THE AVATAQ CULTURAL INSTITUTE AND THE MMFA JOIN HANDS TO PROMOTE INUIT ART AND CULTURE

A new collaboration between two major players on the Canadian art scene bodes well for the promotion of Inuit art and culture. Josepi Padlayat, President of the Avataq Cultural Institute (Avataq), and Nathalie Bondil, Director General and Chief Curator of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), are proud to announce that the two institutions have reached an agreement in principle to build an innovative long-term partnership that will include Avataq’s forthcoming move into buildings owned by the Museum.

Founded in 1980 and established in Inukjuak, the Avataq Cultural Institute is a leader of Nunavik Inuit culture and a model of Inuit culture in Canada and beyond. Its mission is to ensure that the Inuit culture and language thrive indefinitely, so that future generations may benefit from the rich traditions inherited from their ancestors and passed down by the elders.

• Secure Avataq’s long-term presence in Montreal, adjacent to the MMFA

• Promote Inuit art and culture

• Foster dialogue and research on Inuit art among a large network of experts and community organizations

• Establish knowledge sharing between Montreal and Nunavik organizations and experts

• Pursue the MMFA’s educational mission and its promotion of togetherness

• Offer educational and community activities for members of the Inuit community and the general public