A Dynamic Digital Gateway to Circumpolar Arts and Dialogue
Welcome to the Arctic Arts Summit Digital Platform—a dynamic and evolving hub connecting artists, scholars, curators, policy-makers, cultural institutions and art enthusiasts across the circumpolar North. This platform amplifies conversations from in-person summits and keeps dialogue active between them, inviting global engagement, and embracing diverse linguistic, geographical, and disciplinary perspectives. The Arctic Arts Summit Digital Platform aims to illuminate emerging and enduring themes while emphasizing artistic and political dialogue and collaborative action.
Enhanced platform features include captivating artist spotlights, engaging online events, thought-provoking conversations, insightful essays, informative texts, comprehensive reports, and timely news roundups. This platform is designed to—keep the international community informed and inspired while showcasing the vibrancy of circumpolar arts and culture.
Content featured on the platform offers a self-determined glimpse into the Arctic’s vibrant art scene, highlighting opportunities, pressing challenges, rich histories and promising potential futures. We invite contributions from across the circumpolar North to ensure that diverse perspectives are included.
The platform is managed by the Inuit Art Foundation in close collaboration with the Arctic Arts Summit Secretariat, and is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts. To contribute, please email arcticartssummit[at]inuitartfoundation[dot]org or see our calls for proposals.
About the Arctic Arts Secretariat
The Arctic Arts Summit (AAS) brings together representatives of Arctic countries and Indigenous nations of the circumpolar region to strengthen arts and culture in the North and stimulate collaboration in the creative industries.
Initiated by the Arctic Arts Festival (Festspillene I Nord-Norge) in 2015, Norway began organizing the first Arctic Arts Summit (AAS)—an international cultural policy summit for the Arctic region. The inaugural AAS was held in Harstad in 2017, which provided a crucial platform showcasing the cultural sector’s role in driving sustainable Arctic development and growth. At the time, discussions largely centred on southern environmental and resource perspectives, lacking input from northern Indigenous communities.
Subsequent summits in Rovaniemi (2019) and Whitehorse (2022) brought together diverse stakeholders to find collaborative ways to support a vibrant circumpolar arts sector. In 2022 the AAS launched a companion digital platform to foster ongoing transnational dialogue about Arctic arts and culture beyond the scope of the in-person summit. The site broadened the knowledge of circumpolar artistic practices and created new forms of access to vital artistic and political conversations.
With the 2023 establishment of an AAS Secretariat, this platform relaunched in 2024 with editorial management by the Inuit Art Foundation. The permanent Arctic Arts Summit Digital Platform facilitates ongoing circumpolar dialogue, collaboration and policy shaping. The expanded site aims to inspire new opportunities for creation and collaboration, serve as an arts and culture hub for the North and catalyze critical discussions across the region.
As dynamic hub evolves, we remain committed to forging connections and supporting the incredible work of the Arctic arts community. We look forward to shaping this future together!
