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North Slave Region
This centrally located region encompasses both boreal and tundra terrain, stretching between the Territory’s’ two biggest lakes. This is home to the Tłı̨chǫ, Akaitcho and Yellowknives Dene, along with a diverse group of residents from across the country and the globe, that together weave a rich cultural tapestry in the territory’s capital city.
This land is a bountiful resource for local harvesters and artists who use raw materials from the land. Traditional arts and fine crafts preserve the region’s unique style and pass traditional knowledge onto future generations. Clothing and accessories are made from locally tanned moose or caribou hides and adorned with intricate designs of beadwork or quillwork. The centuries-old tradition of drum making is a vital part of this area’s history and is being preserved through workshops and documentary films.
The capital city of Yellowknife is an eclectic, multi-cultural mix of artists and art forms. Storytellers, authors and musicians preserve oral history from the region in literary and performance arts. Contemporary artists draw inspiration from the land to create inspiring works of art. Filmmakers and photographers capture and share the spirit of living in the NWT with the world. Yellowknife’s vibrant arts scene continues to grow in diversity and frequency, with arts events happening weekly, if not nightly.
Use our online tool to learn Where to Buy NWT Art in the North Slave Region.
Or download printable, translated documents (PDFs):
Where to Buy NWT Art in Yellowknife: English, French (français), German (Deutsch), Japanese (日本語)
Events
Yellowknife
April
Date: April 11th, 2020
Community: Yellowknife
Location: Northern Arts and Cultural Centre
Set in Plains Cree territory in the 1870s, before the establishment of First Nations reserves, Pawâkan Macbeth takes place in a time when First Nations warred with each other and the Canadian Government over territory, food supply and trade. Harsh environments brought immense fear, starvation, and uncertainty together to awaken the darkest of Cree spirits, the Wihtiko – an evil being with an insatiable appetite for human flesh. \
Inspired from stories shared by Indigenous Elders in Frog Lake First Nation following protocol, Arluk has created a new, visceral experience of Macbeth; a...
May
Date: May 5th, 2020 to May 15th, 2020
Community: Yellowknife
Location: Somba 'Ke Park
Dene Nahjo's 5th Annual Urban Hide Camp!
Everyone is welcome at Urban Hide Camp. Come out and learn about hide tanning, make friends and have some tea by the fire.
Camp is open from 10:00am - 6:00pm daily except for Sundays.
Opening Ceremony will begin at 12:00pm on May 5th!
Hide tanners - we welcome you to bring your own hides! Please fill out the registration form through this link: https://forms.gle/wRRqkzxRAsdtQ8TN9
Mahsi cho and see you in May!
Date: May 9th, 2020
Community: Yellowknife
Location: Northern Arts and Cultural Centre
Children’s entertainer Miranda Currie, released her latest album Bouncing in the Boreal in November of 2018! Currie writes fun, catchy, and original kid friendly songs with a northern indigenous flair!
As singer-songwriter, fiddle and guitar player, Miranda uses these instruments to convey the beauty and adventure she finds near her Yellowknife home, where she lives with her two sled dogs! Her show includes references to the indigenous Dene language of Tlicho, as well as songs about her favourite animal - the busy beaver! Miranda is an outdoor educator and author of 3 children's...
Date: May 15th, 2020
Community: Yellowknife
Location: Northern Arts and Cultural Centre
Wesley Hardisty is a fiddler and composer whose music blends rock, country, folk, Celtic and Métis sounds. His passionate playing is compelling to watch, his love of music evident.
Wesley is from the Dene First Nation in the North West Territories. Largely self taught, he took up the fiddle at age thirteen in Fort Simpson through the outreach work of the Kole Crook Fiddle Association. He attended the prestigious Gulf Islands School of Performing Arts on Saltspring Island BC.
His debut CD 12:12 won the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award for Best Fiddle CD. Just 25, he...
Date: May 16th, 2020
Community: Yellowknife
Location: Northern Arts and Cultural Centre
In search for a musical identity that embraces all of Canada, the duo meagan&amy presents connections between Canadian music and the traditional canon of classical repertoire. Selected as winners of the "Road Trip! A Pan-Canadian Partnership" recital tour offered by Debut Atlantic, Jeunesses Musicales Canada, and Prairie Debut, the duo will explore with Canadian audiences in all ten provinces and all three territories what it is that makes Canadian music "Canadian". Their program pairs Canadian composers such as Jocelyn Morlock, André Mathieu and Saskatchewan's own David McIntyre with...
Date: May 22nd, 2020
Community: Yellowknife
Location: Northern Arts and Cultural Centre
Kiera-Dawn Kolson is an award winning Multi disciplinary artist, performer and young leader. For over 20 years Kiera-Dawn has been involved nationally and internationally in various realms of advocacy work involved in art and empowerment. Kiera-Dawn's work has focused on Indigenous peoples human rights, environmental protection, cultural preservation, Indigenous women's right's/MMIW, Indigenous communities and decolonization, harm reduction and empowerment through art and culture. Kiera-Dawn is passionate about the revitalization of Indigenous heritage nationally and internationally and...
Date: May 30th, 2020
Community: Yellowknife
Location: Northern Arts and Cultural Centre
Martin Rehak is a multi disciplinary artist and stand up comedian who primarily produces comedic video shorts that incorporate practical effects such as stop motion and puppetry; often times designing and creating props and sets all by hand. Currently he is writing and developing a multimedia stage performance consisting of live humouristic story telling assisted by video projections that will take you on a journey into the absurd.
June
Date: June 12th, 2020 to June 13th, 2020
Community: Yellowknife
Location: Northern Arts and Cultural Centre
WARNING! No extreme nudity, just extreme hilarity.
The award winning improv comedians are back with a new show, more moves and even quicker wits. A fictitious male stripper troupe (played by a cast of some of Canada’s best improvisational comedians) performs a sexylarious improv comedy show. These guys try to be sexy, but it just comes out funny. Constantly grooving and gyrating in between scenes, they banter with the crowd and perform their hilarious twist on improv sketches. They sing, they “dance”. These guys are oiled up and ready to make you laugh.
Semi-...
Date: June 20th, 2020
Community: Yellowknife
Location: TBD
aMoral House of Cards is a post-disciplinary practice crystallizing from a diverse collection of experiences. With an MFA from Glasgow School of Art, and an extensive background in art fabrication in New York and Glasgow, the practice relocated to Yellowknife in 2013, putting these skills to use on local projects such as working on the build crew at Snowking’s Winter Festival. Headquartered in the unique soft-grid community of Yellowknife Bay, the practice works to find a nexus between art-making, autobiographical mythology, and pragmatic living.
*This show will not be presented at...
