Indigenous arts

The City of Calgary Public Art Program invites members of the Blackfoot Confederacy to apply for this curatorial opportunity. Individuals with curatorial experience are encouraged to apply. This opportunity is open to Blackfoot/Blackfeet curators. Individual artists or artist teams/collectives are eligible. 

The selected Blackfoot/Blackfeet curator/curatorial team will work closely with the Public Art team (curators, conservators, public art liaisons and collections specialists) to create an exhibit of four to 12 artworks/art objects created by Blackfoot/Blackfeet artists (the curator’s own artwork will not be allowed to be included). The exhibit will be available for communities and schools to book to learn about and connect with Blackfoot/Blackfeet culture through art. 

The selected curator will work with the Indigenous curator to create a theme and select the artworks to be included in the exhibit. They will also be responsible for other aspects of the public art exhibit, including but not limited to: 

• Budgeting (according to a set budget) 
• Artist visits 
• Exhibit design (including helping to create portable containers that keep artworks safe during transport) 
• Curatorial writing 

Who: Curators from the Blackfoot Confederacy Nations interested in curating a travelling exhibit. 

What: Curate a Blackfoot educational travelling exhibit for the City of Calgary public art collection. 

Where: Hybrid work, online research, in-person research, events as needed, regular meetings with City of Calgary public art staff. 

Deadline to apply: April 18, 2025, 430 pm 

Project start: May 19, 2025 

Project end: Dec. 31, 2025 

How much: Curatorial fee of $12,000 + GST. * This does NOT include an artwork purchase budget. 

Artist information sessions: 

For those interested in applying, free online and in-person artist information sessions are available. Please email indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca for dates, times and locations. Attendance is not mandatory to qualify for this opportunity. 

How to apply: 

Full submission details and evaluation criteria can be downloaded here or viewed on The City’s website. The deadline to apply is April 18, 2025.  

Questions and clarifications: 

Submit all questions in writing to indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca before 4:00 p.m. MST on April 11, 2025. 

The City of Calgary recognizes and values equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging and unique dimensions of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, work style, communication style, learning preferences and others.  

The City of Calgary Public Art Program invites members of the Tsuut’ina First Nation to apply for this paid curatorial mentorship opportunity. Individual artists who are interested in curation are encouraged to apply. Prior curatorial experience is not required. This opportunity is open to Tsuut’ina nation members. 

The selected Tsuut’ina individual will work closely with the Public Art team (curators, collection specialists, conservators, liaisons) to create an exhibit of four to 12 artworks/art objects created by Tsuut’ina artists (the curator’s own artwork will not be allowed to be included). The exhibit will be available for communities and schools to book to learn about and connect with Tsuut’ina culture through art. 

With the guidance of the Indigenous curator, the selected artist will create a theme and select the artworks to be included in the exhibit. They will also learn about what is required to put together a public art exhibit, including but not limited to: 

• Budgeting (according to a set budget) 
• Artist visits 
• Exhibit design (including helping to create portable containers that keep artworks safe during transport) 
• Curatorial writing 

Who: Tsuut’ina nation members – artists and individuals interested in gaining work experience as a curator. 

What: Curate a Tsuut’ina educational travelling exhibit for The City of Calgary public art collection. 

Where: Hybrid work, online research, in-person research and events as needed, regular meetings with City of Calgary public art staff. 

Deadline to apply: April 18, 2025 

Project start: May 19, 2025 

Project end: Dec. 31, 2025 

How much: Curatorial fee of $7,000 + GST * This does NOT include an artwork purchase budget. 

Artist information sessions: 

For those interested in applying, free online and in-person artist information sessions are available. Please email indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca for dates, times, and locations. Attendance is not mandatory to qualify for this opportunity. 

How to apply: 

Full submission details and evaluation criteria can be downloaded here or viewed on The City’s website. The deadline to apply is April 18, 2025.  

Questions and clarifications: 

Submit all questions in writing to indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca before 4:00 p.m. MST on April 11, 2025. 

The City of Calgary recognizes and values equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging and unique dimensions of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, work style, communication style, learning preferences and others.  

_{Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert
Crowsnest Mountain and the Seven Sisters, 1989
oil on paper
Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts}

The holiday season is a wonderful time to reflect with family and friends. At the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, we are forging a deeper understanding of our role and responsibilities as Alberta’s provincial arts funder and principal supporter. We are in a period of renewal as we look forward to new opportunities. Whether it is the performing arts, literary, visual, film or video, the AFA’s job is to help individual artists and organizations explore, practice, create and promote their exceptional work.

We have a profound sense of optimism for the years ahead that is buoyed by the Alberta government’s commitment to increase AFA funding to a record-level $39.1 million by 2027. 
We look forward to continuing our work with government for the betterment of Alberta’s arts sector.

Art and Alberta’s artists are at the heart of everything that we do. In that vein, I’m proud to continue the AFA’s tradition of highlighting an artwork from our collection. This year, I’m pleased to feature Crowsnest Mountain and the Seven Sisters by Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert. 
This beautiful Indigenous work is representative of the mountain landscape in Southern Alberta. Cardinal-Schubert’s use of color is so appropriate during the holiday season.

On behalf of the AFA Board of Directors and staff, please accept my best wishes for a safe and restful holiday season, Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

Cynthia P. Moore, Chair

Alberta Foundation for the Arts

This research was conducted in six waves over the course of 2020 and 2021. This is a community resource that is FREE to access and results from the sixth wave of research are now available.

Findings for Alberta organizations from Wave 6 results include:

• Comfort has developed into a very predictable pattern that follows case numbers and now vaccine rates.
• Albertans will return at their own pace; participation hinges on personal comfort but also personal risk tolerance.
• There is a consensus that there will be less of a return to “normal” but rather a new way of doing things moving forward.
• Because Albertans have spent the past year and half discovering new things to do, the selection of what they can choose from now is quite vast.
• Spending habits are in flux, and at this point it is difficult to predict where Albertans will direct their money in the short term.

What are the implications for Alberta organizations?

• Even as restrictions have been removed, organizations still need to deal with comfort. As it stands, there is clear hesitancy in the audience and it will be important to communicate safety measures to make audiences comfortable when re-engaging.
• Organizations should keep in mind that public sentiment is a more useful barometer over government announcements. Gauging expectations for increased participation to occur will be based on a combination of comfort and risk tolerance.
• Organizations should expect more permanent (structural) changes to stick around – specifically related to organizational transparency, flexibility with refunds, new payment options, etc. These should be things that organizations consider keeping even if they are no longer required by the government.
• The main consideration for organizations remains flexibility – in terms of payment options, participation options, etc. This will allow for consideration on different levels as Albertans suss out how they want to direct their spending.

Download the reports:

• Alberta Report
• Calgary Report
• Edmonton Report

About the project

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts is pleased to be a funding partner in this collaboration with Stone-Olafson and other community leaders to develop a long-term research investigation and evaluate how current conditions will reshape Albertans’ attitudes and behaviours towards social and group activities, across a variety of sectors. The purpose of this work is to give leaders of community sports, recreation, arts and culture, professional sports, active living, heritage, tourism or hospitality sectors relevant facts about local audiences that they will need to bring life back to our communities.

The initiative was funded by:

• ActiveCITY Collective
• Alberta Foundation for the Arts
• Angus Reid
• ATB
• Calgary Arts Development
• Calgary Foundation
• Edmonton Arts Council
• Edmonton Community Foundation
• Rozsa Foundation
• Stone-Olafson
• Travel Alberta