Our Story
Isaruit was born out of a desire to restore connection – to land, to language, to culture, and to each other – through art, skill, and shared experience.
A Community-Led Beginning
Created by and for Inuit Artists
Isaruit began in Ottawa in 2019 as a grassroots response to a need: Inuit artists in the city — often living far from their home communities — needed space, support, and one another.
Founded by Inuit women and creators, the organization grew from a sewing circle into a vibrant Inuit community hub. What started with thread and fabric quickly expanded to carving, painting, multimedia art, traditional food sharing, and mentorship rooted in Inuit ways.
A Space to Heal, Create, and Lead
Reconnection and Reconcilitation
Many Inuit in Ottawa come south for health, education, or other services — often with limited access to community or culture. Isaruit became more than an arts organization: it became a place of reconnection, of finding voice and of healing.
By centering on Inuit voices and knowledge, Isaruit supports artists in reclaiming identity, developing skills, and fostering leadership. Every workshop, drop-in session, and exhibition is an act of cultural continuity and of Inuit claiming their voice.
Voices from the Studio
Isaruit gave me more than just a place to sew – it gave me back my voice. I came here to make art, and I found community, healing, and the strength to keep going
Anonymous Isaruit Artist
Our Growth
From Sewing Circle to National Voice
In 2022, Isaruit hosted the first-ever Inuit Creators’ Conference in Ottawa – an event by Inuit artists, for Inuit artists, marking a milestone in visibility and advocacy.
We’ve since grown to serve creators across Inuit Nunangat and the South, connecting through workshops, digital platforms, and major public commissions. Isaruit is also home to the Isaruit Inuit Creators’ Handbook – a landmark resource for Inuit artists across Canada.
What Isaruit Means
Our Name, Our Future
The word Isaruit refers to wings – wings that lift Inuit out of the confusion of city streets and an unfamiliar environment and allow people to see out into the world. That’s what we aim to be for Inuit artists: wings to fly to hunt for creativity, innovation, self-determination, and endless possibilities.
Through Isaruit, we are reclaiming the sky – for our stories, our language, our cultural presence, and our future.