Through this opportunity, you may apply to have your artworks purchased to become part of the AFA’s permanent Art Collection. View artwork currently included in the AFA Art Collection.
The AFA acquires artwork at fair market value. Fair market value is established by the record of sales of the artwork of the specific artist and comparable artwork by other artists who are peers working in similar media.
Artworks in one or more of the following categories are eligible for submission:
- drawing
- painting
- sculpture
- printmaking (excluding reproductions)
- fibre art
- ceramics
- photography
- glass
- mixed media
- new media (time-based media, electronic arts, audiovisual art)
Eligible artworks must be original works of art and physically available for viewing at the Capital Arts building in Edmonton, should the program expert panel request to see them. Exceptions for large works may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Artworks must be clean and in good physical condition.
- please note the expert panel process can take up to four months to complete following the deadline.
Eligible submissions
Artworks must have been completed within the last five years (calculated from the program deadline)
The AFA will consider a maximum of five artworks per artist. Please note that all artworks must be included in the same application.
If an artwork is comprised of more than one part/component where the individual parts/components can also be sold separately, it must be submitted as one artwork with one purchase value placed on it or five artworks must be selected from the whole, each submitted with an individual price.
Time based media artworks should be independently produced where the artist maintains ownership and creative control of the artwork. Artworks should be intended for a non-commercial, non-industry audience. Time-based media artworks that require specialized equipment must be provided as part of the submission. This requirement should be taken into account when pricing the work.
Only one application per artist can be submitted:
- if two applications are submitted for the same artist (for example, one from a gallery and one from an individual), the application received first is the only one which will be considered
Ineligible projects
Artworks deemed to be damaged or with inherent vice will be removed from adjudication. This includes, but is not limited to artworks with the following concerns:
- flaking or chipped paint, ceramics, or other materials
- curling, faded, ripped or otherwise damaged artworks
- artworks with surface scratches or abrasions
- artworks containing unstable materials that are not archival quality and are known to deteriorate over time
- artworks that are soiled and require surface cleaning
- artworks with warped or unstable stretchers
Photographs or prints glued or dry-mounted to aluminum, foamcore or any other substrate are not eligible for submission.
Frames, matting and mounting materials that are not archival should not be submitted.
The AFA will not consider artwork produced during workshops or seminars, during the time of formal art-training study, or resulting from art courses involving formal instruction.
Applied arts such as gaming, architecture, interior design, commercial photography, graphic arts and design and/or fashion design are not eligible for submission.
New media works produced for commercial purposes are not eligible.
Published books (photography or artwork images) are not eligible for submission.