August 14, 2018
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Carvings Nunavut has become the first new licensee of the Igloo Tag Trademark since the Inuit Art Foundation (“IAF”) assumed control of the trademark last July. This makes Carvings Nunavut the first licensee in 45 years.
The Igloo Tag Trademark was transferred from Indigenous Northern Affairs Canada (“INAC”) to the IAF in an effort to increase the Inuit community’s ability to manage art-making, so as to benefit artists and preserve the value of Inuit culture.
The internationally recognized trademark was created by INAC in 1958 to protect Inuit visual art from counterfeits.
The trademark has been remarkably successful: the Government of Canada’s Impact of the Inuit Arts Economy report estimates that the trademark contributes about $3.5 million annually to the Inuit arts economy, with consumers averaging an additional value of $117.23 for works with the mark.
To learn more about the Igloo Tag Trademark, please visit the Inuit Art Foundation's website.
Authors: Jaclyn Tilak, Sarah Stothart, Larissa Fulop and Daniela Cerrone