Indigenous arts

_{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

Celebrate the opening of Sydney Frances Pascal: kw7íkwl̓acwmíntsinlhkan | i dream of you, at Mitchell Art Gallery on January 16 from 5:30 - 8:30 pm

kw7íkwl̓acwmíntsinlhkan | i dream of you brings together recent works by artist Sydney Frances Pascal that explore reconnection with family and culture through relationships with land, water, and language.

The event will begin with a video screening and Q&A session with artist Sydney Frances Pascal at 5:30 pm held at the Roundhouse Event Space, followed by a reception at 6:30 pm. in the Allard Hall Main Atrium. This event is free to attend and all are welcome - no RSVP is required. Light refreshments will be served. 

The Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge seeks a new Executive Director to assume a leadership position in 2025.
POSITION: Executive Director
Hours: Full-time, permanent position
Location: In-person, Lethbridge, Alberta
Website: artslethbridge.org/job-opportunities
Closing date: January 9, 11:59 pm

The Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge (AAC) is a not-for-profit, charitable organization that promotes and supports the growth and development of the arts sector in Lethbridge while upholding the values of creativity, collaboration and inclusiveness, professionalism and accountability.

Established in 1958, as a member-based society, the AAC is a multi-faceted organization whose activities include: advocacy on behalf of artists and arts organizations, increasing public understanding of and support for the arts, promoting arts events and initiatives, and creating events and opportunities for artists and the community to come together. The AAC is also responsible for the management of Casa the City of Lethbridge’s purpose-built community art centre.

The AAC seeks a dynamic, visionary and self-motivated leader to assume the position of Executive Director. The Executive Director will report to the AAC Board of Directors and will provide strategic and fiscal leadership for the organization. They will be accountable for the implementation of the Board’s strategic plan; oversight of all AAC policies, operations, services and programs, and the supervision of the AAC management team.

The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of the arts sector and its value to the broad community which will allow them to be an advocate for the AAC and the arts community. They will be recognized for their big-picture thinking skills and will have a proven record of implementing successful initiatives.  They will also demonstrate the ability to support and lead a diverse team. Their superior relationship-building and communication skills will allow them to collaborate with a variety of sector, community and government stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or a minimum 3 years management experience and demonstrated
  leadership in the Arts
• Experience working with a nonprofit organization; preferably an arts organization
• Strong planning, organizational and analytical skills
• Experience working with the media
• Experience developing and managing budgets and grant writing experience
• Knowledge of the Lethbridge and area arts sector

Primary areas of responsibility include but are not limited to:

• Board of Directors liaison and support
• Leadership, supervision and evaluation of senior staff
• Program development, management and evaluation
• Fiscal management, grant oversight and fund development
• Contract management
• Cultivating strong community relationships
• Liaison with City of Lethbridge administration

Qualified candidates are invited to submit a cover letter and resume with salary expectations and three references, to the attention of: Hiring Committee, Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge, hr@artslethbridge.org before January 9, 2025 at 11:59 pm. 

Interviews will be scheduled for Jan 21 - 24. Only candidates short-listed for interviews will be contacted. Expected start date is March 29, 2023. A Criminal Record check will be required. Compensation will be commensurate with experience (Salary Range: $78,000 - $83,000). This position comes with a competitive health benefits plan.

For further information, please contact:  Jon Oxley, Board President, by email at hr@artslethbridge.org

The Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge is an equal-opportunity employer. Employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.

The Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge acknowledges that we are gathered on the lands of the Blackfoot people of the Canadian Plains and pays respect to the Blackfoot people past, present and future while recognizing and respecting their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship to the land.  The City of Lethbridge is also home to the Metis Nation of Alberta, Region III.

Calling all Writers: Open Submissions Now Live!

Do you have a story to share? Wild Skies Press is now seeking submissions for upcoming book titles.

Fiction, non-fiction, poetry–we want to hear from you!

Submit before January 30 2025 to be considered for the 2025-2026 season, with early submissions highly encouraged.

Don’t miss the chance to bring your work to life with a publisher that values your voice. 

Visit wildskiespress.com/call-for-writers/ for more details about our submissions process and to learn about what makes Wild Skies Press the right publisher for you. 

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

On November 17, the Canada Council for the Arts announced the 2021 winners of the Governor General’s Literary Awards (GGBooks). Inuk writer, Dr. Norma Dunning, who is based in Edmonton, Alberta, has been awarded the English-language fiction prize for her short story collection Tainna: The Unseen Ones.

About the writer

On top of being a writer, Dr. Norma Dunning is also a scholar, researcher, professor and grandmother. Her previous short story collection, Annie Muktuk and Other Stories (University of Alberta Press, 2017), received the Danuta Gleed Literary Award, the Howard O’Hagan Award for short stories and the Bronze Foreword INDIES award for short stories. 

About the book

Six powerful short stories centred on modern-day Inuk characters are woven together in Tainna. Dr. Dunning drew on both lived experience and cultural memory, to write Tainna—meaning “the unseen ones” and pronounced Da‑e‑nn‑a.

Read more about Tainna.

About the GGBooks

The 14 best books of 2021 published in Canada, were selected by peer assessment committees that chose award winners from 70 finalists in seven categories, in both English and in French.

• Jenna Butler (Barrhead, Alberta) was listed as finalist for Revery: A Year of Bees under the English-language non-fiction category.

Founded in 1936, the Governor General's Literary Awards are among Canada's oldest and most prestigious prizes for literature. There are seven categories, awarded in both French and English, with $25,000 going to each winning book.

More information

Read more on CBC News.

June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada – a time to recognize the history, heritage and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada. By reflecting on the past, we can learn more about Indigenous peoples and communities' contributions and sacrifices, and we can walk the path towards reconciliation.

Our Board members, Tom Jackson and Andrea True Joy Fox, created a land acknowledgement video on behalf of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA). Watch below: 

The AFA enthusiastically support Indigenous arts as a unique, distinct arts discipline. We collect artworks by Indigenous artists to preserve, exhibit and promote. We encourage all Albertans to learn about the rich culture and artistic expressions of Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island.

During National Indigenous History Month you can:

• Discover amazing artwork by Indigenous artists in the AFA's collection.
• Participate in upcoming events throughout the province. 

Image description

Two moose in geometric multi-color triangles of different shades of green, pink, orange, blue, and purple are in a forest of green trees and hills. The text says "National Indigenous History Month" and "June".