Tag: Advocacy

Sharing … at a Safe Distance

It’s been quiet here in some ways – and definitely not in others! Whilst we have all been minimizing our in-person contact with friends and colleagues (well ok, with EVERYONE!) for the last few weeks, there’s been a flurry of activity behind the scenes regarding advocacy and support initiatives of various sorts. It’s been confusing at times, and much has happened very quickly – so it’s been challenging to keep up and understand what is relevant to my profession as an independent visual artist, and to the sector as a whole.

Happily, CARFAC Alberta and CARFAC National have been doing a fantastic job of compiling and distilling information as it becomes available, and advocating for appropriate support for our sector. I have never been more grateful for the work these organizations do to support artists and advocate on their behalf. As a board member in both, I continue to offer my time and effort to help them help all of us.

https://www.carfacalberta.com
https://www.carfacalberta.com/

If you want to chat about what’s available, what you are facing, and what CARFAC is doing, I’ll be part of an online session on MAY 2, from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm MDT

Join CARFAC Alberta for a SATURDAY ZOOM ENGAGEMENT…
What CARFAC is doing for Visual Artists during COVID -19
Hosted by Chris W. Carson: Executive Director, CARFAC Alberta and guest Sydney Lancaster: CARFAC National Board Member and Alberta Representative on the CARFAC National Board.

The ZOOM coordinates are here:

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87871667746
Meeting ID: 878 7166 7746

I hope to see & hear from you then!

https://www.carfac.ca
by Categories: abarts, Advocacy, Artists, Community, Professional Development, Projects, yegartsTags: , , , , , Leave a comment

Tomorrow!

The CARFAC National Conference and AGM is tomorrow – Saturday, June 3rd!

It’s going to be a good weekend, and it’s exciting to know that here will be visual artists from all over the country here this weekend, discussing issues  and advocacy initiatives pertinent to artists’ careers.

There’s also going to be programming Saturday Evening and Sunday afternoon – so it’s not ‘all work and no play.’

I’m looking forward very much to hearing from other parts of the country, and to reconnecting with artists I haven’t seen for far too long.

Information below – there’s still time to register and join us:

Building your career - Batir votre carrière conference poster final-1Building your career 2- Batir votre carrière conference poster final-2

by Categories: abarts, activism, Advocacy, Artists, Community, Exhibitions, featured, Latitude 53, Projects, yegarts, yegdtTags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Bursaries for Artists!

The CARFAC National Conference is coming up soon in Edmonton!

Visual Arts Alberta – CARFAC wants to help artists attend, so they are offering bursaries to help with conference costs:

Visual Arts Alberta – CARFAC is offering up to six bursaries of $200.00 each to Visual Arts Alberta – CARFAC members living outside of the Greater Edmonton area who will be attending the CARFAC National Conference in Edmonton on the weekend of June 2nd to 4th.

These bursaries are based on need.

Applicants need to write an up-to-one page letter describing why a bursary would help. Applications must be in by Thursday May 18th  at 4:00pm. Send the letter to chris@visualartsalberta.com.

They will notify the winners by Saturday, May 20th at 4:00pm.

PLEASE pass this on to any visual artists who may want to attend, but would find the costs of travel a hinderance.

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Deadline approaching … a Call of Submissions

I posted about this a while ago – but I know how busy everyone is, so I thought it might be a good idea to post again, before the deadline is upon us all.

Visual Arts Alberta – CARFAC is partnering with Latitude 53 Contemporary Visual Culture to present an art-and-activism themed exhibition in June 2017.

This exhibition will coincide with the CARFAC National Conference, which we are hosting in Edmonton this year, on June 3rd.

The goal is to present Alberta – Based Artists who address political issues/advocacy/representation of under-represented voices.

Here’s an image of the Call (and a PDF).

Feel free to pass on to any Alberta Visual Artists that you feel would be interested!

Get the PDF HERE:  Call-for-Submissions-Trumpet

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Draw More Income

One of the hats I wear in my professional life is that of board member for Visual Arts Alberta – CARFAC. Our role in the province is to provide information and professional development opportunities to visual artists, and to advocate on behalf of visual artists for programs and policies that improve the socio-economic position of visual artists at various stages in their careers. We are the provincial affiliate for CARFAC National; so that means our members have access to the tools and support that CARFAC can provide as well.

Visual Arts Alberta – CARFAC has a new project launching soon – called DRAW MORE INCOME – and I wanted to spread the word a bit about it, because I think it’s particularly important to be having conversations about the economic position of visual artists in Alberta right now – AND about the vital contribution art & culture make to the economy of the province and the country.

So … this is an open invitation to all the visual creatives out there: the artists, the illustrators, the new media artists, the graphic designers, the photographers, the printmakers …

Tell Visual Arts Alberta – CARFAC how you Draw More Income.

  • What are the difficulties you face in improving your income from your practice?
  • What strategies and ideas are you trying for making your creative life work better?
  • Are there NEW methods you are developing or trying out?
  • What would your practice look like if you were able to draw more income from it?
  • How would that change your work and personal life?

And – because we all work visually in some way – it would be really great if you’d share a little drawing or sketch or comment that represents your struggles and/or successes! There are picture-frame postcards just waiting for you to work on – and these will be gathered and posted in our community space attached to the office in Edmonton for the next 3 months.

You can get postcards from Visual Arts Alberta during office hours, or download one HERE.

I hope you make your voice heard!

Draw More Income poster

by Categories: Artists, Community, Design, drawing, Exhibitions, featured, Projects, yeg, yegartsTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

… On the Road Again …

I’m of to Calgary AB for a few days this week … wearing my ‘other art hat,’ as an advocate for visual artists here in Alberta and elsewhere.

I am heading south as part of a group of people involved with Visual Arts Alberta/CARFAC. We are going to be attending several events and meetings from Thursday through Saturday:

CARFAC-in-Calgary-poster

On Saturday April 6, I’ll be at two events.

In the morning, VAA/CARFAC is co-hosting an event with Calgary Arts Development: we will be with the Arts Plan Team

at the Museum of Contemporary Art Calgary, upper level (Suite 104, 800 Macleod Tr. SE) from 9:30am – 11:30am.

This session is geared towards those interested specifically in the Visual Arts, to learn more about Calgary’s Arts Plan and what it means for the city. If you’d like to attend, RSVP to news@artsplan.ca.

AND … later that day, you’ll find me at ACAD!

I will be presenting a Professional Development talk at 2 pm …

Lancaster in Calgary poster_final

 

I am hoping to meet lots of Calgary-based artists – there’s not nearly as much communication between the artists in the province, and I for one fell like that has to change!

Off to finish packing and prepping!

 

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