Malaya Qaunirq Chapman’s first documentary, Nirilaurta: Let Us Eat (2026), had its world premiere on August 6 at the 36th International First Peoples Festival in Montreal, QC. The English and Inuktitut documentary contends with food security, focussing on how the community of Taloyoak, NU, has responded to food insecurity by leaning on culture and each other through hunting and food sharing. A special feature of the documentary is that archival footage is woven throughout the work. During an interview, Chapman said, “I truly enjoyed going through the archives and choosing the shots. Seeing these images fills me with so much joy and pride!” [1]
Other circumpolar Indigenous films screening at the festival include: Tamatta Ataqatigiippugut - We are all connected (2025), a short film directed by Kalaaleq filmmaker Arina Kleist, and Dear Alaska (2025), a documentary by Lingit filmmaker Moriah Hayes.
Upcoming IAF Artist Talk with Darcie Bernhardt!
Join us for an online Inuit Art Foundation (IAF) artist talk with Inuvialuk and Gwich’in visual artist Darcie Bernhardt on Wednesday, September 2! They will be having an intimate conversation with the IAF’s Tauttunnguaqti, Napatsi Folger, to discuss Bernhardt’s work and artistic practice. Most notably, the conversation will highlight the story behind the limited edition Cheekbone Beauty lipstick collection inspired by Bernhardt’s oil painting Picking Akpiks (2021), which is currently on view in Qillaniq at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.
Bernhardt was longlisted for the 2025 Sobey Art Award and their work has been featured in several group exhibitions, including INUA (2021–23) at Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq in Manitoba, and their solo exhibition, Darcie Bernhardt: From the Peel to the Arctic Ocean, was recently on view at Feheley Fine Arts, in Toronto, ON.
Season 2 of North of North to Premiere on September 8
Hit comedy series North of North (2025–ongoing) is about to premiere its second season! An APTN, CBC, and Netflix original series created by Inuit filmmakers Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, the first season followed young Inuk mother Siaja, played by Anna Lambe, as she navigated moving out of her house and seeking employment following the end of her marriage. In season two, we will see her efforts to prove to herself and her community that she’s ready and able to take on more leadership. An exclusive world premiere on APTN+ takes place on September 1, a national premiere on APTN, CBC, and CBC Gem will follow on September 8, and the global premiere on Netflix will happen later this year.
The first season had a critically acclaimed reception—including nine Canadian Screen Awards—and we cannot wait to see what season two has in store!
Michael Massie solo exhibition in Toronto
The solo exhibition Michael Massie | now and then, will be on view at Onsite Gallery in Toronto, ON, from September 2, 2026, to January 30, 2027. Guest curated by Alysa Procida, the exhibition presents works by Michael Massie, CM, RCA, a multidisciplinary artist from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Nunatsiavut, NL, who is based in Kippens, NL. [2] This exhibition brings together works from across his career that highlight the integral aspects of joy, experimentation, and humour in his artmaking. Featured in the exhibition are several of Massie’s iconic teapots as well as new large-scale sculptural installations and works that will be exhibited for the first time.
In addition to being appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2017 and to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2011, Massie was awarded an honorary doctorate from OCAD University in 2024 for his contributions to the arts, architecture, and philanthropy.
Check Out Some Recent IAQ Profiles!
The IAQ editorial team has created some new artist profiles. Dakota is an Inuk visual artist with ties to the Yupik community in Russia whose colourful digital media and paintings range from soft monochromatic to bold varicoloured palettes. Cliff Saunders is an Inuk artist from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Nunatsiavut, NL, whose freehand wood-burning artworks often feature animals, as well as fishing, berry-picking, and hunting scenes.
Notes
1 Malaya Qaunirq Chapman, quoted in “Interview with the filmmaker,” NFB Press Kit, accessed August 24, 2026, espacemedia.onf.ca/epk/nirilaurta/.
2 Michael Massie is a member of the IAF Board and Alysa Procida is a former executive director of the IAF and former publisher of the IAQ.