Acclaimed “Inuindie” pop star Beatrice Deer is a singer-songwriter based in Montreal. Half Inuk and half Mohawk, Beatrice was born and raised in Nunavik, Quebec, in the small village of Quaqtaq. Her award-winning songs are crafted upon deeply personal lyrics and blend indie rock and modern folk with traditional Inuit stories and throat singing. She has released seven studio albums, including her newest, titled Little Songs, a revitalization of traditional Inuit songs for children.
Beatrice Deer sings in three languages: Inuktitut, English, and French. A beloved figure in Arctic Canada, she has performed worldwide, from the Venice Biennale to Norway’s Førde Traditional and World Music Festival to the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. Her bandmates and collaborators, all longstanding members of Montreal’s music community, have worked with diverse and dynamic musical acts such as Leif Vollebekk, Land of Talk, Stars, The Barr Brothers, Bell Orchestre, Little Scream, The Besnard Lakes, and Suuns.
Her illustrious career is marked by a string of remarkable achievements and accolades that underscore her immense talent and profound impact on the arts community. From winning the 2018 Canadian Folk Music Award and the 2019 Indigenous Music Award for Best Folk Album to her co-composition of the musical score for the acclaimed “Giant Bear,” which won a 2020 Canadian Screen Award, Beatrice’s contributions to music and film are extraordinary. Her stellar trajectory continued with the receipt of the Prism Prize and an appointment as an Apple Ambassador in 2021, alongside her notable appearance as a finalist on Quebec’s popular televised talent show, Talents Bleus.
Aaron “Godson” Hernandez has been a hip-hop artist & DJ in the Northwest Territories for over 30 years. He has released 11 albums & has performed in various parts of North America. Godson received a Queen Elizabeth ll Diamond Jubilee award, was featured on CBC’s hit shows Family Feud & Dragons’ Den. Godson was a finalist for EMI’s Record Deal competition. Godson was also involved in Canadian Idol, where he also performed & filmed a video that kicked off Season 4. Godson also performed at the 2010 Winter Olympics as part of the NWT contingent with a huge performance at BC Place as part of the medal ceremonies. After recovering from Stage 4 T-Cell Lymphoma Cancer in 2024, he is ready to grace the stage after a long hiatus from performing.
Ron Pearson has been a professional magician, writer and actor for the past 40 years. He attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and has studied with Cirque du Soleil lead clown Mookie Cornish.
He has performed everywhere from the Royal National Theatre in London, England to Carnegie Hall in New York City. He was chosen to represent Canada as a performer at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England and at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.
He has consulted on numerous theatrical productions and has written a number of plays including Séance, Mystery Wonder Show, The UnNaturals, Orson Welles’ Last Magic Show, Minerva-Queen of the Handcuffs and The House Always Wins.
Other performance venues include the Lower Manhattan Busker Fare, Faneuil Hall Marketplace-Boston, MA, Edinburgh International Fringe Festival, Leeds Rhythms of the City Festival-Leeds, England, Stockton International Riverside Festival-Stockton on Tees, England, Ottawa International Street Performers Festival, the Miramichi International Street Performers Festival-Miramichi, NB, the Northern Alberta Children’s Festival of the Arts and the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival.
The Globe and Mail has called his magic, “Brilliant”, the Edmonton Journal has said he performs “Mind-Boggling Sleight of Hand”, and the CBC has said his show is “Outstanding”.
Liz Hobbs is a circus performer, festival producer, instructor, and theatre director based in Amiswaciwâskahikan (Edmonton), Alberta, on Treaty 6 Territory. She has been stilt walking for over 15 years and has trained stilts, aerials, and partner acrobatics with the Western Australia Circus School, Lunar Circus, the National Stilt Walkers of Canada, Firefly Circus and Theatre, and Cirquetastic.
She has performed at numerous festivals and events across Canada and in Western Australia. Highlights include the opening of Cirque du Soleil’s Kurio, the Western Australian Circus Festival, Edmonton International Street Performers Festival, Red Deer CentreFest, Grande Prairie International Street Performers Festival, Mackenzie Winterquest, Mayor’s Celebration for the Arts, Northern Alberta International Children’s Festival, Calgary Stampede, and many more.
Liz holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Alberta and has directed contemporary and classical plays and musicals for numerous theatre companies in Western Canada, as well as directed and co-created site-specific, collective creation, physical theatre, and circus shows for a variety of festivals and companies. She has been teaching theatre, stilt walking, and circus since 2010 in communities, schools, and universities. Liz has been the Programming and Communications Director for the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival since 2022.
