WHITEHORSE— The Government of Yukon is providing support for Music Yukon’s planned event to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Canada’s confederation in 2017. The project, entitled Our North: a Pan-Territorial Celebration, will feature performers, visual artists and athletes from all three territories.
“Our North: a Pan-Territorial Celebration will have many positive outcomes for our arts and cultural community and will engage local audiences in this unique celebration of Canada and the North,” Minister of Tourism and Culture Elaine Taylor said. “Canada’s 150¬th is an excellent opportunity to showcase the North’s diverse, vibrant cultures to other northerners and all Canadians.”
The Yukon government will contribute $50,000 to Music Yukon to produce a series of events for the celebration. The project will include a number of free outreach activities and performances in all territorial capitals, as well as in Vancouver and Ottawa. Canadian Heritage recently announced that it is providing $900,000 to the project through the Canada 150 Signature Initiatives program.
“The North is a region that many Canadians identify with and dream of, but few have a chance to experience,” Music Yukon executive director Kim Winnicky said. “The people and the culture of the three territories are as distinct as they are northern. Music Yukon is thrilled to work with our partners in Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut to celebrate our North in our capital cities, and then share our culture with our fellow Canadians south of 60. We thank the Yukon government for its support of this project, which will bring artists, athletes and presenters together from across our vast North in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Confederation.”
Our North: a Pan-Territorial Celebration is one of a limited number of high-impact, large-scale signature events that are national in scope and supported through Canadian Heritage. The event will build on work that Music Yukon has undertaken with the Yukon Arts Centre in creating a northern presentation network and securing cultural partnerships across the territories.
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Contact:
Michael Edwards
Cabinet Communications
867-633-7910
michael.edwards@gov.yk.ca
Heather LeDuc
Communications, Tourism and Culture
867-667-8066
heather.leduc@gov.yk.ca
