Overview
September is Month of the Artist in Alberta. It is an annual celebration of artists, and the value they bring to the province, both socially and economically.
Month of the Artist activities
Join us this September during the seventh annual Month of the Artist in Alberta to recognize and support local artists.
Find arts events presented as part of Alberta Culture Days this September.
Enjoy free art exhibitions and art events in Calgary at the AFA art house.
Discover artist profiles, news and events on the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) website.
Enjoy free performances as part of Alberta Day celebrations.
Support for Alberta’s artists
Alberta is home to more than 18,000 professional artists. Alberta is the first and remains the only province in Canada to dedicate a month to artists.
In Budget 2026, Alberta’s government invested the highest level of arts funding in Alberta’s history, including more than $38 million to the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA).
In addition, the Arts Professions Recognition Act, the Month of the Artist and the annual appointment of the Alberta Artist in Residence as an arts ambassador, are all part of Alberta’s commitment to recognize artists’ contributions to the province.
Arts Professions Recognition Act
On December 2, 2021, Alberta formally recognized the important contributions artists make to our province by bringing the Arts Professions Recognition Act into force. The Act:
- formally acknowledges artists’ value and contributions to Alberta and promote their work and their rights to help make their artistic enterprises profitable
- protects artists’ economic and contractual rights
- emphasizes in law Alberta’s continued commitment to freedom of artistic expression
- models the way for private and non-profit employers and contractors in Alberta’s economy, and helps legitimize the professional nature of artists’ work
Quick facts
- The Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) disburses provincial arts funding across the province, with approximately 90% of its budget dedicated to grant programs for artists and arts organizations.
- Arts organizations funded by the AFA hire an average of 27,500 artists and present 20,245 events each year (Source: Arts Impact Alberta 2025: Ripple Effects from the Arts Sector, AFA).
- According to the 2025-26 Survey of Albertans on culture about 76% agree that arts and culture activities make their community a better place to live.
- In 2024, the visual and applied arts, and live performance industries contributed approximately $1.4 billion in GDP and sustained more than 19,000 jobs in Alberta (source: Statistics Canada, Provincial and Territorial Culture Indicators, 2024).
Contact
Connect with our Arts Branch:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-6315 (general)
Phone: 780-289-3781 (program staff)
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Fax: 780-422-9132
Email: [email protected]
Mailing address:
Arts Branch
10708 105 Avenue NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5H 0A1