How Reneltta Arluk spreads the importance of Indigenous storytelling

Reneltta Arluk is the first Inuit director at the world-renowned Stratford Festival, and now also the director of Indigenous arts at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.

Arluk has been a creative force in the creation of Indigenous theatre across various regions of Canada and overseas. Her latest play, The Breathing Hole, was premiered at the Stratford Festival.                                                                   

In 2005, she earned a bachelor of fine arts in acting from the University of Alberta. She was the first Indigenous woman as well as the first Inuk to graduate from the reputable program.

Since then she has written and acted in theatre, founded Akpik Theater, and committed herself to the development of Indigenous language-inspired stories for the theatre.

Arluk talks to q about her goals and objectives for her upcoming work at the Banff Centre.

— Produced by Ashley Mak