IAF Policies

The Inuit Art Foundation is committed to openness and transparency about its work, including the policies that shape decision-making at the organization. Policies are reviewed regularly and developed by the IAF’s staff, with specific input from its Internal Inuit Advisory Council, before being approved by the Board of Directors.

If you have a question about the IAF’s policies or suggestions for improvement, please email contact[at]inuitartfoundation[dot]com. We welcome your feedback!

Anti-Violence, Anti-Harassment and Harm Reduction Policy
Assessment Policy
Complaints Policy
Conflict of Interest
Editorial Policies
Funding Policies 
General Program Eligibility Policy
Social Media Policy
Staff Program Participation Policy
Use of Recording Equipment and Software Policy

Assessment Policy

Purpose

The Assessment Policy establishes a clear and transparent framework in which funding applications are assessed, including the roles and responsibilities of external assessors in this process, to ensure equity in adjudicating applications. 

Rationale

As part of its mandate to develop healthy and vibrant arts communities across Inuit Nunaat, the IAF provides capacity-building opportunities for Inuit in order to participate fully in all aspects of the arts, including receiving funding to further their practices and professional development opportunities, such as serving on Peer Assessment Committees (PACs). The IAF uses a peer assessment process to make grant decisions for its funding programs. In order to maintain the highest standards of accountability to Inuit communities and the broader arts community, and provide Peer Assessors with a supportive framework, the IAF has established assessment policies and procedures to guide its activities.

Values

All of the IAF’s decision-making and activities are guided by Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or Inuit ways of knowing and being, which ensures culturally specific ethical standards and mutual respect within the organization. The following are specific IQ principles that guide the IAF in it’s assessment process:

• Inuqqatigiistsiarniq, or respecting others, relationships and caring for people;
• Tunnganarniq, or fostering good spirits by being open, welcoming and inclusive;
• Pilimmaksarniq/Pijaruiqsarniq, or the development of skills through observation, mentoring, practice and effort;
• Piliriqatigiinniq/Ikajuqtigiinniq, or working together for a common good;
• Aajiiqatigigiinniq, or consensus building and collective decision making, with a focus on benefiting the community before the individual;
• Pijitsirarniq, or serving and providing for the community;

This policy is further guided by these additional values:

• Engaging a diverse range of Inuit peer assessors provides the best opportunity of accountability, fairness, and transparency in the IAF’s funding decisions and identifying outstanding ability and artistic merit for Inuit artists, cultural workers and post-secondary students;
• Collective decision-making provides significant benefits to Inuit arts communities, including increased transparency and accountability; and
• Capacity building for a strong arts sector is built by involving Inuit in all aspects of the process in leadership positions and by promoting Inuit self-determination.

Policy

The IAF invites artists and arts professionals to serve as assessors on a continuous basis in order to directly involve the Inuit arts community in evaluating grant applications and making recommendations for funding. The composition of the IAF’s all-Inuit peer assessment committees reflect the diversity of Inuit applicants by balancing regional representation, inclusion of deaf and disabled communities, and ensuring a balance of gender, age and language representation. Inuit arts professionals are encouraged to submit their names to the IAF’s list of potential assessors. Recommendations from applicants, assessors, and other professionals in the field are added to this list on an ongoing basis. Recommended assessors do not need to be former grant applicants or recipients.

PACs assess grant applications, determine which applicants should receive funding and recommend the amount of each grant in programs that do not have pre-determined grant levels. A new PAC is formed before each application deadline. PACs can serve more than once, but cannot serve for the same program two years in a row.

Applications to the IAF’s funding programs are assessed on a combination of artistic merit, viability, and quality of application. Assessments are based on answers to the questions in the applications, artistic examples, support documents and a project budget, if applicable.

Applications are assessed using a 100 point scoring system and the categories and score weights vary depending on the program. Applications receive a rating of 51/100 points or higher to be considered for a grant. Peer Assessors are provided an evaluation rubric for each funding program to guide them in scoring applications.

Following the distribution of funds, assessors’ names will be posted on the IAF’s website and may be published in other IAF communications. Assessors agree that their name may be made public in these or similar circumstances.

Roles and Responsibilities

IAF staff and Peer Assessors both play critical but distinct roles in the evaluation process.

The role of IAF staff is to:

• Organize and distribute applications to Peer Assessors with adequate time for review;
• Ensure that each PAC is composed of qualified individuals with diverse viewpoints and expertise;
• Chair assessment meetings, facilitating discussion and ensuring that each applicant is treated equitably and without prejudice or discrimination;
• Ensure there are no direct conflicts of interest, that indirect conflicts of interest are declared and appropriate procedures are followed;
• Remind assessors of IAF priorities, program priorities, and budget context, where necessary;
• Ensures assessors share a common understanding of the assessment criteria; 
• Serve as a general resource person, if needed; and
• Oversee and record the scoring and ranking process.

The role of Peer Assessors is to:

• Bring vision, open-mindedness, and generosity of spirit to their deliberations, as well as their expertise through their lived and professional experiences;
• Understand the grant program, its objectives and assessment criteria;
• Read, assess and pre-score applications thoroughly, fairly and objectively based on the established criteria and evaluation rubric;
• Treat applications equitably and without prejudice;
• Maintain confidentiality;
• Declare any real or perceived conflicts of interest;
• Work collaboratively to determine final recommendations; and
• Express their views while respecting and listening to the views of others.

An assessor may be dismissed from their responsibilities if they:

• Have a direct conflict of interest that precludes participation;
• Have not read all the applications and materials, reviewed all artistic examples and pre-scored each application no less than two working days before the first day of the assessment panel;
• Are unable to attend all required days of the assessment meeting;
• Obstruct or disrupt the assessment process or are disrespectful of IAF staff, fellow assessors, or applicants;
• Discriminate against applicants, other assessors, or IAF staff; and/or
• Do not comply with the terms outlined in the formal agreement for PAC members.

When an assessor is dismissed for any reason, they will be paid for their work up to and including the day of dismissal.

Conflict of Interest

The IAF maintains the highest ethical standards in managing conflict of interest for all its funding application assessments. Care and attention ensures that the IAF is transparent so that its assessment process is understood by all applicants and assessors. To maintain public confidence in its assessment process and to uphold organizational integrity, the IAF must be fair and impartial.

The IAF identifies and works to eliminate or mitigate direct, indirect, and perceived conflicts as outlined in its Conflict of Interest Policy.

Confidentiality

Assessors have an obligation to maintain the confidentiality of IAF confidential information. This obligation continues after their role as an assessor and participation in assessment. All discussions and decisions in which assessors are involved, and any information, application materials or audiovisual, digital or other documentation that assessors receive or to which they have access in their role, are confidential. Assessors have no rights whatsoever with respect to this information; all intellectual property rights in the materials provided by the applicant for the purposes of assessment are maintained by the applicant.

Assessors agree to maintain the confidentiality of assessment information and:

• Not disseminate, distribute, copy, or otherwise reproduce IAF confidential information in any manner or by any means;
• Use confidential information solely for the purpose of serving in their role as an assessor; and
• Securely maintain IAF confidential information to protect it against loss, theft, unauthorized access, modification, or destruction.

Upon completion of assessments, peer assessors agree to securely destroy all IAF confidential information and any and all of the personal notes they recorded for use as an assessor. 

Accommodations

Accommodation requests may be made at any stage of the assessment process by any assessor who requires. Assessors must contact the IAF as soon as possible to discuss options. The IAF will provide written information in alternative formats when requested. Assessment meetings are held virtually and will be adapted as best as possible upon request.

Assessment of Inuktut Language Applications

The IAF will provide all necessary translation services for applications submitted in Inuktut.

 

Complaints Policy

Purpose

This policy and procedure applies to complaints received by the Inuit Art Foundation (IAF) in regards to its activities, programs, services, staff or volunteers.

Values

The IAF is guided by Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or Inuit ways of knowing and being, which ensures culturally specific ethical standards and mutual respect within the organization. The following are specific IQ principles that guide the IAF’s complaints approach:

• Inuqqatigiistsiarniq, or respecting others, relationships and caring for people;
• Tunnganarniq, or fostering good spirits by being open, welcoming and inclusive;
• Piliriqatigiinniq/Ikajuqtigiinniq, or working together for a common good; and
• Pijitsirarniq, or serving and providing for the community. 

This policy is further guided by these additional values:

• It is in the interest of all parties that complaints are dealt with promptly and resolved as quickly as possible;
• Review of complaints should be fair, impartial and respectful to all parties;
• Complainants are advised of their options to escalate their complaint to a more senior staff person if they are dissatisfied with treatment or outcome;
• Complainants will be provided clear and understandable reasons for decisions relating to complaints;
• Updates are provided to complainants during review processes; and
• Complaints are useful feedback and can be utilized to assist in improving services, policies and procedures.

Definition

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about the service, actions, or lack of action by the Inuit Art Foundation as an organization, or a staff member or volunteer acting on behalf of the Inuit Art Foundation. Any person who receives a service from the Inuit Art Foundation, any of the agencies with whom the IAF works, or anyone who is impacted by a service the IAF delivers can make a complaint. If necessary, a person can ask a representative to make the complaint on their behalf. Anyone personally affected can complain and their complaint will be reviewed in accordance with this procedure.

Policy

A complaint may be received verbally (by phone or in person) or in writing (by mail, fax, email). Basic contact information including name, phone number and email address should immediately be recorded the staff member receiving the complaint.

An employee or volunteer who receives a complaint should first determine the proper department and individual within the IAF to review and resolve. This will generally be the person who has the primary relationship with the complainant or has the specific knowledge that is needed to resolve the problem. It is the responsibility of the person who receives the complaint to either resolve it or transfer it to another person who can resolve it. The person who initially receives the complaint should acknowledge to the complainant as soon as possible that the complaint has been received and will be acted on. If a timeframe for action can be determined, that should be included in the acknowledgement. Complaints that abuse or harass IAF staff will not be tolerated and they will be immediately escalated to a supervisor for review.

Every effort should be made to resolve complaints in a timely fashion. When receiving a verbal complaint, staff should listen and seek to understand the complaint, and may attempt to resolve it immediately. Complaints received in writing should be acknowledged within 2 business days and staff should attempt to resolve the matter within 5 business days wherever possible. Where a complaint cannot be easily resolved, it should be escalated to the relevant supervisor. If the supervisor cannot resolve the complaint, it will be escalated to the Executive Director. If the complaint is about the Executive Director, it will be taken to the Board of Directors.

Complainants should be kept informed of the status of their complaint. Every attempt should be made to resolve escalated complaints within 10 business days so that all complaints are resolved within 30 business days of having been received.

Information about complaints must be recorded and include: a description of the complaint, who handled it, what was done to resolve the complaint, the timeframe from when the complaint was received until its resolution and a description of the resolution.

Conflict of Interest

Purpose

The Conflict of Interest policy establishes a clear, consistent and transparent framework for how the IAF manages real and perceived conflicts of interest.

Values

All of the IAF’s decision-making and activities are guided by Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or Inuit ways of knowing and being, which ensures culturally specific ethical standards and mutual respect within the organization. The following are specific IQ principles that guide the IAF in it’s assessment process:

• Inuqqatigiistsiarniq, or respecting others, relationships and caring for people;
• Tunnganarniq, or fostering good spirits by being open, welcoming and inclusive;
• Piliriqatigiinniq/Ikajuqtigiinniq, or working together for a common good;
• Aajiiqatigigiinniq, or consensus building and collective decision making, with a focus on benefiting the community before the individual; and
• Pijitsirarniq, or serving and providing for the community. 

This policy is further guided by these additional values:

• Transparency and integrity are critical to the IAF’s effective functioning; and

• The IAF’s programs create significant impact for those who participate, and so decision-making at the organization must prioritize equity and the responsibility to avoid any real or perceived conflicts.

Rationale

The IAF acknowledges that the potential for conflict of interest will always exist in its operations, but that it is critical to manage consistently and transparently to maintain the integrity of its programming and the trust of its many communities of support. The IAF’s approach is to avoid conflict of interest whenever possible and to be ready to manage it when it does occur.

Definitions

• Conflict of interest refers to a situation in which a person is in a position to derive personal benefit from actions or decisions made in their official capacity;
• A real conflict refers to a specific conflict of interest that exists at the present time;
• An apparent conflict refers to a conflict of interest that is perceived by a reasonable observer to exist, whether or not that is the case; 
• A potential conflict refers to a conflict of interest that can be reasonably foreseen to exist in the future; and
• A perceived conflict refers to a situation in which an external party may reasonably question if a conflict of interest exists, regardless if one does after investigation.      

Policy

Anyone involved in a decision-making process at the IAF, including the staff, Board of Directors and Peer Assessors, is required to avoid or declare any real or perceived conflicts of interest. This includes but is not limited to:

• Participation in other businesses, organizations or activities that intersect with the IAF’s work or decision being made;
• Having a vested interest in an external business that may provide materials or services to the IAF, or an activity or organization that may receive funding or otherwise be featured in the IAF’s programming;
• Being offered materials or services as a result of employment or decision-making position at the IAF;
• Making use of the position with the IAF to solicit materials, services or personal gain;
• Utilizing the IAF’s equipment, material or services for personal gain;
• Working with, reviewing materials by or otherwise making a decision for an IAF program that impacts family members, colleagues or other close relationships.

If a potential conflict exists, it must be declared immediately and reviewed, and the declaration and its outcome recorded. Conflicts may be declared by the individual impacted or by another participant in the decision making process. IAF staff have the ability to review conflicts declared by Peer Assessors, while the Executive Director has the authority to review declared conflicts for staff. The Board of Directors has the ultimate responsibility for determining conflicts of interest.

Should a potential or perceived conflict be determined to constitute a real conflict, the individual impacted will be removed from participating in the decision-making process related to that situation.

Editorial Policies

Purpose

This policy establishes a clear, consistent and transparent framework for editorial content published in the Inuit Art Quarterly (IAQ) and applies in the print magazine, online and in the IAQ Profiles.

Values

The IAF is guided by Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or Inuit ways of knowing and being, which ensures culturally specific ethical standards and mutual respect within the organization. The following are specific IQ principles that guide the IAF’s editorial approach:

• Inuqqatigiistsiarniq, or respecting others, relationships and caring for people;
• Tunnganarniq, or fostering good spirits by being open, welcoming and inclusive;
• Pilimmaksarniq/Pijariuqsarniq, or the development of skills through observation, mentoring, practice and effort; 
• Piliriqatigiinniq/Ikajuqtigiinniq, or working together for a common good; and
• Pijitsirarniq, or serving and providing for the community.

This policy is further guided by these additional values:

• The right of Inuit communities’ to self-determination and agency, including the right to narrative sovereignty about their communities, cultural practices and art history;
• Content should be developed from relational, rather than transactional, exchanges with contributors and artists, built on mutual respect and trust, which is expressed both in policies, procedures and compensation;
• Content should embrace and reflect the wide diversity of Inuit artists and their practices, including but not limited to media, age, ability, location, gender identity, sexuality, language and career stage;
• The IAQ has immediate, positive impacts on artists it features, so strives to support practicing artists while honouring the long history of Inuit art.

Rationale

As the only magazine worldwide dedicated to circumpolar Indigenous art, the IAQ serves as the publication of record for Inuit artists and is the primary way for the public at large, as well as artists, to have access to the innovative and evolving artistic practices of Inuit within Canada. As such, the IAQ helps to shape both popular and academic knowledge about Inuit artistic practice and so strives to uphold the highest editorial standards in all of its publishing activities.

Policy

Eligibility

The IAQ is a platform for Inuit artists working in all disciplines to reach new audiences. For inclusion in the IAQ, artists must:

• Meet the criteria outlined in the IAF’s General Program Eligibility and Harm Reduction policies;
• Be at least 18 years old;
• Have specialized training in their artistic discipline;
• Be recognized as an artist by their peers (i.e. artists working in the same artistic tradition) for the minimum time specified in each program requirements; and
• Be committed to continually furthering their artistic practice.

In limited circumstances, circumpolar Indigenous artists (such as Yupik, Sami or Nenets) may be featured in the IAQ at the discretion of the editorial team. However, the IAF will ensure that it performs due diligence to ensure these artist’s ties to their particular Indigenous community or communities.

Contributors

The IAQ works to publish a wide variety of voices and perspectives and to share with readers the breadth of Inuit creative practice. While the IAQ seeks to commission writing by a wide variety of contributors, content from Indigenous writers must compose the majority of every print issue and online platform of the IAQ. Inuit writers will be prioritized wherever possible.

The IAQ seeks to create a safe and supportive environment and respects creative agency. All writers and artists approve the use of their words and artwork prior to publication in the IAQ. To recognize and support freelance writers, the IAQ follows a standard fee schedule of $1 per word to commissioned contributors.

Contributors are contractually obligated to disclose any real or perceived conflicts of interest to the IAF prior to their work being published, as outlined in the IAF’s Conflict of Interest Policy and their contract.

Conflict of Interest

Staff are expected to adhere to the highest standards of personal and professional integrity and are responsible for declaring any potential or actual conflict of interest including but are not limited to: Being offered materials or services as a result of employment or position at the IAQ; making use of a position at the IAQ to solicit materials or services for personal gain; and acquiring art that will be published by the IAQ. Contracts with freelance contributors outline their responsibilities to avoid conflicts of interest, real or apparent. All of the IAQ’s publishing activities are governed by the IAF’s Conflict of Interest Policy.

Fact Checking

All content that appears in the IAQ is fact checked. The IAQ’s fact checking process covers broad claims as well as small details including dates, materials and the spelling of names. All fact checking records are filed and stored upon publication.

Contracts with freelance contributors outline the shared responsibilities between writers and the IAQ related to the accuracy and truthfulness of published work. 

Corrections

As soon as the IAQ is made aware of an error, a fact checker will review the content in question. Any needed corrections will be noted online at the bottom of the article, and if the error originally appeared in print, in the next print issue. The correction will reference the original error and supply the corrected information and the date of correction.

If you notice an error in an article published by the IAQ, please submit it to iaq[at]inuitartfoundation[dot]org with the subject line “Correction”.

Editorial Style

The IAQ maintains an internal style guide that is regularly updated and reviewed. The IAQ privileges Inuit place names, naming practices and Inuktut wherever possible. The IAF works with writers, translators and other experts to determine best practices. 

Author Name Changes After Publication

The IAQ recognizes that name changes are sensitive and private and may result from reasons including but not limited to cultural reclamation, alignment with gender identity, marriage, divorce or religious conversion. In cases where an author changes their name following publication, the IAQ will update their name online and in any subsequent reprints, as well as update metadata to indexing services. The IAQ will not publish a correction notice.

Authors and artists should contact the IAQ editorial team at iaq[at]inuitartfoundation[dot]org with their name change request.

Content Warnings

The IAQ acknowledges that information published across platforms may be triggering or include challenging and unexpected content. To ensure its audiences have appropriate expectations of the content and an opportunity to make an informed decision about what they read, the IAQ clearly labels potentially triggering content, which may include but is not limited to topics of abuse, cruelty, racism, homophobia, self-harm and violence.

Images

Images for articles published by the IAQ are selected by the editorial team in collaboration with the writer, where possible. Final layout of images and text is at the discretion of the editorial team. Artists are paid copyright fees, as outlined in the annual CARFAC fee schedule, for reproduction of their images in print.

No-byline Policy

The IAQ’s editorial staff is responsible for all editorial content and collectively responsible for producing news stories and other online content. The names of authors are generally disclosed on all pieces of writing for the IAQ, since they represent dedicated time and analysis by its writer(s). In the rare instance that a story is written collaboratively, no by-line will appear to reflect the story’s collective authorship.

Translation

The IAF supports the resiliency of Inuktut and does so tangibly by translating content into different dialects of the language regularly. At least one feature in each print issue of the IAQ is translated into Inuktut, while online features are conceptualized to include translations wherever possible. Copy is translated in either syllabics and roman orthography, depending on the writer's preferred dialect and with consideration to space. When no preference is given, content is translated into South Baffin dialect.

Translation into English as well as dialect and spelling of Inuktut words appearing in English language stories are discussed and confirmed with the writer and/or translator. 

Sponsored Content

All paid editorial content produced by the IAQ and published on its platforms will be clearly marked as “Sponsored”. All sponsored content is subject to the terms and conditions outlined in the IAQ’s media kit.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

While Artificial Intelligence (AI) software can help writers, many AI tools generate text based on existing publications that it has access to. In the case of Inuit art, these texts are overwhelmingly written by non-Inuit, which has not only had significant impacts on the publics’ perception of Inuit art, but also will support AI software producing content that does not reflect Inuit knowledge, perspectives or lived reality.

The IAQ is committed to supporting Inuit narrative sovereignty and to provide readers with original, thoughtful and unique content by commissioning throughout its platforms. This requires commissioning Inuit authors directly wherever possible and requiring non-Inuit take care to research and write thoughtfully and sensitively about Inuit art. The IAQ also takes care to compensate its writers fairly for their effort in order to support their ongoing careers. As a result, the IAF does not accept pitches or publish editorial content generated by artificial intelligence software.

Funding Policies

Purpose

The Inuit Art Foundation’s Funding Policy governs and supports all of the IAF’s funding activities, including awards, grants, and scholarships, by outlining the values, administrative roles, and processes underpinning its funding activities.

Values

All of the IAF’s decision-making and activities are guided by Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or Inuit ways of knowing and being, which ensures culturally specific ethical standards and mutual respect within the organization. The following are specific IQ principles that guide the IAF funding philosophy:

• Inuqqatigiistsiarniq, or respecting others, relationships and caring for people;
• Tunnganarniq, or fostering good spirits by being open, welcoming and inclusive;
• Pilimmaksarniq/Pijaruiqsarniq, or the development of skills through observation, mentoring, practice and effort;
• Piliriqatigiinniq/Ikajuqtigiinniq, or working together for a common good;
• Aajiiqatigigiinniq, or consensus building and collective decision making, with a focus on benefiting the community before the individual; and
• Pijitsirarniq, or serving and providing for the community.

The IAF’s funding activities are further guided by specific principles, which provide a philosophical and ethical framework for the administration of funds:

• Inuit communities’ inherent right to self-determination and cultural sovereignty, which is critical to both a thriving arts sector and community well-being more broadly;
• Inuit artists and cultural workers have many varied and distinct needs that need to be addressed;
• Accessibility for all eligible Inuit in the arts, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, socio-economic status and language and the many intersections of identity; and
• A commitment to transparency in decision-making in order to be accountable to Inuit communities and the broader public.

Rationale

The IAF administers a wide and evolving range of funding programs that support Inuit artistic practice and capacity building throughout the arts as part of its mandate to support the development of healthy and vibrant arts communities across Inuit Nunaat. Inuit have long been excluded from public funding opportunities in the arts through a combination of many factors, which are rooted in the historic and ongoing impacts of colonialism. In order to provide opportunities for Inuit artists to most fully participate in all aspects of the arts on their own terms, the IAF creates and administers culturally-specific funding programs both alone and in partnership with other organizations.

The IAF also recognizes that its programs exist within a broader ecosystem of potential public funding for Inuit artists and works to ensure that its programs also act as a bridge to participation in other funding programs wherever possible. 

Funding Program Eligibility

Inuk artists, cultural workers and post-secondary students may apply for relevant funding opportunities. Eligible applicants must:

• Meet the requirements of the IAF’s General Program Eligibility Policy;
• Be at least 18 years old;
• Have specialized training in their artistic discipline;
• Be recognized as an artist by their peers (i.e. artists working in the same artistic tradition) for the minimum time specified in each program requirements; and
• Be committed to continually furthering their artistic practice.

The IAF does not fund:

• IAF staff and Board Members;
• Non-Inuit applicants;
• Individuals who violate the IAF’s Anti-Violence, Anti-Harassment and Harm Reduction Policy; and
• Organizations, both for-profit or charitable.

Eligible Activities

The following activities are eligible for IAF funding and are subject to the specified program requirements:

• Creating and developing artworks;
• Purchasing equipment, materials or supplies;
• Renting workspace;
• Training or mentorship opportunities to develop artistic skills;
• Creative residencies;
• Presenting artwork;
• Marketing artwork to presenters or audiences;
• Participating in arts events such as art fairs, workshops, etc;
• Developing an artist website or portfolio;
• Publishing or self-publishing written materials such as novels, essays, poetry, zines, etc.; and/or
• Pursuing post-secondary education in arts and cultural studies.

Ineligible Activities

The following activities are not eligible for IAF funding:

• Paying off debt;
• The purchase or sale of alcohol or cannabis, financing related licenses or permits, or capital renovations or repairs to facilities or spaces used for the purpose or selling alcohol or cannabis;
• Political activities, such as lobbying government entities;
• Non-artistic activities that are religious or include a requirement to participate in any dimensions of faith;
• Capital renovations or repairs of premises used for the purpose of religious observance or practice;
• General fundraising drives or capital campaigns;
• Subsistence costs unrelated to a specific aspect of one’s artistic practice;
• Activities completed or costs incurred before the start date specified in the program details; and
• Monetary loans.

Peer Assessment

The IAF awards funding to those applications that demonstrate the most promise, show strong commitment to their artistic practice, and meet all the assessment criteria. Peer assessment is the basis of all IAF funding decisions and is fully articulated in the IAF’s Assessment Policy. 

Languages

The IAF respects the right of all Inuit to apply for, receive assistance in, and adjudicate funding applications in Inuktut. 

Transparency and Confidentiality

The IAF is committed to the principles of transparency and accountability. The IAF publishes the results of successful funding applications and the names of peer assessors on its website. The IAF does not make public the names of unsuccessful individual applicants and guidelines on confidentiality are enforced throughout and following the peer assessment process, as outlined in the Assessment Policy. 

All information collected by the IAF is subject to the Privacy Act. The IAF adheres to all requirements under these laws and may only use personal information for the purposes for which it was collected or for uses consistent with that purpose.

Social Media Policy

Purpose
The Social Media policy outlines how the IAF engages in conversation with members of the public across social media platforms.

Values
All of the IAF’s decision-making and activities are guided by Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or Inuit ways of knowing and being, which ensures culturally specific ethical standards and mutual respect within the organization. The following are specific IQ principles that guide the ways in which the IAF engages in public discussions online:

 

• Inuqqatigiistsiarniq, or respecting others, relationships and caring for people;
• Tunnganarniq, or fostering good spirits by being open, welcoming and inclusive;
• Piliriqatigiinniq/Ikajuqtigiinniq, or working together for a common good; and
• Pijitsirarniq, or serving and providing for the community.

The IAF is also guided by these key values:

• A focus on harm reduction, where the IAF seeks to reduce the ongoing harms enacted by colonial systems by making space for Inuit who have become disconnected from their communities through no fault of their own while limiting the real harm caused by those who make false claims to Inuit identity; and
• A commitment to transparency in decision-making in order to be accountable to Inuit communities and the broader public.

Rationale
The IAF uses social media to communicate and connect with our many communities across the world. Through shared content and conversations, we work to provide a platform for Inuit artists to connect with new audiences and engage the public in conversations about Inuit artistic practice. Those conversations rely on a foundation of honesty, integrity and respect. This policy governs the way that the IAF will ensure that comments and communications on its social media posts create and maintain a mutually respectful, positive environment. 

Policy
The IAF will not tolerate harmful or abusive conduct on its social media platforms, which includes, but is not limited to:

• Defamatory words, insults or personal attacks;
• Hateful, racist, violent, obscene or profane posts, links or images;
• Comments that incite any form of harassment or illegal activity; and
• Information that breaches the privacy of others.

The IAF will also take steps to encourage productive, positive communication by disallowing disruptive behaviour, which includes but is not limited to:

• Multiple off-topic and/or incomprehensible posts by a single user; and
• Repetitive, duplicated posts by a single or multiple users.

In addition, the IAF’s social media will not be used to promote external businesses through advertisements, solicitations or endorsements, unless they are paid promotion through the IAF. Any paid advertisement on the IAF’s social media will be clearly labeled as such, as required by law.

The IAF reserves the right to delete content and block users that violate this Code of Conduct. Repeat offenses will result in a permanent ban from all of the IAF’s social media platforms. 

Last updated: January 26, 2023

Staff Program Participation Policy

Purpose

The IAF’s Staff Program Participation Policy outlines the ways in which staff members who are also Inuit artists can participate in the IAF’s programs.

Values

All of the IAF’s decision-making and activities are guided by Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or Inuit ways of knowing and being, which ensures culturally specific ethical standards and mutual respect within the organization. The following are specific IQ principles that guide the IAF’s Staff Program Participation Policy:

• Inuqqatigiistiarniq, or respecting others, relationships and caring for people;
• Tunngarnarniq, or fostering good spirits by being open, welcoming and inclusive;
• Piliriqatigiinniq/Ikajuqtigiinniq, or working together for a common good;
• Aajiiqatigigiinniq, or consensus building and collective decision making, with a focus on benefiting the community before the individual; and
• Pijitsirarniq, or serving and providing for the community.

The IAF’s decision making and actions are also guided by these key principles:

• Transparency and accountability to the organization’s many stakeholders across the arts landscape;
• Maintaining the public’s trust, which requires avoiding real or perceived conflicts of interest, as governed by the IAF’s Conflict of Interest Policy.

Rationale

The IAF acknowledges that its programs and platforms are powerful tools that support artists’ careers and that it has a responsibility to use that power in ways that uplift individuals and communities to achieve their artistic career ambitions. The IAF works diligently to make its programs as impactful and culturally-relevant as possible for Inuit artists, reducing barriers to career success and offering opportunities to connect with global audiences.

In order to be most effective in that work, the IAF employs Inuit across the organization at all levels, including many who have independent, professional artistic practices. The input from these artists on staff is critical to ensuring that the IAF’s programs meet the needs of Inuit artists across disciplines, geographic areas and career stages. Artists on staff also benefit from their positions not solely through their employment benefits and position-specific professional development opportunities, but also through the opportunities their roles provide them, which include but are not limited to learning from colleagues, meeting and working with influential decision-makers throughout the arts, opportunities to meet and work with artists across Inuit Nunaat and regular access to the IAF’s significant resource libraries.

The IAF also acknowledges that as an arts service organization and registered charity, it has a duty to uphold the highest standards of ethics, transparency and accountability to maintain public trust in its activities. This includes avoiding any real or perceived conflicts of interests, including the potential for “self-dealing” or perceived unfair advantages for staff involved in delivering the IAF’s programs, which can damage that trust but also leave staff members vulnerable to individual reputational damage that can have lasting negative impacts on their careers.

The IAF does not seek to exclude any artist from its programs, including staff. This policy establishes a clear and consistent framework for how Inuit artists on staff can participate in the IAF’s various support programs.

Policy

Inuit artists are encouraged to participate in the IAF’s programs for artists provided that there is no additional financial benefit associated with their participation.

Activities that artists on the IAF’s staff can participate in include but are not limited to:

• Being the subject of a published IAQ Profile online, which can be linked to the IAF’s “About Us” page;
• Having a profile on the Developing Qannuqturniq: Artist Resource Portal and being featured on the “Meet the Staff” page;
• Running, or participating as a panelist in, workshops that align with their position at the organization;
• Taking part in the IAF’s skill-building workshops as a registered participant, even if that workshop takes place during work hours without requiring the use of paid time off options; and
• Being featured in the IAQ as part of a group exhibition in which their work is featured, provided their work is not reproduced in print or as the lead image in an online story and that their position at the IAF is disclosed.

Conversely, activities prohibited for artists on the IAF’s staff include but art not limited to:

• Applying for grants, awards or scholarships through the IAF because they provide direct funding for their professional practice;
• Being the sole subject of a piece in the IAQ, including Profile, Choice, Features and Notes, and cannot have their work reproduced in the magazine to illustrate group shows, which would require CARFAC reproduction fees to be paid;
• Running, or participating in, workshops on topics outside of their position at the IAF, which would require payment of fees;
• Participating in IAF-funded artist projects, including commissions and showcase opportunities, which would require payment of an artist fee;
• Being the subject of the IAF’s Artist Spotlight newsletters, which are very limited and often result in direct sales for those featured.

If an artist joins the IAF as a staff member after accepting a paid opportunity with the organization (such as accepting a commissioned art project, writing a feature for the IAQ or participating in a public artist talk), the IAF will honour the contract except when that opportunity has influence on other artists receiving funding (such as participating on a Peer Assessment Committee). At the end of that project, the staff member must adhere to this policy for the duration of their employment.

To further avoid any perception of conflict of interest, artists who leave the IAF’s employment are subject to this policy for an additional three months at the end of their employment.

Use of Recording Equipment and Software Policy

Purpose

The IAF’s Use of Recording Equipment and Software Policy serves to clarify the appropriate ways that IAF staff, contractors, volunteers and board members can make use of recording equipment and software in the course of performing their duties for the organization.

Values

All of the IAF’s decision-making and activities are guided by Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or Inuit ways of knowing and being, which ensures culturally specific and ethical standards and mutual respect within the organization. The following are specific IQ principles that guide the Recording Equipment and Software Policy:

• Inuqqatigiistiarniq, or respecting others, relationships and caring for people;
• Tunngarnarniq, or fostering good spirits by being open, welcoming and inclusive;
• Piliriqatigiinniq/Ikajuqtigiinniq, or working together for a common good;
• Pijitsirarniq, or serving and providing for the community.

The IAF’s decision making and actions are also guided by these key principles:

• Prioritizing and uplifting Inuit narrative sovereignty, which requires using individual’s words accurately and directly;
• The importance of informed consent in fostering trust and respectful relationships, both
  within and outside the organization.

Rationale

As an arts service organization that publishes editorial content and provides access to skill-building resources, artist talks and other valuable tools to support both the development of artists’ practices and the appreciation of Inuit art by the broader public, the IAF’s work requires the use of recording equipment and software to be most effective. This includes but is not limited to physical recording equipment as well as recording software, which increasingly utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) powered transcription services.

The IAF acknowledges that making recordings of any kind carries the risk of eroding trust if done without transparency, openness and consent. This is particularly true in the context of historic and ongoing colonial attempts to silence or otherwise distort Inuit narrative sovereignty and use Inuit voices without explicit, prior informed consent. To do its best work, both internally and externally, everyone at the IAF must feel secure in speaking openly and in knowing when they are being recorded, as well as how those recordings will be used.

Policy

Though Canadian law only requires one party to consent to recording, the IAF does not authorize any use of recording equipment or software unless all parties, including internal and external individuals, being recorded have explicitly consented to being recorded. Before consenting, the individual making the recording must inform participants of future uses of the recording. Should a recorded conversation continue across multiple meetings, consent must be obtained for each subsequent meeting recording.

To protect the privacy of individuals being recorded, recordings may only be saved in the IAF’s Google Drive. Recordings made through external software platforms must immediately be downloaded and uploaded to Google Drive for editing, storage, or other future use.

Any violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination, as governed by the IAF’s Human Resources Policies.