Jeff Brinton, Executive Director, Arts Branch writes:
“I am writing to provide an update on the work the Government of Alberta is doing to support Alberta’s artists and recognize the social and economic contributions they make to our province.
Today, the Government of Alberta announced steps to address priorities identified by the arts community. In a first for Canada, January has been declared Month of the Artist in Alberta. The month will be a time to recognize and celebrate Alberta’s artists. Plans for the month are underway, and I encourage you to join in the celebrations in January. More information will be posted on the new Month of the Artist webpage.
We are also launching an Artist in Residence program, another first for a provincial government in Canada. Each year, an Alberta-based artist will be selected through a public, competitive process to act as an advocate and promoter of the value of artists. They will also visit communities across the province to lead conversations on the role of artists and arts in society.
To apply to be Alberta’s first Artist in Residence, visit the new Alberta Artist in Residence application webpage for more information. The successful Artist in Residence will be announced in January.
These programs were informed by feedback from more than 2,000 artists and arts stakeholders who participated in face-to-face engagement sessions across the province, as well as an online survey. A summary of our engagement is now available on Alberta.ca.
The Government of Alberta is committed to continuing to support artists. … We look forward to continuing to work together to support Alberta’s artistic community.”
