BEING, BELONGING AND SHARING: ARTCIRQ AS A SPACE OF WELL-BEING FOR IGLOOLIK YOUTH
There are many examples of the use of arts as a path to expression and transformation for indigenous people. However, there is a lack of information about the transformations that can take place throughout art and creativity from the youth's point of view. This study takes place in an ethnographic design and takes a phenomenological stance on a circus collective (Artcirq) that takes place within an Inuit community. It aims to better understand the experience of the young people who participate in the project. Our research data encompasses interviews with Inuit youth involved in Artcirq, fieldnotes as well as complementary interviews with a few persons of interest. Our analysis leads us to describe three central dimensions of the youth's experience of Artcirq as a space: 1) where they can discover and develop their internal resources; 2) where they can connect and belong; and 3) where "being Inuit" can be experienced as belonging and sharing. The potentially therapeutic implications of such community-based spaces dedicated to Inuit youth's well-being are brought up in the discussion.