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The arts are fundamental to the human experience. As a form of creative expression, the arts inspire, enrich and connect us all. They are also an integral part of healthy communities, and Wood Buffalo is no exception.

Arts Council Wood Buffalo (ACWB) is non-profit society and charitable organization that supports the growth and success of the arts. It was established to raise the profile of the arts in our region and to support all facets of the arts community.

ACWB offers a variety of services and events that: build the capacity of our local artists to compete and thrive; enable collaborations between artists, arts organizations, non-profits, and industry; and advocate for our region’s arts municipally, provincially and federally.

Through these initiatives, Arts Council Wood Buffalo is fostering an environment that embraces the arts as integral to a remarkable quality of life.

Mission Support the growth and success of the arts.

Vision The arts as integral to a remarkable quality of life.

Strategic Priorities

The arts community is connected and has the resources needed to thrive.

The arts are recognized as essential in creating a balanced community.

Arts Council Wood Buffalo is an influential voice for the arts.

Acknowledgements

Arts Council Wood Buffalo celebrates and supports diversity. We are committed to showing respect for all, encouraging open collaboration and communication, and creating an inclusive environment, free from barriers and discrimination. We welcome the unique contributions each individual brings in terms of education, opinions, and culture, and we do not discriminate, or tolerate discrimination by others, based on race, religion, beliefs, colour, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status or status as a differently-abled individual, among other things.

We also welcome 2SLGBTQIA+, First Nations, Metis Nations, Inuit, and Multicultural groups and individuals.

Arts Council Wood Buffalo recognizes that we live, work, and create on the ancestral territories of the Dene, Nêhiyawak, and the land of the Metis Peoples. We are all treaty people together in our collective home within the boundaries of Treaty 8. We would also like to recognize the Traditional Knowledge Holders and Elders who are still with us today, and those who have gone before us. It is in their honour and as an act of reconciliation that we offer this acknowledgement.

ACWB would like to thank past and present Board Members, the Traditional Knowledge Keepers, and Indigenous Elders that have helped us write our organization's Land Acknowledgement. This is a 'living' statement to be updated in consultation with our Indigenous partners as we continue on our reconciliation journey.

Become a Champion

Help us support the growth and success of the arts in Wood Buffalo. There are many opportunities including volunteering, donating and sponsorships.

Get Involved

Advocacy

Arts Council Wood Buffalo (ACWB) advocates for the arts in our region in a number of ways: by participating on committees; conducting arts-related research on a local level; building relationships with all levels of government, non-profit organizations and industry; and by promoting the region’s arts on our website, social media platforms, and communications initiatives such as articles in local and provincial publications.

The Arts Impact Measurement project (AIM), conducted in 2015 and 2016, provided a summary of the impact of the arts in Wood Buffalo relating to quality of life, participation, and economics based on the data available at the time. ACWB contracted Hill Strategies Research Inc. (HSR) to manage the evaluation and data analysis portion of the project and complete a final report. The results of the project are two reports that can be used in many ways by artists, art organizations, and the broader community to support new and existing art activities and projects such as grant applications and advocacy for art-related community initiatives.

Learn more about the Arts Impact Measurement Reports project and read the final reports.

This program provided artists the opportunity to collaborate and heal through their art and, in turn, it helped them support recovery and resiliency in Wood Buffalo.

A brief background

The Arts Recovery Working Group was established in June 2017 as a partnership between Arts Council Wood Buffalo, Keyano Theatre & Arts Centre, and Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts, with administrative support from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. It provided guidance to the Wildfire Recovery Taskforce in support of the recovery of the arts in the region.

From mid-2017 throughout 2018, the group worked with various people in the community to gain a better understanding of the effects of the Horse River Wildfire on the arts community and the current needs of artists in our region. Through various focus groups and one-on-one discussions, a two-year post-wildfire recovery plan was developed as part of the wider arts strategy for the region. From that plan, the Arts Recovery Project was born with a mission to support the arts community in returning to its full creative capacity.

With funding support from the Canadian Red Cross, the subsequent two-and-a-half year Arts Recovery Project consisted of many partnership events that helped connect, engage and reinvigorate the local arts community.

Arts Council Wood Buffalo served as Chair of the Arts Recovery Working Group, which:

  • Provided strategic leadership in the development, implementation and sustainability of arts recovery initiatives and strategies
  • Advocated on the role of the arts in disaster recovery;
  • Monitored gaps and overlaps, and advised on how to prevent, mitigate and manage them to encourage recovery; and;
  • Recognized barriers and enablers to arts recovery and helped develop initiatives to address these.

Download the full Post Wildfire Recovery in the Arts Strategic Plan

Arts Council Wood Buffalo would like to recognize the Canadian Red Cross for providing project support for the Arts Recovery Project.

Arts Council Wood Buffalo works on many community and Municipal Council-appointed committees to ensure the arts are fairly represented and best practices in working with artists are followed. Some of the committees ACWB Board and Staff currently participate in: Tri-Level Arts Funders Meetings; Wood Buffalo Community Foundation Grants Committee; RMWB Arts, Culture & Heritage Grant adjudication; Waterfront Development Committee; Pride YMM. Arts Council is pleased to serve as the Chair for the RMWB Public Art Committee.

Publications & Reports

Bylaws and board policies are available by contacting the ACWB office at 587.674.1625 .