ALBERTA CRAFT CULTURE IN THE MAKING PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE ALBERTA CRAFT COUNCIL > SPRING 2013 ISSUE bee kingdom April 6 – July 2, 2013 From the Executive Director March is provincial budget And, funding cuts to municipalities, to education, ALBERTA CRAFT time and this year there were to tourism, and other provincial spending, are MAGAZINE more rumours than usual cir- likely to have some impact on the arts. The Alberta Craft Council Magazine is published quarterly. culating about cuts to various Coincidentally, the Alberta Foundation for the aspects of provincial spend- Submission Deadline for the Summer 2013 Issue: Arts just released its Arts Impact Alberta: Ripple May 25, 2013 ing. For much of last year, Effects from the Arts Sector. Google “Alberta both Premier Alison Redford The Alberta Craft Magazine makes every effort to Foundation for the Arts Arts Impact”. There are ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, and Culture Minister Heather YHUVLRQV²WKHWHDVHUDQGWKHIXOO7KHVHUHSRUWV but assumes no liability in cases of error or changing Klimchuk were talking about conditions. Any business relations or other activities contain all sorts of illuminating ideas, all of which undertaken as a result of the information contained in increases in policy activity and speak to the vibrancy and creativity of the arts the Alberta Craft Magazine, or arising there from, are investment in arts and culture. Unlike previous the responsibility of the parties involved and not sector and the high rate of return on investment. of the Alberta Craft Council. premiers, Redford has been quite enthusiastic For example: about provincial government support of culture. She explains that Alberta will attract a million $VWURQJQRQSURÀWDUWVVHFWRULVHVVHQWLDOLQ ALBERTA CRAFT more residents over the next decade and that they providing opportunities for public engagement will come for the jobs but stay for the culture. But, with the arts. COUNCIL for several months, chatter has been about no in- PLOOLRQLQHFRQRPLFDFWLYLW\LVJHQHUDWHG Offices, Gallery & Shop: creases and possible cuts to culture funding. Both annually through activities associated with 10186-106th Street ZHUHFRQÀUPHGLQWKHEXGJHWVSHHFK0DUFK Alberta’s arts sector Edmonton, AB Minister Klimchuk held an information session at Canada T5J 1H4 Government House immediately after the budget $SSUR[LPDWHO\IXOOWLPHVWDIIDQG Office Information: announcement. I attended along with about 60 part time staff were hired each year by the URXJKO\RUJDQL]DWLRQVWKDWUHFHLYHGRSHUD- Hours: Monday – Friday 9 am to 5 pm other invited arts leaders. Tel: (780) 488-6611 OR 1-800-DO CRAFT tional funding annually from the AFA. (1-800-362-7238) Overall the Alberta Culture budget has been cut, Fax: (780) 488-8855 but not severely. Operating dollars have been cut RIDGXOW$OEHUWDQVDWWHQGDWOHDVWRQHDUWV E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.albertacraft.ab.ca IURPPLOOLRQLQWRPLOOLRQLQ event per year. Alberta Craft Gallery and Shop: DQGFDSLWDOVSHQGLQJKDVEHHQFXWIURP SDUWLFLSDWHGLUHFWO\LQDQDUWIRUPLQWKHLU PLOOLRQWRPLOOLRQ Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm home or community. Open until 6 pm on Thursdays 7KH0LQLVWHUFRQÀUPHGWKDWRSHUDWLRQDOIXQGLQJ - Albertans are extremely engaged with the arts. (780) 488-5900 for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts has not Attendance at arts events and participation in Staff: been cut further. But this is slight consolation. The the arts is the norm for Albertans. Executive Director: Tom McFall, ext. 228 Administration Manager: Nancy St. Hilaire, ext. 234 $)$EXGJHWZDVFXW\HDUVDJRE\UHVXOW- - There are many Albertans who are ardent Gallery Coordinators/ LQJLQDERXWPLOOLRQOHVVHDFK\HDUVLQFH$V Membership: Joanne Hamel, ext. 221 patrons of the arts; attendance at arts events recently as last fall the Minister was calling for a Communications: Laura O’Connor, ext. 231 presented by AFA operational grant recipients Events: Annette Aslund, ext. 221 $10 million increase to AFA funding (only a partial Retail Gallery Coordinator: Linda Frena, ext. 232 each year exceeds the population of the restoration). Now she is saying this might happen Craft Shop Staff: Elaine Emerson, ext. 232 province. some time in the next several years. This means Board of Directors: the AFA will struggle on to keep up with popula- Chair: Tara Owen, Calgary Past Chair: James Lavoie, Edmonton tion increase and arts sector growth. On the up-side of life at the Alberta Craft Coun- Directors: Xanthe Isbister, Medicine Hat Mary-Beth Laviolette, Canmore Capital cuts could have a negative affect on proj- FLODERXWPHPEHUVERDUGDQGVWDIIPHPEHUV Heather Forbes, Grande Prairie ects such as the King Edward Arts Hub in Calgary friends and supporters attended a fabulous Victor Steel, Fort McMurray Kari Woo, Canmore and Artists Quarters project in Edmonton, both of surprise party for me on Friday March 1st. This Patti Hartnagel, Edmonton which are expected to provide new spaces for the ZDVWRFHOHEUDWHP\WKDQQLYHUVDU\DV$&& Dawn Detarando, Red Deer Executive Director. I want to thank everyone who Jennifer Salahub, Calgary Alberta Craft Council. The Minister also explained Meghan Wagg, Edmonton that the new Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton attended or sent me cards and e-greetings. I want Kai Georg Scholefield, Calgary LVRQWUDFNEXWIRUH[DPSOHWKHÀOPGHYHORSPHQW to thank staff members who were completely Magazine Editor: Nancy St. Hilaire center proposed for Calgary is on hold. successful at keeping the event secret. They com- Magazine Design: Lime Design Inc. posed a beautiful little hand-made book of tribute Alberta Craft Council is a not-for-profit organization Cuts to other programs will also impact the arts. letters and photos from all over the province and dedicated to developing Alberta craft and the Alberta The STEP, Summer Temporary Employment Pro- craft industry. country. And I especially want to thank Karen gram, will be shut-down. The ACC has used this Sponsors: &DQWLQH DQ$&&PHPEHUIRURYHU\HDUV IRU SURJUDPIRU\HDUVWRKLUHVXPPHUVWDIIVRPHRI her gift of a stunning silver pin that will help me whom have become valued long-term employees. remember and celebrate this event in perpetuity. The Community Spirit Program, which matched 6HHSDJHIRUPRUH« LQGLYLGXDOGRQDWLRQVWRQRQSURÀWJURXSVZLOOEH eliminated. This will end one of ACC’s smaller but still important revenue sources, because any money you donated to the ACC (or other arts organiza- tions) could have been matched by this program. Reports Alberta Craft Council Annual General Meeting Update on Pulp Paper Pages at Hanji Festival in South Korea Wonju is the ancient centre of mulberry paper making in South Korea and a modern centre for the hi-tech paper industry. Each autumn, Wonju city hosts a huge annual Hanji (paper) Festival with several hundred thousand visi- tors attending more than 100 events including exhibitions, ceremonies, workshops, tours, lantern parades, fashion shows, and artist exchanges. In addition, there are singing, traditional theatre, puppet shows, concerts and various art performances, as well as traditional folk games that you can experience. This year WKHIHVWLYDOZLOOUXQ6HSWHPEHU²DQGZLOOEH hosting the Alberta Craft Council’s Pulp Paper Pages exhibition. -XQHSP Pulp Paper Pages is a major survey exhibi- tion showcasing the current environment Wonju is formally twinned with Edmonton Leighton Art Centre, of paper and book arts. A joint project and Gangwon province has a similar agree- PHQWZLWK$OEHUWD,QODWH1RYHPEHU Gallery & Museum of the Alberta Craft Council and the the Alberta Craft Council hosted a VIP visit by Calgary, Alberta Calgary and Alberta North chapters of coordinators of the Hanji Paper Festival where the Canadian Bookbinders and Book Arts talks of an exchange began. The ACC, Edmon- Come participate in the Alberta Craft Guild, this juried exhibition features a WRQ$UWV&RXQFLODQGWKH2IÀFHRIWKH0D\RU Council’s AGM in the Old Red School- wide variety of forms, objects, approaches, are currently working to send the Pulp Paper house at the Leighton Art Centre. Get techniques and concepts found in both Pages exhibition to the Wonju Hanji Festival as a copy of the annual report, meet other WKHSDSHUDQGERRNDUWVDUWLVWV well as an exchange of Edmonton and Wonju, and Alberta and Gangwon, paper artists. members and experience the beautiful present their own take on pulp, paper, venue of the Leighton. Pulp Paper Pages and pages. The exhibition is featured at For current updates on this project please visit exhibition reception to follow in the WKH/HLJKWRQ$UW&HQWUH-XQH-XO\ www.pulp-paper-pages.com *UHDW5RRPIURP²SP Homage Linda Chow 2011, Paper, plastic, copper and drinking straw, 6” x 5” Photo Credit: Laura O’Connor, ACC On the Cover Mythopoet, Bee Kingdom, 2011 Blown glass 10” x 16”x 10“ Photo Credit: Erin Wallace Amidst the Bee Kingdom’s body of work are icons of their collaborative process, the “Mythopoets”. Called so because they are the result of combining the ideas and aesthetics of the individual practice of each artist into a single sculpture or narrative. %HH.LQJGRPLVIHDWXUHGRQSDJH SPRING 2013 UÊÊÊ ,/Ê ,/Ê< ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊNÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ1 Reports My vision… IRUFUDIWPDNHUVDQGFUDIWIRUPV«LVIRU WKHPWRVXUYLYHDQGSURVSHU«DVFUH- ative individuals, as art forms, as viable FDUHHUV«UHVSHFWHGIRUWKHLUORQJKLVWRU\« and valued for their cultural contribution. I think that object making is an essential human activity, along with language, music, food, dance, architecture and oth- Tom McFall – 15 years as Executive Director ers. I believe that the making of original, meaningful, valued objects