Budget 2026

DATE :

AFA NewsCommunity News All disciplines Funding

A Message from AFA Board Chair Cynthia P. Moore

On February 26, the Alberta government announced Budget 2026. We are thrilled to announce that the Alberta Foundation for the Art’s funding has reached record levels. This is the highest financial support since we were established 35 years ago.

AFA funding has increased by $3.5 million for 2026, bringing our total budget to $38.1 million. We are grateful for this increase and thank the Government of Alberta for their faith in us. In a challenging fiscal environment, this funding recognizes how artistic activity—both art creation and arts participation—is fundamental to Alberta’s unique cultural identity and our way of life.

The arts sector is a smart investment. Last year, the AFA studied the economic impact of our operating funding programs. We learned:

  • every dollar invested by the AFA generates a direct economic return of $1.76

  • every $1 million spent by the AFA’s operating clients creates 195 full-time jobs

Between 2018 and 2023, the estimated total economic output by arts organizations funded by the AFA was $2.4 billion. These are not small numbers. Local communities and local economies are enriched by the arts.

The arts are embedded in the fabric of Alberta. Paid attendance at AFA-supported events is equivalent to nearly two-thirds of Alberta’s population. Unpaid activity is just as important: AFA funds artists in schools, community groups and clubs. We fund arts for everyone.

We continue to update and modernize our grant programs. Last year, we introduced the Voluntary Based Arts Organizations grant to provide targeted funding to organizations that rely on volunteers to deliver programs and services across the province. We look forward to sharing further updates to our grants this year.

We are proud of our investments in the arts community. Last year, we established AFA art house in Calgary as a magnificent gallery space dedicated to showcasing Alberta’s own worldclass artists.

Shortly, the AFA board will approve its 2026-27 spending plan and will share information about our priorities for the coming year.

We encourage you to read more about how investing in the arts supports Alberta’s economy in our report, Arts Impact Alberta 2025: Ripple Effects from the Arts Sector. Please share this information with anyone who may be interested.

It is an honor to work on behalf of Albertans in supporting our world-class arts sector. We look forward to more outstanding creative expression in the coming year.


 

 

 

 

Cynthia P. Moore
Chair, Alberta Foundation for the Arts

Budget 2026 information