Artcirq seeks permanent facility in Igloolik

Canada's Arctic circus troupe is struggling to find permanent training space in its home community of Igloolik, Nunavut, despite the group's growing popularity worldwide in recent years.

The young acrobats in Artcirq have performed for audiences in several continents within the past year, including shows in Europe, Mexico and Timbuktu, Mali. It has received an invitation to perform in Paris next year to help celebrate Nunavut's 10th anniversary.

But Artcirq, which has been based in Igloolik since forming in 1998, has been training at an old swimming pool on and off over the past two years.

"It looks like a dump, or something like that," Artcirq member Toby Otak told CBC News at a recent practice, adding that performers use only half the length of the floor space at the pool.

"The safest spot is on the floor, where they're training right now," Otak said. "The rest, half of it is not done at all, and there's a lot of stuff around it."

At one point, Artcirq had to find another place to practise when the hamlet of Igloolik wanted to convert the pool into an arcade. That job remains unfinished.

Uncertainty about space prevents Artcirq from doing more, co-founder and artistic director Guillaume Ittukssarjuat Saladin said.

But Saladin said he is hopeful the group can settle in a permanent facility, especially given the troupe is gaining more credibility and trust from community members.

"On all those levels of municipal decisions, we're getting to know each other and to make better decisions," he said.

"So, hopefully in the next few years, of course, Artcirq will have its own rehearsal studio, and we could invite other artists from around the world and have our real space to welcome them."