Public Art Galleries Operating Funding Program 2026

📝 About the Program

The Public Art Galleries Operating Funding Program provides three-year operating support to eligible not-for-profit public art galleries in Alberta. Funding supports:

• Administration
• Salaries
• Programming
• Equipment maintenance
• Promotion
• Other core operational costs

Applicants must meet strict governance, professional standards, public access, and artist compensation requirements.

🎁 Benefits

The program offers the following benefits:

• Strengthens Alberta’s professional visual arts infrastructure.
• Ensures public access to high-quality exhibitions.
• Promotes fair compensation for artists.
• Reinforces governance and financial sustainability.
• Builds long-term institutional stability.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To qualify, organizations must meet the following requirements:

1. Legal and Organizational Status

• Must be a not-for-profit organization.
• Must be legally registered and in good standing under applicable legislation.
• Must have at least three years of operational history in Alberta.

2. Mandate and Programming

• Primary mandate must be to present visual arts exhibitions and related programming.
• Must demonstrate a sustained commitment to visual arts development, presentation, and promotion.
• Must operate an annual public exhibition program.

3. Public Access Requirements

• Must operate a gallery or exhibition space.
• Space must be accessible to the public for at least 1,000 hours per year.
• Must meet basic standards for the security and presentation of exhibited works.

4. Staffing Requirements

• Must employ at least one full-time equivalent (FTE) administrative or artistic staff member.
• This staff member must be responsible for planning and directing gallery programs.

5. Governance Requirements

• At least half of board members must reside in Alberta.
• Must operate at arm’s length from municipalities and other publicly funded institutions.
• Must demonstrate:
  • Sound governance practices
  • Strong administrative systems
  • Fiscal responsibility
  • A clear artistic mandate

6. Professional Standards and Compliance

Organizations must:

• Contract with exhibiting artists.
• Pay artist fees in accordance with:
  • Canadian copyright legislation
  • Fee schedules recommended by the Canadian Artist Representation Copyright Collective.
• Comply with Canadian Arts Database financial and statistical reporting requirements.
• Maintain a board-approved cash reserve policy.

Note: All criteria must be met to qualify.

📅 Application Date and Process

• Application Deadline: 01 April, 2026
• Visit the application portal for detailed information.
• Apply directly through Alberta Foundation for the Arts - Public Art Galleries Operating Funding Program.

For more details, visit the official Alberta Foundation for the Arts website.

• Strengthens Alberta’s professional visual arts infrastructure.
• Ensures public access to high-quality exhibitions.
• Promotes fair compensation for artists.
• Reinforces governance and financial sustainability.
• Builds long-term institutional stability.