Getting Nunavut Art to the World

Getting works of Inuit art from Nunavut communities to the world markets is not always easy. This is the role the Sales Division of the Nunavut Development Corporation has in support of the artists of Nunavut! NDC’s Sales Division buys art directly from Nunavut artists and business enterprises. They promote, market and ship the art to galleries, museums, gift shops and their corporate clients who primarily buy only from wholesalers. This ensures that Nunavut artists’ works are getting to markets quickly and that their names are promoted in the art world.

NDC having a wholesaler option for Inuit art means more and more of the Sales Division’s customers can offer a wider variety of works of art from a larger segment of Nunavut. The Sales Division is able to buy and carry a large volume of Nunavut art and craft goods from across the Territory and finance this inventory until it is placed with a buyer. On the sales side the Division is constantly in contact with clients both in Canada and around the world marketing Nunavut’s world-renowned art and craft goods. The Sales Division also facilitate the movement of Nunavut art and craft goods by negotiating appropriate credit arrangements with galleries, museums, gift shops, collectors and corporate clients that help support their respective business fundamentals.

According to Scott Laird, General Manager of NDC’s Sales Division, “Last year we saw more of a demand for soft goods such as packing dolls, ceremonial amautiit, slippers, clothing, and jewelry. There will always be a market for carvings and prints, but for these new items it means a larger selection of artists get to have their work exposed to a larger audience.” The NDC Sales Showroom carries items for sale to their customers from 18 different Nunavut communities. Laird’s team has developed the Sales Division through customer service. This division has a reputation among its customers as a wholesaler to be trusted and one that treats artists fairly. His team likes the challenges that being a wholesaler can bring: “Sometimes we get requests for very specific works – either for a specific artist or a style. We like being able to utilize our connections through other NDC subsidiaries and our relationships with the artists to help create a win-win situation for our customers and artists alike.”

The NDC Sales Division recently added a section onto the NDC website that allows them to display recent acquisitions for sale. This can be viewed at: www.ndcorp.nu.ca/we-create-opportunities/sales-and-marketing