AFA News

On September 29, 2022, we marked the 50th Anniversary of the AFA Art Collection. As part of the celebrations, we are sharing snippets from the history of the collection. 
Learn more about the celebrations! 

By Larissa Hauck, former Art Collections Officer, and Kristin Stoesz, Art Collections Registrar

How often do you imagine AFA staff will discover an unknown collection of Alberta art while out on assignment? Well, it’s happened at least once!

The AFA's Art Placement Program began in 1976 as a way to ensure Albertans have the opportunity to enjoy the collection and enhance public spaces in government offices and buildings, and nonprofit organizations. The AFA currently has more than 100 Art Placement Program loans throughout Alberta.

The discovery

In July 2015, AFA Art Placement staff travelled to the downtown Edmonton office of the Government of Alberta's former Public Affairs Bureau to remove all of the artwork on loan in preparation for their move to the Edmonton Federal Building (now officially known as the Queen Elizabeth II Building).

As staff removed artwork from the walls and wrapped the works to prepare for shipping, they discovered a unique collection of 25 artworks that were not part of the AFA Art Collection, nor any of Alberta's other 14 provincial art collections.

Carole Bondaroff, Rosebud, 1985, etching on paper

It was almost too good to be true! With early artworks by prominent Albertan artists such as Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert and Carol Bondaroff, it seemed like a lost cultural treasure had been discovered. 

As AFA staff pondered over these new discoveries a few questions came to mind like:

• where did this art come from?
• why was it created?
• how did it end up in the Public Affairs Bureau?

Each of the artworks had envelopes secured to the back that held a fragment of information about the artist and artwork. It was apparent that the research into this collection had only just begun...

The mystery unravels...

It turned out that these artworks were owned by the Public Affairs Bureau, which originally commissioned them for the Alberta Pavilion at the 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication in Vancouver. Upon completion of the event, the artworks were relocated to Edmonton.

Expo 86 Scan

AFA staff suggested the possibility of a transfer of these artworks to the AFA Art Collection. The works were well-suited for both art placement and exhibition programming, and they reflected the history of the Government of Alberta’s involvement in Expo 1986.

Both parties agreed that the artworks would benefit from being transferred to the AFA as it would:

• increase public access to the works 
• promote Alberta artists
• ensure proper care through the AFA’s maintenance and conservation programs.

The transfer was completed in March 2016. The artworks are a valuable addition to the AFA collection as they address gaps in representation of artwork from sections of the Alberta visual arts community.

The artists

In addition to Cardinal-Schubert and Bondaroff, the 25 artworks included work by Albertan artists Ken Christopher, Amy Loewan, Helen Mackie, Irene McCaugherty, Stan Phelps and Jim Stokes.

Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert

Among the artworks, AFA staff discovered six oil pastel on paper drawings by Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert.

Cardinal-Schubert was a highly regarded member of the visual arts community, not only as an artist working in variety of visual mediums, but also as a poet, lecturer, activist, and advocate for First Nations People. In 1994, she was awarded the Commemorative Medal of Canada for contribution to the Arts in Canada. In 2003, Cardinal-Schubert was granted an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Law, from the University of Calgary.

The six artworks were completed from 1980-1985, and are strong examples of the artist’s work from this period.

Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert, This is the Earth, 1985, oil pastel on paper

Helen Mackie

Also discovered were five works by Helen Mackie, who who was active in Alberta’s visual arts community for several decades.

Mackie was a member of the Calgary Allied Arts Foundation, the Secretary and Treasurer of the Alberta Society of Artists, and the Alberta Printmaker’s Society. Her work resides in local, national, and international collections, including the Glenbow Museum and Nickle Galleries in Calgary, MacEwan University in Edmonton, the Canada Council Art Bank in Ottawa, and the Windsor Castle Library in England.

Mackie’s artworks continue to be popular in the AFA's Art Placement and TREX programs. Cows Near Night was included in the 2016 TREX Region 2 (programmed by the Art Gallery of Alberta) exhibition entitled Cattle Call. The below etching and woodblock print on paper is a strong example of Mackie’s work that highlights Alberta’s prairie landscapes and cattle culture.

Helen Mackie, Cows Near Night, n.d., etching and woodblock on paper

The AFA Art Collection continues to grow through acquisition methods including the Art Acquisition by Application Program, Curatorial Acquisition Program and through generous donations by individuals and organizations.

A Message from AFA Board Chair Mary Rozsa de Coquet

For fifty years, the AFA Art Collection has been collecting, preserving and sharing artworks by Alberta artists.

Our collection is the largest, most active, and one of the oldest of 16 provincially owned art collections. It is a visual history of the development and evolution of the Alberta arts community and our culture and heritage. It is our story… as told by individual artists through a variety of mediums.

On September 29, we acknowledge and kick off the celebrations for this momentous milestone! We are celebrating our past by developing a documentary video series about the history of the AFA Art Collection, and we are investing in our future by supporting Alberta artists with a one-time micro-grant program.

Watch a teaser trailer for the video series below:

We look forward to sharing the first episode of this series later this fall. In the meantime, individual artists are encouraged to apply for $2,500 Micro-Grants to support arts projects that engage in dialogue on visual culture in our province. The deadline to apply is December 1, and you can apply even if you already have an open grant application with the AFA. Review the guidelines.

We are thrilled that our AFA Travelling Exhibition (TREX) partners have curated special art exhibitions in honour of the anniversary, which will tour across Alberta until 2025. Annually, more than 600,000 visitors enjoy TREX exhibitions in more than 150 venues, so this is a wonderful way for Albertans to view Alberta art in person, and learn more about the collection. 

The AFA Art Collection actually pre-dates the AFA itself, as the collection was first established in 1972 by the Government of Alberta as the “Alberta Art Collection.” After the AFA was created in 1991, our foundation was charged with the ongoing management, care and growth of the collection as part of our core mandate to support the development of the arts in Alberta. In addition to the video series, we will be sharing stories of the history of the collection throughout this year on our website and through social media. Read the first story.

The AFA Art Collection is a public treasure that we at the AFA are honored to steward. We look forward to celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the collection, and all of the artists currently represented, and all those to come. As always, we encourage you to browse through images of more than 9,000 artworks from the collection at alberta.emuseum.com.

Learn more about the anniversary at affta.ab.ca/collection.

Sincerely,

Mary Rozsa de Coquet, Chair

Contact the Chair at afacontact@gov.ab.ca

On September 29, 2022, we marked the 50th Anniversary of the AFA Art Collection. As part of the celebrations, we are sharing snippets from the history of the collection. 
Learn more about the celebrations! 

By Gail Lint, Arts Collections Consultant

You may recognize the building by its easily identifiable artwork that has become familiar to the area’s landscape.

You may have walked past and wondered why there is a bunch of faces on the side of a building.

You may not even know it exists...

Sandra Bromley, “It’s About Time”, 2006, digital photographs, laminated glass, aluminium (Collection of the AFA) 

What am I looking at? 

The home base for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) and the AFA Art Collection. We are located in downtown Edmonton, just north of MacEwan University in the Capital Arts Building.

Capital Arts became our home in 2006 when the AFA Art Collection moved from Beaver House, where it had resided since the 1970s, and the Arts Development (grants) section relocated from the Standard Life Centre on Jasper Avenue, to gather under one roof.

Where did the artwork come from?

To commemorate the opening of the building, and in recognition of the 2005 Alberta Centennial, the AFA launched a commission project to source an artwork for the external wall at the entrance of the building.

The commission was invitational and three well-established, professional Alberta artists were invited to submit proposals. An external expert panel consisting of art professionals, artists and art educators reviewed and adjudicated the submissions.

The commission was awarded by the AFA in partnership with The Works Visual Arts Society to Edmonton artist Sandra Bromley. Her proposal: to create a laminated glass and photographic mural incorporating one hundred images of Albertans “documented” over the course of Alberta’s history.

What was the artist's intention?

In the words of the artist, the mural It’s About Time:

 “... embraces and celebrates our Alberta narrative through a collection of one hundred snapshots revealing the qualities we all share. The matrix of images captures the pioneering strength of homesteaders and adventurers, the independent spirit of our cowboys, the joy of friendship, and the value of Albertans just doing ordinary things.

The artwork is intended to make us laugh, empathize and connect with times gone past and wonder at all the lives lived. It is a celebration of Alberta’s culture and history in all its many forms.”

Sandra Bromley, “It’s About Time”, 2006, digital photographs, laminated glass, aluminium (detail east wall)  (Collection of the AFA) 

In the proposed concept in 2005 the artist, Sandra Bromley included the following description:

“Twelve years ago I moved back to Edmonton from a stay of over thirteen years in London, England. During the first week of my return I took a bus from Whyte Avenue to the downtown core. The bus was packed with people representing a score of cultural groups. I was surprised by how multicultural the passengers on the bus were, and I was absolutely mesmerized by the richness of all the different facial structures and the inflections and tempo of the different languages.

It struck me that each person had a fascinating and widely variant story to tell. I was curious as to what the stories were. The power, excitement, and richness of that initial impression of the people who live in Alberta has never left me.”

The mural provides the viewer a glimpse into a captured moment of time and a direct visual and emotional link to the people who both inhabit and historically helped build the province of Alberta.

Where did the images come from?

The historical portrait images were derived from a wide variety of sources including museums and archives, old photo albums, junk shops, historical societies and garage sales and were chosen for their visual character, influential personalities and documentation of historical events.

To obtain images of the present, Bromely travelled throughout the province photographing individuals and accepting other people’s photographs of family and friends.

Sandra Bromley, “It’s About Time”, 2006, digital photographs, laminated glass, aluminium (detail south wall)  (Collection of the AFA)

Regardless of how often one gazes at the mural, an image always seems to appear that has not been noticed or focused upon in past viewings. The mural has a life of its own as it documents and speaks to our sense of place. Whether we recognize or identify with an image becomes our own personal experience on every viewing.

Easter eggs!

Images of Alberta’s noted visual artists include Peter von Tiesenhausen, Doug Haynes, Gordon Ferguson, Isla Burns, and Phil Darrah to name a few.

On a second viewing you may focus on celebrated singer songwriter Corb Lund, the legendary Lois Hole, Edmonton town crier Pete Jamieson or pioneer mountain guide Bill Peyto all interspersed with images of WWII soldiers, farmers, and everyday Albertans.

Sandra Bromley, “It’s About Time”, 2006, digital photographs, laminated glass, aluminum (detail Lois Hole)

If you have yet to experience the mural maybe It’s About Time to check out a downtown landmark.

To access other artworks by artist Sandra Bromley included in the art collection, visit the AFA's Virtual Museum. 

Sandra Bromley, “It’s About Time”, 2006, digital photographs, laminated glass, aluminum (detail Sandra Bromley)

Our intrepid Arts Development Consultant and luminary in Edmonton community theatre, Barb Mah is retiring from the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA). 

Her dance and theatre training combined with a formal business education means that she is equally at ease in a rehearsal studio or doing a forensic analysis of your latest financial statement. 

Here's a bit more about Barb as we bid her adieu as she seeks new adventures!

Artist profile

We asked Barb about her artistic practice and career:

How many shows have you worked on in your career?

Over 50 - too many to count...

If you could only do one: Directing, acting, choreography or teaching?

Teaching, followed closely by directing. (In community theatre, they’re much the same.)

What’s one of your favourite memories working in theatre?

A production of The Rocky Horror Show. The cast was so tight that we could have performed for no audience and would have been happy. At the cast party, we all slept over at the theatre as we were so reluctant to let it go. (I don’t even like that show that much, but that cast…)

What’s one of your proudest moments as a teacher?

So many good moments, but watching students suddenly “get it” (usually in movement, which for those that don’t have a movement/dance background, they can struggle with).

This is directing-related but, during one show, I hired a teen in a cast of otherwise adults (I didn’t realize he was that young). A quiet young man that, during the course of rehearsal and doing the show, came out of his shell. I received a heartfelt note at the end, telling me he had started the show in a depressed state of mind, and that the show had given him back his life. 

What show have you always wanted to work on, but haven’t yet had a chance?

Bucket list: Merrily We Roll Along (I came close: pre-pandemic, I had actually cast it. Then COVID. We did a “first/last” read on Zoom and then everyone went home and cried.) But I have been very lucky in being able to do shows that are dear to my heart. One of these days…

What will you be up to next?

Next show (also a bucket list item): Austentatious, by a local (Calgary) writer. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice gone completely off the rails. I became aware of this show over 15 years ago when the AFA funded its initial production. (It has since played Off Broadway and across the pond).

Anything to add? 

Other crazy interests: Star Trek and Regency cos-play. (I’m a costumer as well and am crazy about costumes, I’m a decent sewist – have been my whole life.)

Barb and the AFA

Early days

Barbara Mah started working for Alberta Culture and Multiculturalism In May of 1989. You will note that Barb's career pre-dates the establishment of the AFA in 1991, which was an amalgamation of three former government-funded arts foundations. (Learn more about the orgins of the AFA.)

She joined the Touring Section of the Performing Arts Branch, which occupied a space on the 11th floor of Edmonton's CN Tower, sharing space with the Music Section, Theatre and Dance section, administration, and the performing arts library. This was an arts resource owned by the ministry with a large collection of records, music scores, plays, and other lending materials. 

• The playscript library is now owned and operated by Theatre Alberta Society, and has since expanded to more than 23,000 titles!

While grants were an important part of what we did, equally important was the community programming and capacity building. This took the form of classes, conferences, live auditions, hands-on creation of support organizations, newsletters, etc.
~Barb Mah

The largest activity supported by Barb's section was the annual Alberta Showcase conference. Back then, it was a four-day affair where hundreds of presenters and artists were assembled to encourage bookings throughout Alberta. Performances were presented at the Citadel Theatre and the Library theatre in Edmonton. 

• Alberta Showcase is now operated by the Arts Touring Alliance of Alberta.

The AFA is born

In 1991, Barb was part of a four-person task force charged with creating a transition plan to support amalgamation to establish the AFA, and to create workable programs. There were huge changes associated with this transition, but Barb notes one significant move: 

One change we implemented was the introduction of outside adjudicators (our expert panels), based on a model that we had used with some granting on the government side prior to amalgamation – much of it based on the work done by the theatre, dance, and music sections of the former performing arts branch.

The Expert Panel model remains a cornerstone of AFA adjudication of project grants. Learn more about how the AFA adjudicates funding requests. Barb was also instrumental in the development of community support programs, which is now the Community Support Organziations operating funding program.

With the AFA throughout the years...

The Rotting Donkeys is the name of the fictional band that the grants section created (despite the fact that nobody played any instrument or could sing), and we created several albums (complete with artwork and song titles, but never any actual songs). The name of the band came from a grant extension request: a film client needed an extension, as his film included a literal dead rotting donkey in it... and the decay had not gone far enough by the time the reporting deadline hit. You take your inspiration where you can get it...

Barb has been with the AFA through all of its major milestones:

• the AFA's first website, and eventually the adoption of the GATE Front Office online application system
• the move from Beaver House to Capital Arts Building
• Alberta Art Days (now Alberta Culture Days)
• Alberta at the Smithsonian
• introduction of Aboriginal Organization and Alboriginal Traditional Arts grants (now Indigenous Arts Individual Project Funding)
• The AFA's 25th Anniversary and the AFA Art Collection's 50th Anniversary

... and more. We will miss her very much!

^{Pictured above: Jessica Linnebach’s solo debut, age seven. 1991 – one of the very first AFA grant recipients!}

Join the AFA in recognizing its 30th Anniversary and the annual Month of the Artist by celebrating our local artists and arts organizations, and learning more about the fabric of our arts community. 

This article, originally written by Kelsie Tetreau, examines where the Alberta Foundation for the Arts comes from and how it all began...

You may know the AFA as a source of arts funding, or the host of the provincial art collection. Maybe you frequently browse arts opportunities on the AFA's News feed. Or perhaps you’ve simply noticed our logo on a label beside a work of art you saw in passing. But to truly get a sense of what the AFA is and what it means to Alberta’s arts community, we need to start at the beginning…

Alberta became the first province in Canada to formalize public support of the arts and culture through the passing of the Cultural Development Act in 1946. This was a milestone in Canada’s national artistic heritage. What followed was the establishment of several provincial organizations, bodies and projects that formed the skeleton of what is now known as the AFA.

The Alberta Art Foundation (AAF) was established in 1972, the first of three lottery-funded bodies mandated to support cultural development in Alberta.  At first, the AAF did not focus on grants; rather, it was assigned the task of collecting art on behalf of the people of Alberta. The first piece of art ever acquired to the AAF Art Collection was a piece called Portrait of Don Getty, a print featuring former Alberta Premier Don Getty’s Edmonton Eskimos player card.

Portrait of Don Getty, Unknown Artist

In preparation for Alberta’s 75^th anniversary celebrations in 1980, the Visual Arts Branch of Alberta Culture launched a province-wide traveling exhibition program that featured a number of exhibitions drawn from the AAF collection. When the program wrapped up at the end of the year there was such demand from communities around the province that the AAF decided to continue the program, which still runs today as the TREX Program.

With the creation of the Alberta Foundation for the Performing Arts in 1978 and the Alberta Foundation for the Literary Arts in 1984, the province had a variety of approaches to supporting different sectors of the cultural community. In 1991 the government decided to combine the Alberta Foundation for the Performing Arts, the Alberta Foundation for the Literary Arts and the Alberta Art Foundation into one.

Thus, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts was born on September 6, 1991.

The first AFA board included three members from each of the Alberta Art Foundation, the Alberta Foundation for the Performing Arts and the Alberta Foundation for the Literary Arts, plus three members drawn from the public. The new AFA picked up where the three organizations left off with distributing arts grants and acquiring artwork for the provincial collection, but expanded to hire administration staff, and began using expert panel juries to inform more grant decisions.

The first AFA board and logo

A notable grant recipient from the first year of the AFA was seven-year-old Jessica Linnebach. Hailed as a musical prodigy, Jessica received an AFA grant which helped her attend the Canadian Music Competitions in Ottawa, where her mark of 99% from the jury gave her a share of the National Competition First Prize and the Birks Family Foundation Scholarship.

Since her soloist debut, Jessica appeared with major orchestras throughout North America, Europe and Asia. She was accepted to the world-renowned Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia at the age of ten, and remains one of the youngest ever Bachelor of Music graduates in the history of the school. 

Jessica has twice won the Grand Prize at the Canadian Music Competition, has won major prizes at the Young Concert Artists and Philadelphia Orchestra competitions, and in 2000 won the Sylva M. Gelber Music Foundation Award presented to the most gifted Canadian musician under the age of 30. Jessica has been a member of the first violin section of the National Arts Centre Orchestra since 2003 and named their Associate Concertmaster in April 2010.

Jessica Linnebach (Photo by Fred Cattroll via nac-cna.ca)

Since 1991, the AFA’s granting program has grown to support thousands of artists, organizations and projects create a vibrant arts community in Alberta. 

How will you take part in art this September and support artists? Share your experiences through social media by tagging the AFA and using the hashtag #TakePartInArt.

On September 29, 2022, we marked the 50th Anniversary of the AFA Art Collection. As part of the celebrations, we are sharing snippets from the history of the collection. 
Learn more about the celebrations! 

By Erin McDonald, former Manager, Art Collection, and Gail Lint, Art Collections Consultant

The formative years of the AFA Art Collection were benefited from the generous donations of artworks from artists, collectors and benefactors. 

Donations were the stepping stones to building the collection in the first year – without them the collection may have faced a challenging time to establish its reputation and credibility!

A.Y. Jackson

In 1973, the AFA received an unprecedented donation of 18 drawings by illustrious Group of Seven artist A.Y. Jackson. Jackson spent time in Alberta documenting the landscape while visiting his cousin in the Lethbridge area.

A.Y. Jackson, Rolling Landscape with Ranch, 1940, pencil on paper

Later the same year another donor approached the Foundation with a gift of an A.Y. Jackson oil painting, Northland Tapestry. This work has been loaned to major institutions for numerous exhibitions:

A.Y. Jackson, Northland Tapestry, 1950, oil on board 

Arthur Lismer

Artwork by Arthur Lismer, another artist of Group of Seven fame, was gifted to the collection through a private estate. People may not realize that some of Canada’s most celebrated artists can be found in the holdings of the AFA's provincial art collection.

Arthur Lismer, High Glacier, c. 1926-1928, oil on board

Emily Carr

Another highlight of the  collection is acclaimed Canadian artist Emily Carr, represented by two artworks gifted in 1977 by a gallery owner in Eastern Canada. Without the "art of giving," these Canadian icons may never have found their way into the AFA Art Collection.

Emily Carr, Market by the Sea, Brittany, 1911, watercolour on paper

Throughout the years acquisition by donation has been one of the foundational building blocks to create a diverse, intrinsic and invaluable legacy collection. Alberta artists have contributed to the holdings with donations from their personal collections, including their own artworks and those of colleagues.

James and Marion Nicoll

Major donations from Calgary based artists James (Jim) and Marion Nicoll, during their days of productivity, and from their estate, increased the holdings by more than 400 artworks. They were considered instrumental in the development of the Alberta art scene, and influenced and mentored numerous artists who became key players in the province.

Unknown, James and Marion Nicoll, n.d., silver gelatin on paper

Their artistic styles were polar opposites! Jim focused on a traditional academic approach...

1981.155.002 James Nicoll, Home of Paint, n.d., oil and ink on canvas board

... which was contrasted by Marion’s eclectic exploration of modernist design and abstracted form.

Marion Nicoll, January, 1969, woodblock on paper

Illingworth Kerr

In 1978, a gift from Illingworth Kerr featured a suite of more than 50 drawings illustrating circus scenes and a journey to Africa. This was followed by an additional donation in 1982 and 1983 of lino cut print portfolios depicting fauna accompanied by the original lino blocks.

Illingworth Kerr, Magpies, Winter Sun, n.d., linocut on paper

Illingworth Kerr, Magpies Winter Sun, n.d., original lino block & synthetic floor tile,

R Gyo-Zo Spickett

A donation deserving honourable mention came to the AFA in 1993 from Calgary artist R Gyo-Zo Spickett (formerly known as Ron Spickett). A celebrated figure in the Alberta art scene, Spickett was also an educator and mentor at the Alberta University of the Arts (formerly known as the Alberta College of Art and Design) and the University of Calgary.

• Through his commitment to Zen Buddhism, the artist changed his name to Gzo-Spickett and eventually shifted his focus to music. At the time of this donation the artist had not painted since 1981, though he did return to his visual art practice in his later years.

Spickett held the AFA Art Collection in high regards and, although other institutions expressed interest in his artworks, he gave the AFA the first opportunity to make a selection. AFA staff visited the artist’s studio and recommended 24 paintings be accepted as a gift from the artist.

R. Gyo-Zo Spickett, Dream Painting, 1974, oil on canvas

In 2009, a major retrospective was on exhibit at the Univeristy of Calgary Nickle Galleries featuring artworks from public and private collections. A catalogue by the curator, Geoffrey Simmons, entitled Spirit Matters: Ron (Gyo-Zo) Spickett, Artist, Poet, Lay Priest was published to accompany the exhibition. The AFA loaned 33 artworks to the exhibit, the majority of them having been gifted to the foundation by the artist.

Artist upon artists...

Donations to the AFA Art Collection account for more than 26 per cent of our artworks in 2022. Significant donations have been received during the past 50 years, which has helped the AFA build the curatorial representation of some of the major artists in Alberta.

To name and credit all the donations to the AFA collection would require a year of blog posts! A few additional donations worthy of mention (but only a sampling of them) include:

• Janet Mitchell
• Graham Peacock
• Sveva Caetani
• Robert Chelmick
• Kay Angliss (Alberta Society of Artists Highlights Prints – a complete set)
• RFM McInnis
• Jacques Rioux
• George Webber (photographer)
• George Weber (printmaker)
• Ron Kostyniuk
• Sylvain Voyer
• Robert Scott
• Hazel Litzgus
• Greg Payce
• Don Wells
• Murray MacDonald
• Peter Hide
• Arlene Wasylynchuk (estate)
• John Clark (estate)
• Les Graff 
• ... and so many more!

Les Graff, Garden Things/Still Life, 2006, oil on canvas

The "art of giving" to the AFA collection has been an invaluable to building this treasured art collection. A sincere thank you to all the donors and benefactors – where would we be without you?

A new way to give

In June 2022, the AFA announced the new Arts Sector Donation Program. This program is designed to foster and contribute to the growth and development of the arts in Alberta by accepting cash donations from donors that wish to support AFA programs and services.

The AFA can accept cash donations from individuals, nonprofit organizations, public and private foundations registered as charities, and private sector organizations. Qualifying cash donations of $50 or more are eligible to receive an official donation receipt. 

To celebrate 25 years of the AFA, we’re taking a look back at how we came to be, favourite milestones, and some of the amazing artists we’ve encountered along the way. 

By Daniela Navia, Research and Information, and Margaret Ingibergsson, Policy and Planning

The AFA Board of Directors not only provides leadership for our agency, it is our vital link to the Alberta arts community. Each member of our board has a background or a passion for the arts in our province, and many are artists themselves. The board is responsible for allocating the annual budget, approving AFA grants and scholarships, approving and monitoring the acquisition, exhibition and preservation of works in the AFA Art Collection, and developing the AFA Strategic Plan. Most importantly, members of our board hail from all around the province, as you can see from the map below, providing staff with wide range of community perspectives.

Click on the pins in the GoogleMap to see where our past and present board members are from. Are any from your town?

Over the years, the AFA has seem some exciting highlights. Here are some key events from each board chair’s term.

Joan Udell, Hinton, Chair from 2014 to 2016 

• AFA pledges $50,000 in matching funding for individual donations to the Alberta Arts Rebuild Fund to support members of the arts community affected by the 2013 Alberta Floods.
• What is Your Art? awareness campaign reached out to Albertans through television commercials, online advertising and social media, and encouraged Albertans to celebrate  and share the art in their lives.
• The AFA Art House, an online visual database featuring more than 8,500 works from the AFA Art Collection, completed and launched.
• The AFA incorporated online grant application through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s new Grant Administration Tracking and Evaluation (GATE) system.

Mark T. Phipps, Canmore, Chair from 2010 to 2013 

• A special three-part artwork commission was purchased to celebrate the 75^th Anniversary of the Banff Centre for the Arts.
• New AFA online resources launched, including website, AFA Newswire, Facebook page and Twitter feed.
• Thinking About the Arts: Recommended Resources published on AFA website.

Audrey Luft, Edmonton, Chair from 2007 to 2009 

• Alberta Creative Development Initiative launched by AFA and Canada Council for the Arts to further support development of the arts in Alberta over three years.
• The Healthy Agency Toolkit published on AFA website.
• The AFA was a partner in the first Alberta Arts Days in 2008.
• The AFA supported more than 80 Albertan artists/ensembles to participate in the Cultural Olympiad during the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Games

Dr. Jeffrey Anderson, Fort McMurray, Chair from 2003 to 2004  

• AFA partners with the Alberta Performing Arts Stabilization Fun to promote good board governance practices.
• The Artists and Education and Post-Secondary Institution grant streams introduced.
• Economic Impact of the Arts in Alberta research study published and distributed.
• AFA awards three Centennial Art Commissions and 54 Centennial Medals to artists, arts administrators, arts supporters, and volunteers.
• Action plan to enhance AFA’s support of Aboriginal arts launched.
• AFA moves into its new home: Capital Arts Building in Edmonton.

John "Jock" Osler, Calgary, Chair from 1994 to 2001 

• Introduction and implementation of the Client Statistics Report for AFA funded organizations.
• New funding formula for public art galleries introduced.
• New grant program structure introduced in September 2000 provides a broader range of arts support to encourage greater community support and increase stability of the sector.
• AFA partnership with Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation begins to provide funding for Arts Camp Youth Workers as part of Alberta Future Leaders (AFL) program.
• Total annual attendance exceeds 12 million for AFA supported events and exhibitions.

R. C. Jarvis, Edmonton, Chair from 1991 to 1994 

• The AFA is founded on September 6, 1991.
• Development and establishment of the Rural Alberta Project (1993-94) and the Alberta Performing Arts Stabilization Fund (1994-95, in partnership with the Kahanoff Foundation of Calgary).
• Matching grant component made available to public institutions and non-profit organizations added to the Art Commission Program.
• “Investing in Art” television initiative, hosted by Leslie Nielsen, broadcast on CBC, PBS (Spokane), ITV, and ACCESS networks.

We have an important update for artists interested in applying for Music Individual Project Funding by March 1. AFA music grant applicants must now upload music samples directly into their GATE Front Office online application.

What does this mean for you?

Music applicants must now upload two audio samples as attachments to their application. This includes those artists applying for career development, training, or marketing projects.

Samples should reflect your artistic practice, and may include:

• scratch demos
• high-quality demos
• past commercial recording
• recordings of previous compositions or scores
• or two other representative works

Only arts administrators that are applying for training or career development projects are exempt.

• these applicants can upload a blank document as attachments to complete their applications

Format and resources

File size is limited and artists must prepare their samples accordingly. Each audio file must be:

• under 5 minutes
• in MP3 or AAC format
• no larger than 8MB

We encourage artists to edit their files into the required format and length before submitting their applications. Free online resources include:

• Pro Tools
• Reaper
• Garageband
• Audacity

New requirements for music commissions

Music applicants for Commission projects must attached a signed contract by commissioners.

We strongly encourage applicants to use the Model Composer Commissioning Contract, available through the Canadian League of Composers.

• download the contract

More information

You can find more information about how to attach audio files to your application in Music grant guidelines under How to apply.

• view the guidelines

Next deadline

March 1, 2023. The AFA must receive your application by 11:59 p.m. MST on the deadline.

Current applicants and recipients

If you have already submitted an application for March 1, your Arts Development Consultant will update your application on your behalf.

If you are a current recipient of an AFA Music grant and still need to submit your report, you can also upload audio files directly to GATE Front Office. Please visit the Music grant guidelines under Reporting for requirements.

• view the guidelines

Questions?

Contact Jason Flammia, Arts Development Consultant – Music.

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) was honoured to select 15 recipients from Alberta's arts community to receive Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medals. 

While Alberta has no shortage of incredible individuals who have enriched Alberta and its arts sector with their dedication and mastery, the AFA was privileged to recognize 15 outstanding individuals for their contributions.

Two presentation ceremonies were held in Edmonton on January 30 and in Calgary on February 2, where the AFA presented the medals to the recipients.

Recipients recognized during the Calgary ceremony

Back row (from left to right): David Chantler, Jean Grand-Maître, Yves Trépanier, Jason Carter, Paul Baay (AFA Acting Chair)
Front row (from left to right): Claude Lapalme, Vicki Adams Willis, Maurice Lorieau (missing: Haysam Kadri)

David Chantler – Calgary 

David Chantler is the Founder and Producing Director of one of Canada’s oldest & largest children’s theatre companies. With two companies touring, Trickster trains artists and also creates on-line & in-person curriculum-based activities in 75% of Alberta communities, 20% of which are Indigenous.

Jean Grand-Maître – Calgary 

Jean Grand-Maître is widely recognized as among the most successful Canadian choreographers and artistic directors of his generation. He joined Alberta Ballet in 2002 and elevated the profile of the organization globally including collaborations with music icons such as Sir Elton John and K.D.lang.

Yves Trépanier – Calgary 

Yves Trépanier is a leading figure and champion of visual art, volunteering on many boards including the Glenbow Museum, Contemporary Calgary, the inaugural CADA board and collaborating with AU Arts. Yves has used his internationally known commercial gallery to launch many notable local artists.

Jason Carter – Canmore 

Jason Carter is an Indigenous sculptor, painter, illustrator and public artist from the Little Red River Cree Nation.  He grew up in Edmonton and was the only Alberta artist to have his own solo show at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and has also illustrated 5 children’s books.

Claude Lapalme – Red Deer

The tireless efforts of Claude Lapalme over the past 32 years have given Red Deer a fully professional orchestra – the only city of its size in Canada to accomplish this. In addition to his Music Director duties, he has also become a world-renowned orchestrator, and created the Choir Kids program.

Vicki Adams Willis – Calgary 

Vicki Adams Willis is Founder in Residence at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks and has changed the jazz dance art form in Canada. She is a brilliant teacher and choreographer who has developed a generation of dancers and built a sustainable audience. 

Maurice Lorieau – Calgary 

Maurice Lorieau was the founding visionary for Calgary Opera 50 years ago and made it happen. As a singer and also helping others to sing, he always had one approach that has lasted for the past fifty years and that was to “make Opera available to everyone”.

Haysam Kadri – Calgary 

Haysam joined The Shakespeare Company in 2012. Under his leadership, it has enjoyed countless nominations, significantly expanded its audience base and created innovative outreach programs. He is a sought after post-secondary Theatre Arts instructor and a national award-winning actor and director.

Recipients recognized during the Edmonton ceremony

Back row (from left to right): Vivek Shraya, Terry Wickham, Shelley Switzer, Marlon Wilson, Richard Wong (AFA Board member)
Front row (from left to right): Jane Ash Poitras, Natasha Deen and Michelle Wong

Vivek Shraya – Calgary 

Vivek Shraya is a trans artist of colour whose body of work crosses boundaries of music, literature, visual art, theatre, and film. She has been previously nominated for the Polaris Music Prize, is a seven-time Lambda Literary Award finalist, and founder of V.S. Books which supports BIPOC writers.

Terry Wickham – Edmonton 

Under Terry’s leadership, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival has expanded in size and scope – showcasing Alberta artists, attracting national and international artists and many genres of folk music. Terry produces a world-class music festival every summer and embraces a vision of inclusivity.

Shelley Switzer – Edmonton 

With decades of leadership experience as a Festival and Events Producer, Shelley expanded the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival into a large scale, inclusive and accessible community festival. She currently teaches at NAIT and is a sought-after consultant for festivals.

Marlon Wilson – Edmonton 

Marlon Wilson is a hip-hop artist and central member of Edmonton and Alberta’s hip-hop scene. He is a founding member of the award-winning group Politic Live and performs as solo artist Arlo Maverick.  He has also mentored many of Edmonton and Calgary’s emerging hip-hop and R&B artists.

Dr. Jane Ash Poitras – Edmonton

Born in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, Dr. Poitras’ work is truly original and spans a range of topics and perspectives through art. She is an exciting storyteller and works in a variety of media including painting and mixed-media collages that have been featured around the world gaining numerous acclaims.

Natasha Deen – Edmonton 

Guyanese Canadian author Natasha Deen, has published over thirty works for kids, teens, and adults in a variety of genres and readerships. A multiple award-winner, Natasha uses her life experiences and humour to connect with students in schools and youth camps on the universal moments of growing up.  

Michelle Wong – Calgary

Michelle Wong’s production credits span television to movies to documentaries, performing arts specials and features. She has served on boards with Quick Draw Animation, The Fairy Tales Society, the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers and the Alberta Motion Pictures Industries Association.

About the QEII Platinum Jubilee Medal

The first commemorative medals in Alberta were awarded in 2005, marking Alberta’s 100th anniversary of its entry into Confederation. The history of the medals reaches as far back as 1887 with the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria.

Through the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Recognition Act, the Government of Alberta created Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (Alberta). The medal is awarded to 7,000 Albertans.

To celebrate 25 years of the AFA, we’re taking a look back at how we came to be, favourite milestones, and some of the amazing artists we’ve encountered along the way. 

By Sarah Pocklington, former Arts Development Consultant and AFL Co-ordinator

It seemed impossible to Alysha that she might be a gifted artist. Perhaps it’s not something she had dared to dream of or even considered before the Alberta’s Future Leaders (AFL) Program was invited to her community in 2014. But with the help of her AFL mentors, things changed.

The Alberta’s Future Leaders Program is a dynamic partnership between the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and Alberta Sport Connection. Each year, two mentors — one with a background in the arts and the other with a background in sports and recreation — live in a First Nations or Metis community in Alberta from May through August to create and deliver youth-focused arts, sports, recreation, and leadership programming for community members between 9-25 years old.

Developed in partnership with First Nations and Metis communities, the AFL program inspires and encourages youth to realize their potential through Mentor role modelling; programs, camps and trips; multi-disciplined arts workshops lead by practicing Indigenous artists; a leadership retreat near Jasper and Leadership through the Arts in Edmonton. To date, the AFL program has partnered with over 42 First Nations and Metis communities to offer more than one million participant hours of programming since 1996.

Photos of past participants via the AFL Website

AFL Mentors, Braydon Dowler-Coltman and Kayla Hannan, were placed in Beaver First Nation for the summer of 2014.  After a warm welcome from community members, Braydon and Kayla were soon able to meet and engage with community youth. Creating art projects became one of the regular summer activities, and the AFL program even contracted renowned spray paint muralist Jesse Gouchey to offer a community workshop.

Alysha, a young girl from Beaver First Nations community, was shy and very nervous about trying to create art.

“I had a great childhood and was a good kid growing up, but as I got older I started hanging out with the wrong crowd,” says Alysha. “My ‘friends’ would only ask me to hangout when they were drinking and doing drugs. My attitude and grades in school both went downhill. I was never home and it made my family sick to their stomachs not knowing where I was. The drinking very quickly led me to a severe depression.

“Thankfully, one summer I had the privilege to meet, Braydon and Kayla, the Alberta Future Leaders Youth Mentors. They both helped me through a lot. This is where my artwork all began.”

Alysha working on a piece of art, photo via Braydon

With the encouragement, support and advice of Braydon and Kayla, she was inspired to give painting a try. Alysha had never painted before but she quickly discovered that not only did she love painting, but she was really good at it! Thrilled and genuinely surprised, Alysha continued to create several projects throughout the summer.

“I started creating my very first piece of artwork and it was like everything slowed down in life. Art is my very own personal get away from all reality. It gives me time to think, and process all that is going on in my life. This helps me make decisions to better myself. I eventually got my grades back up in school and pushed through the hard times, and successfully graduated high school on time.”

Alysha graduated from high school in June of 2015, and brought her AFL mentors Kayla and Braydon as her graduation dates.

In August, Alysha attended Leadership through the Arts where she helped curate the AFL Evening of the Arts at the Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton. Three of Alysha’s pieces were in the show, and by the end of the night, someone had purchased all three pieces.

Another of Alysha's pieces, via Braydon

“To this day I continue on my art journey and I've only gotten better. The Alberta Future Leaders program had a huge positive impact on my life. I could not be any more grateful for the opportunity to be involved with the Alberta Future Leaders. I would like to thank Braydon and Kayla especially for always being there for me. To this day they both still check on me to see if all is well, and I will forever cherish the relationship I had built with the both of them. They are my family.”

2016 celebrates Alberta Foundation for the Arts’ 18th year of partnering with Alberta Sport Connection on the Alberta’s Future Leaders Program.