In 2017, Andrew Qappik and Michael Massie were appointed made Members of the Order of Canada.
Ilurqusivut (Our Ways), a large-scale mural by Niap (Nancy Saunders), was unveiled at the Canadian Museum of Nature’s Canada Goose Arctic Gallery in 2017. Niap won a juried competition to create a unique mural for the space. The work blends urban street culture with traditional Inuit themes and arctic wildlife.
Drawings by Kananginak Pootoogook were exhibited at the Venice Biennale. The graphics by the Kinngait (Cape Dorset), NU, artist mark the first time that work by a Canadian Inuit artist was included at the prestigious international exhibition.
Aviaq Johnston released her debut novel Those Who Run in the Sky, which became a finalist for Governor General's Award for English-Language Children's Literature.
The Hnatyshyn Foundation awarded $1.5 million in awards to 150 Indigenous artists. The seventeen Inuit artists awarded were Susan Aglukark, Joe Jaw Ashoona, Shuvinai Ashoona, Nicole Camphaug, Beatrice Deer, Deantha Edmunds-Ramsay, Mark Igloliorte, Geronimo Inutiq, Michael Kusugak, Lindsay McIntyre, Andrew Qappik, Nicotye Samayualie, Tanya Tagaq, Lavinia Van Heuvelen, asinnajaq, Jennifer Williams and Laakkuluk Williamson-Bathory.
Barry Pottle Awareness 1 (2011) Courtesy the artist
The Art Gallery of Hamilton mounted two important exhibitions, The Awareness Project, the first museum solo exhibition by Barry Pottle, and Carving Home: The Chedoke Collection of Inuit Art, which showed works made by tuberculosis patients in the 1950s and 1960s.
The Inuit Art Foundation took over management of the Igloo Tag Program. Established in 1958 by the Canadian government, the Igloo Tag Trademark has been the internationally-recognized symbol of authenticity for Inuit visual arts for over six decades.
Annie Pootoogook: Cutting Ice, curated by Dr. Nancy Campbell, opened at McMichael Canadian Art Collection. The career retrospective spanned the breadth of Pootoogook’s career and made connections between her work and that of Shuvinai Ashoona, Itee Pootoogook, Jutai Toonoo, Ohotaq Mikkigak and Siassie Kenneally.
On May 20th 2017 Canada celebrated the first National Seal Products Day in response to the European Union's ban on seal products that began in 2010.
Silla and Rise released their album Debut. The album fuses traditional throat-singing with dance pop beats, and won Best Indigenous Music Album of the Year at the Junos the following year.
Earthlings an exhibition that brought together works by Roger Aksadjuak, Shuvinai Ashoona, Pierre Aupilardjuk, Shary Boyle, Jessie Kenalogak, John Kurok, and Leo Napayok opened at the Esker Foundation in Calgary and went on a nationwide tour.
The inauguaral Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award was presented to Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory. Presented by the Inuit Art Foundation, the $10,000 award helped Williamson Bathory to participate in a residency.