Date: Apr 18, 2023
A Message from AFA Chair Paul R Baay
I am pleased to share that the AFA Board of Directors has approved its 2023-24 annual budget based on our current provincial allocation of $25.6 million.
We recognize that we must respond to new and different challenges faced by Alberta’s arts community during recovery compared to those during the height of the pandemic. While attendance and arts participation rates have increased, they have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Our spending plan this year focuses on honouring existing commitments, while ensuring essential support continues to flow to arts organizations and artists to support the ongoing recovery of the sector. We have adjusted our program allocations to target areas of highest need, based on increased application rates during the previous year. Within a sustained budget, however, some limited reductions to some programs will be unavoidable this year. The AFA will be as responsive as possible through our existing programs and according to our financial resources.
Furthermore, we remain committed to continuing engagement with the arts community and implementation of our pluralism policy to support equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in the arts and through the arts. We were pleased to support organizations in Alberta by focusing on Pluralism projects for the 2022-23 intake of its Organization Activation Projects grant program. This resulted in the AFA approving more than $242,000 to support pluralism projects being undertaken in Alberta. These projects will occur throughout the year, and we look forward to seeing the results of the program.
We are also looking forward to continuing to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the AFA Art Collection throughout 2023, including through the release of five documentary videos about the history of the art collection, and artist profiles of selected 50th Anniversary Micro-Grants for Visual Arts recipients.
We look forward to a year of growth, recovery, and artistic excellence in Alberta.
Sincerely,
Paul R. Baay, Chair
Contact the Chair at afacontact@gov.ab.ca