On September 29, 2022, we marked the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of the AFA Art Collection.
To commemorate the anniversary, the AFA is celebrating throughout 2022 and 2023, by promoting the collection's history as well as investing in Alberta artists for the future!
Established in 1972, the AFA Art Collection is a unique representation of the history, development and achievements of our provincial visual arts community. Today, the AFA is proud to manage one of the strongest, most active provincial art collections in Canada.
- read a special message from Mary Rosza de Coquet, former AFA Board Chair
- read a statement by the Honourable Ron Orr, former Minister of Culture
Documentary video series
The AFA is developing a series of five documentary videos, approximately 10 minutes each in length, that tell the story of the AFA Art Collection. The videos will published on the AFA's YouTube channel, with the first episode coming in 2023. We will provide links and descriptions of each video below as they are published.
The videos are being produced by Hidden Story Productions, which is working closely with AFA staff throughout the production process.
50th Anniversary Micro-Grants for Visual Arts
The AFA established a one-time funding opportunity for artists to support art projects that engage in dialogue on visual culture in our province.
- the program will provide micro-grants of up to $2,500 per applicant for successful project applications
The deadline to apply for this funding opportunity was on December 1, 2022. The AFA will notify successful recipients upon board approval, generally within four months from the application deadline.
The AFA looks forward to announcing the recipients and their projects.
TREX exhibitions
The AFA is pleased to have worked with its Travelling Exhibitions (TREX) partners to support the curation of special, 50th Anniversary themed exhibitions, which will tour across Alberta until 2025.
- TREX Southwest (Alberta Society of Artists) – “Montageries”
- TREX Southeast (Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre) – “Party On!”
Find out whether an AFA Travelling Exhibition is in your community by connecting with our regional TREX providers.
Learn about the history of the AFA Art Collection
As we celebrate throughout this year and next, the AFA will publish stories on our News feed about the history of the collection from the past 50 years.
- New! A ceramic legacy lives on
The evolution of studio ceramics in Alberta, the significance of one small central gallery, and the connection to the AFA Art Collection.
Previous posts
- The history of the AFA Art Collection
Read about how it all began in 1972 with a small investment, which continues to have a ripple effect today... - Discovering lost cultural treasures
A look back at that one time AFA staff were treasure hunters! - It's about time
Learn more about the iconic mural commissioned from Sandra Bromley in 2006 that defines the AFA's offices in downtown Edmonton. - The art of giving
Donations have been foundational building blocks to establishing the AFA Art Collection. In this post we share a few notable (incredible!) examples. - The legacy of Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert - Part 1
We look back at the tremendous impact Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert has had on the AFA Art Collection, starting with the Narrative Quest exhibition.
We will add additional stories to this list as they are published.
Share and support
AFA clients and supporters are encouraged to share information and raise awareness about the 50th Anniversary of the AFA Art Collection.
- download the 50th Anniversary brand image and share as part of your organization's communications materials
- subscribe to AFA Newswire to receive monthly updates
- follow AFA on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
View the AFA Art Collection
Digital images of nearly every AFA artwork are available to view online for free on the AFA Virtual Museum. More than 9,000 artworks are available to view.