Date: Nov 28, 2023
We invite you to read the 2022-2023 AFA Annual Report, which includes our accomplishments during the last fiscal year, a summary of grants awarded, financial statements, and the AFA Board’s membership and responsibilities.
Key highlights from the report:
The AFA’s funding priorities in 2022-23 were to continue to provide stable support for Alberta’s arts organizations and to maintain funding levels for programs that support individual artists.
- With the removal of public health measures in June 2022, the AFA managed increased funding demand in 2022-23 as the sector returned to pre-pandemic levels of arts activities.
The AFA continued to support equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) in the arts and through the arts.
- The 2022 cycle of the AFA’s Organization Activation Projects grant program focused on EDIA. In March 2023, the AFA approved more than $242,000 to support EDIA projects being undertaken in Alberta
In March 2023, the government appointed Paul R. Baay as Chair and four new board members: Le Bo (Vice Chair), Robert Fernandez, Sylvester Ndumbi, and Shana Yang.
Funding
Through its grant programs, the AFA administered $23.0 million to Alberta’s arts sector.
- The AFA provided 386 operating grants and 223 project grants to organizations totaling $19.5 million.
- The AFA provided 242 grants to artists working in a variety of artistic disciplines totaling $2.5 million.
Art collection
The AFA art collection acquired 106 new pieces: 44 purchases and 62 donations.
- Through the Art Acquisition by Application program, the AFA purchased 41 artworks by 32 artists, 9 of whom were not previously represented in the AFA Art Collection.
The AFA’s Travelling Exhibition (TREX) program visited 180 venues and saw 401,719 visitors.
Research and engagement
On September 2022, the AFA marked the 50th Anniversary of the AFA Art Collection by announcing the production of a video series that promotes the AFA’s Art Collection and the art and artists within Alberta.
- The AFA Art Collection is the largest, most active, and one of the oldest of 16 provincially owned art collections.
In October 2022, the AFA hosted engagement sessions to gather input and feedback from Alberta’s arts community that could be used to inform the AFA’s next three-year strategic plan.
In early 2023, the AFA was honoured to select 15 recipients from Alberta's arts community to receive Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medals.
- Two presentation ceremonies were held in Edmonton on January 30, 2023, and in Calgary on February 2, 2023, where the AFA presented the medals to the recipients.
