Community News

A Message from AFA Chair Cynthia Moore

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) Board of Directors is pleased to have approved its 2025-26 annual budget based on the increased provincial allocation of $34.6 million. I am pleased to share highlights of our plan with Alberta’s arts community. We are grateful for the government’s continued commitment to increase funding for the arts and its second consecutive increase of $4.5 million to the AFA in Budget 2025. 

This year, the AFA will focus on increasing support for arts organizations. Total spending allocated to operational and project grants for organizations will increase by 10 per cent. At the same time, I am pleased to share that increased support for individual artists announced last year will be maintained. The AFA will be sharing information with operational clients about how their funding may be impacted through its regular grant notifications.  

The AFA will begin rolling out new and updated grant programs this year based on the findings of our program review begun in 2022. This year AFA is beginning the process of modernizing its grant programs to provide more targeted and appropriate funding support to arts organizations and individual artists. While the grant review is unrelated to the AFA’s 2025-26 budget, increased funding from Alberta’s government has well-positioned the AFA to effectively update its programs to reflect today’s provincial arts sector.

We will continue to make the AFA Art Collection more accessible to more Albertans, including through additional support for the Travelling Exhibition (TREX) program. TREX providers will be curating additional AFA artworks into more exhibitions, expand their outreach and increase opportunities for new communities to book exhibitions.

I want to express our appreciation for the government’s continued commitment to increase funding for the arts with the second consecutive increase of our budget. Our commitment is to prioritize and invest in artists, art and cultural materials. This work is in line with the AFA’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, which is available to read in both English and French on our website. 

We look forward to continuing to support and contribute to the growth of Alberta’s arts sector.

Cynthia P. Moore, Chair
Contact the Chair at afacontact@gov.ab.ca  
 

Application intake for the Alberta Artist in Residence/Arts Ambassador grant is now open. The deadline to apply is June 16. The maximum eligible amount you can apply for is $50,000. This opportunity is open to individual artists from all disciplines.

Program guidelines and application materials can be downloaded from the Artist in Residence website at www.alberta.ca/alberta-artist-residence-apply.

This program seeks to inspire innovation in the arts and to promote a wider understanding and appreciation of the arts and artists in Alberta.

Artists are encouraged to apply for this grant to become Alberta’s Artist in Residence / Arts Ambassador for a one-year term.

Through this grant, the successful artist will:

• work with communities across Alberta as an Arts Ambassador to promote the importance of Alberta artists and the arts
• communicate and share personal perspectives on the artistic process, the role of artists, and the contributions that artists make to Alberta
• act as an advocate for greater understanding of the realities of artists and the communities in which they work
• complete an art project that promotes the value of the arts in Alberta

The Alberta Immigrant Impact Awards (formerly the Alberta Newcomer Recognition Awards) celebrate the outstanding contributions of Albertans born abroad. They honour individuals – youth, women, seniors, artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, community builders and others – who have enriched the province through business, science and technology, professional contributions, academia, arts, sports, or volunteer efforts.

Nominees must have been born outside of Canada but are now Canadian citizens or permanent residents and currently living in Alberta. They may have been living in Canada for a long time, or for just a few years.

See the Alberta Immigrant Impact Awards Guidelines and award categories below for more details. Nominations close at noon (12 pm) on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

Learn more: www.alberta.ca/alberta-immigrant-impact-awards 

World Art Day

Each year, on 15 April, World Art Day celebrations help reinforce the links between artistic creations and society, encourage greater awareness of the diversity of artistic expressions and highlight the contribution of artists to sustainable development. It is also an occasion to shine a light on arts education in schools, as culture can pave the way for inclusive and equitable education.

Sharing Alberta's art

With over 9,000 artworks in the AFA Art Collection, there is always a need to find creative ways to share Alberta's art province wide. In any given year, the AFA has an incredible 20-25% of its collection in public circulation. This is achieved through exhibition loans, extended loans, and touring and art placement programs.

Through the TREX Curators/Managers in the TREX program, the AFA has been able to share art throughout the province bringing Albertan creativity to 187 venues in 95 communities, and reaching over 615,000 Albertans!

Publicly accessible art

Throughout the province you can find works from the AFA Art Collection on display in publicly accessible areas. Keep an eye on social media on World Art Day and see if your favourite and recognizable locations are sharing art from the Collection! 

Athletic Aesthetics

Location: Gallery Foyer at the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre(April 19 - June 14)

Featured artwork

Craig Pelzer
Javelin: Studies 1 & 2, 1978 
acrylic, graphite and ink on paper
Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

About the exhibition

Discover the surprising artistry within the world of sports! 

Athletic Aesthetics, a captivating exhibition featuring work from the AFA Art Collection, showcases 20 diverse artworks that beautifully blur the lines between art and athletics. Prepare to see iconic photographs from Edmonton's own 1978 Commonwealth Games by Don Mabie and Sylvain Voyer, offering a nostalgic glimpse into a significant local event. This exhibition uniquely explores the inherent grace and dedication found in both artistic expression and athletic endeavors.

Through a compelling collection of photography, video, prints, and paintings, Athletic Aesthetics showcases a wide range of activities, from familiar sports like football and cycling to the unexpected athleticism of ballet and bull riding. You'll gain a new appreciation for the shared skill, discipline, and even beauty that exists in these seemingly separate realms. Come and celebrate the power, elegance, and sheer joy of human movement, captured through the discerning eyes and hands of talented artists.

About the artist

Craig Pelzer was born in St. Francis, ON in 1952. Pelzer studied at the University of Saskatchewan (1970–72) before earning a BFA from the University of Alberta (1972–76). Pelzer also studied at the Banff School (now The Banff Centre) from 1976–77. Pelzer works primarily
in printmaking and painting. About his works on paper, he notes: “Paper provides me with a vehicle with which to research ideas and techniques for larger projects. Often they are within themselves finished pieces.”

About TREX

The AFA's Travelling Exhibition (TREX) program strives to ensure every Albertan is provided with an opportunity to enjoy fully developed exhibitions in schools, libraries, health care centres and smaller rural institutions and galleries throughout the province.

The TREX program assists in making both the AFA's extensive art collection and the work of contemporary Alberta artists available to Albertans.

Four regional organizations now coordinate the program for the Foundation:

• The Art Gallery of Grande Prairie - Northwest Alberta
• Art Gallery of Alberta - Northeast and North Central Alberta
• Alberta Society of Artists - Southwest Alberta
• Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre - Southeast Alberta

These partners offer a wide range of exhibitions to communities from High Level in the north, to Milk River in the south, and virtually everywhere in between.

Folk Memoirs

Location: St. John Paul II High School, Grande Prairie (April 17 - May 14)

Featured artwork:

Hazel Litzgus
Canning Peaches, 1970
Watercolour on paper
Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts

About the exhibition:

Folk Memoirs is a collection of visual narratives experienced while growing up on the Alberta prairies. Sourcing these rare historical moments from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts permanent collection, you will see paintings by Hazel Litzgus, Irene McCaugherty, William Panko and Doris Zaharichuk. The works are described as folk art, which is a unique style of art that reflects the cultural life of a community. Inspired by scenes from everyday life including: helping with housework, farm labor, playing outside, going to rodeos and more.

A memoir is a narrative composed from personal experience. The paintings in this show speak for themselves, taking you back in time to recall or learn the history of what life was like in the mid nineteen hundreds. Folk art takes on a very whimsical and colourful style of expression. This genre of artists are typically not concerned with making their subject look realistic. As you can see in William Panko’s paintings, he doesn’t worry about painting the scenes with the exact perspective or proportions – rather, he gives the paintings a more two dimensional or ‘flat’ appearance. More importantly, he depicted the story and what he remembered.

This group exhibition showcases simple everyday work-life balance. Hazel Litzgus’s work is a perfect example of this, from painting scenes of harvesting and cattle round up to dancing in the kitchen and rodeos. Enjoy finding hidden details of Irene McCaugherty and Doris Zaharichuk’s paintings as they draw the viewer in to enjoy how natural and simplistic life was. The works in this exhibition are a memoir of the artist’s life, savoring and reflecting on stories of the past.

About the Artist:

Hazel Litzgus continues to captivate the hearts of Albertans with her charming and nostalgic folk images of early Alberta life. Born on a farm near Lloydminister, Alberta, Hazel, through her paintings give us a glimpse of her early childhood and her many recollections of early rural and small town life on the Alberta Prairies.

Working in the unforgiving medium of watercolour, Hazel Litzgus narrates moments from her past in vivid detail with whimsy, in a naïve painting style. Whether it be the detailed wallpaper and patterned linoleum floor in a country farm house, or a school yard full of excited children playing various games, her art work is very reflective of her as a person. Hazel is a charming, soft spoken lady with a strong and determined character. She is full of life and stories and one feels right at ease as she tells of her experiences on the Prairies. Hazel’s book, Where the Meadow Lark Sang was published in 2003 and received great attention. In a review by CM Magazine, University of Manitoba, wrote: “In her use of bright colours and carefully detailed drawing, Litzgus created illustrations that are reminiscent of William Kurelek.”

About TREX

The AFA's Travelling Exhibition (TREX) program strives to ensure every Albertan is provided with an opportunity to enjoy fully developed exhibitions in schools, libraries, health care centres and smaller rural institutions and galleries throughout the province.

The TREX program assists in making both the AFA's extensive art collection and the work of contemporary Alberta artists available to Albertans.

Four regional organizations now coordinate the program for the Foundation:

• The Art Gallery of Grande Prairie - Northwest Alberta
• Art Gallery of Alberta - Northeast and North Central Alberta
• Alberta Society of Artists - Southwest Alberta
• Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre - Southeast Alberta

These partners offer a wide range of exhibitions to communities from High Level in the north, to Milk River in the south, and virtually everywhere in between.

In the first video of the Artful Place series, AFA grant recipient Ashley Laurenson, a resident of Fort McMurray/Wood Buffalo, shares insight into the uniqueness of her local arts community.

About the artists

From Whangarei, New Zealand to a fifteen-year creative journey in Canada, Ashley is an award-winning talent recognized for both design and acting. With nine years invested in creating independent films and series, she is the driving force behind M'Guphynn Media's production design, crafting the sets, props, and costumes for projects like the fan film "Miles Behind: A Spider-Man Fan Film." Ashley also showcased her acting chops starring as Ash and Evil Ash in "Nerdvana: the Web Series." More recently, she turned her sights backstage in theatre, designing vibrant costumes and props for Waypoints Dinner Theatre shows ("AHOY! A Pirate's Life for Me!", "Ultimate Reality: 90's Edition!") and lending her skills to set design for Keyano Theatre Company's youth productions ("Disney's Moana Jr.", "Disney's Newsies Jr.").

The Artful Place

The Artful Place is an exploration of Alberta’s unique arts communities through the eyes of the artists that call these communities home. They provide their perspective on what makes their community special and what their communities mean to them.

En ce dernier jour du Mois de la francophonie albertaine, l'AFA est heureuse de partager la version française de son plan stratégique triennal. Instauré en 2018, le Mois de la francophonie nous donne l'occasion de souligner le dynamisme et l'énergie de la francophonie en l'Alberta. 

Le plan affirme l'engagement de la Fondation envers la communauté artistique diversifiée de l'Alberta, y compris les artistes francophones et francophiles de la province. Le français est la langue maternelle d'un Canadien et d’une Canadienne sur cinq et d'environ 88 000 Albertaines et Albertains, et l'AFA est heureuse de rendre son plan stratégique accessible à ces communautés dans leur langue. 

Pour découvrir comment nous soutenons les arts, visitez : affta.ab.ca/about-afa/mission-and-mandate

English

On this last day of the annual Mois de la francophonie albertaine (Alberta Francophonie Month), the AFA is pleased to share its three-year Strategic Plan en français. Established in 2018, the month of March provides an opportunity to highlight the vibrancy and energy the Francophonie brings to Alberta. 

The plan affirms the foundation’s commitment to Alberta's diverse arts community, including French-speaking and Francophone artists across the province. French is the mother tongue of 1 in 5 Canadians and approximately 88,000 Albertans, and the AFA is pleased to make its Strategic Plan accessible to these communities in their language. 

 See how we are supporting the arts: affta.ab.ca/about-afa/mission-and-mandate