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The Public Art Commission program will remain paused for 2021-22, as the AFA continues to analyze the 2020-21 scheduled review of this program and next steps. Learn more about the review.
To be eligible for this funding, applicants must be one of the following:
Organizations must also:
Previous grant recipients must have met reporting requirements in order to be eligible to receive funding.
Ineligible organizations are:
Eligible projects must be for the selection, design, build and installation of an original work of public art, in a public location in Alberta, created by an eligible Core artist as outlined in the AFA’s Collections Development Plan.
Public art commissioned by the AFA is intended to have a 10 year or more life span. Artworks are intended to remain in situ for a minimum of 10 years, unless requested by the borrower.
While general concepts and thematic elements for the site should be decided during the creation of the proposal, the specific project format, medium and design must not be decided prior to application.
Public Art mediums can include, but are not limited to:
Selection and awarding of an artist commission must occur after an organization’s application is received by the AFA and an agreement has been signed between the AFA and the organization.
A list of shortlisted artists must be submitted to the AFA prior to final selection for review of artist eligibility:
The final artist and artwork selection must comply with the AFA Collections Development Plan and be approved by the AFA before a sub-contract is signed by the organization with the artist.
Applicants may apply for up to 75% of total project expenses, to a maximum amount of $300,000.
Eligible project expenses include any combination of the following:
Applicants are expected to provide a minimum of 25% of the total project budget, covering the costs of the following, in cash or in kind, or from other matching funding:
AFA contributions should be used for the creation, fabrication and installation of the artwork except for any funding advance due upon the agreement signing.
The approach for artist selection varies depending on the overall budget of eligible projects and type of applicant:
Expenses and activities that are ineligible for AFA funding include:
The Public Art Commission program will remain paused for 2021-22, as the AFA continues to analyze the 2020-21 scheduled review of this program and next steps.
We only accept applications through the Grant Administration Tracking and Evaluation (GATE) online application system. We must receive your online application through GATE no later than 11:59 pm Mountain Time on the deadline date, unless the deadline falls on a statutory holiday or a weekend when it will be extended until the next working day. Please give the system time to process your application so that we receive notification of your submission before the deadline falls. Applications received after 11:59pm of the deadline date will be considered at the next deadline.
First-time applicants will require a GATE username and password. Contact us via email to obtain your GATE login information at least five business days prior to the application deadline.
Please include:
Your GATE user name and password will be sent to the email address provided.
First, complete the GATE Applicant Profile section with all required information. Follow the step by step instructions in the GATE user guide to complete an Applicant Profile.
For detailed step-by-step instructions to submit your application, please download the GATE user guide for this funding opportunity.
The following must be entered into the GATE system to complete the Public Art Commission Application:
The GATE attachment section indicates that not all attachments are required for submission. This is because they are only required for certain types of projects (e.g. marketing plan for a marketing project). It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all attachments noted in the guidelines are submitted with their application.
You’ll be required to complete and upload the following attachments:
Please upload a detailed project description narrative that includes:
A Public Art Selection Committee typically is composed of :
Please upload an attachment that describes your Public Art Selection Committee, including:
Please upload the following attachments related to the applicant organization:
Applicants may be asked for additional information.
The AFA Acquisitions Working Group, with assistance from external peers and experts, reviews all eligible Public Art Commission applications from organizations submitted, and recommends projects to the board.
The committee assesses the merit of each application both on its own terms and in relation to all other applications received for a given deadline. Assessment of a commission project is based on the following general criteria:
All committee recommendations are reviewed by the AFA Acquisitions Working Group and the AFA board and their decisions are final.
Learn more about expert panels and how the AFA adjudicates funding requests for all programs.
Applicants will be notified in writing of the result of their application within six (6) months of the application deadline, and may include feedback from the Acquisitions Working Group.
Funding is intended for the purposes described in your application. By accepting funding, you agree to undertake the project as proposed in your original project description. If you require a change to your project including outcomes, location, or an extension to your final report due date, you must submit a request in writing prior to the final report due date listed in the successful notification letter. The AFA may consider a single extension per funding opportunity.
Funding recipients are responsible for informing the AFA of how funds were spent and outcomes of the project.
You must:
Any grant recipient who does not fulfil any conditions associated with a grant will be made delinquent and ineligible for further funding from the AFA for a period of three years from the time the delinquency is resolved.
New applications will not be accepted until the previous project is completed, and the final report has been received and approved by the AFA.
Any and all artwork produced as the result of a successful Public Art Commission project remains the permanent property of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts collection.
The Alberta Foundation for the Arts must be incorporated in the overall project in an advisory capacity, and a member of the AFA Board and/or their designate will be included in the Public Art Selection Committee for the final artist and artwork commission selection.
A long-term loan agreement between the organization and the AFA will be signed upon completion of the artwork. While artworks may be site-specific, the AFA retains the right to manage the care and preservation of the work of art, in perpetuity. At a future date, the artwork may be removed from the site when and if deemed appropriate by the AFA.
The AFA will retain all materials submitted with grant applications. The AFA does not provide advances for any grant.
Whenever possible, you must acknowledge the AFA for financial support in any publicity prepared in relation to the project, including electronic, print or visual material.
Download versions of the AFA logo and guidelines for usage.
Failure to satisfy the AFA recognition requirements will result in the cancellation of the grant and the requirement to return all of the funding.
Any specific reporting requirements will be outlined in the final contract between successful applicants and the AFA.
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10708-105 Ave,
Edmonton, AB, Canada, T5H 0A1
780-427-9968
(toll-free within Alberta by first dialing 310-0000)