Often individual artists contact Calgary Arts Development with questions regarding the resources and support offered to artists locally, provincially, and nationally. We are happy to get these questions, and to help point out programs that may help an artist fund his or her project.

I would like to point out this CJSW blog post. It is worth checking out. The post offers a centralized listing of resources offered specifically to musicians. However, it does have worthwhile information that crosses all disciplines.     

I have really fond memories of my last trip to Williamsburg 10 years ago.  The vibe was one that only a strong grass roots artist run culture can create.  Unfortunately, New York, like many cities does not have a strong track record of preserving the artistic core of its neighbourhoods, think Soho and the Village.  So I was prepared to experience a very different Williamsburg if I ever was to return. 

This article in today's New York Times was heartening.  It tells the story of one Williamsburg Landowner and his appreciation of the value that artists have brought to the nieghbourhood and the need to preserve artist space in order to preserve what it is that is making that small New York suburb so vibrant. 

At Calgary Arts Development we often get asked about the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a non-profit organization.  We are always happy to chat about it at any time, but for those self-service oriented folks out there, here is the best resource I have ever come across for the steps and process in becoming and working as a non-profit. https://www.1stcalgary.com/Business/PlanningAndAdvice/StagesInYourBusiness/CreatingANonProfit/ 

Thanks to the wonderful people at First Calgary Savings for providing this invaluable resource.  This site contains such information as Registering The Non-Profit Organization, Selecting the Board of Directors, Developing a Vision, Liability and Directorship and Fundraising. 

Calgary is fortunate to have the strong and engaged support of The Calgary Foundation.  Not only are they a leading Community Foundation in Canada from a funding and granting perspective, they are also pro-actively involved in reaching into the communities they support to ensure that they are making wise investment decisions that build better lives for all Calgarians.  Vital Signs is a critical part of their work in engaging the community and informing their donors of the issues and opportunities that exist.  Below is information on how you can take a few moments to be part of this important work and have your say on the grade of Calgary, including how we are doing in Arts & Culture.

SIGN UP NOW at www.thecalgaryfoundation.org. Survey ends July 2nd, 2010.

The Calgary Foundation (TCF) invites you to Have Your Say in 2010 Calgary’s VitalSigns survey that measures our city’s quality of life in 12 key issue areas. 

Calgary’s VitalSigns was launched by The Calgary Foundation in 2007 to spark discussion, encourage connections and inspire action.

By taking the pulse of our community, Calgary’s VitalSigns provides a snapshot of Calgary’s strengths and weaknesses today so that, collectively, we can create the city we want for ourselves and our children in the future.

The survey is quick and simple! 

2010 Calgary’s VitalSigns Report card will be published in the Calgary Herald on October 5^th, 2010.

This annual survey from the CCVO is a valuable tool to guage the current state of Alberta's non-profit sector, including the arts.  Please contribute your voice, it takes about 10-15 minutes.

Alberta’s Nonprofits & Charities:

The Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO) is once again working together with other partners across the province to take a quick “temperature check” on the state of the nonprofit and voluntary sector. Please take some time to complete Alberta's Nonprofits & Charities and the Economic Climate - Spring 2010 Survey.

Your responses to this survey are critical to obtain the broad picture of the sector in Alberta. The results of the 2009 surveys were widely used by media, government and the sector.  As we continue with ongoing monitoring of the sector, this survey helps to build understanding and awareness of Alberta’s nonprofit and voluntary sector.

Results of CCVO’s latest survey will be reported back to the voluntary sector, government, media and the public. Watch for the report in June. Information and analysis contained in the report can be a useful tool for your organization’s efforts in planning, promotion and engagement with community, government and media.

TAKE THE SURVEY NOW!

The survey closes May 14.

This article from the NY Times was passed on to me by two CADA board members this past week.

It seems Calgary isn't the only city in North America experiencing challenges related to art spaces... but we're clearly on to something with our long-term strategic approach to ensuring art spaces not only respond to need, but also stimulate redevelopment and community vitality.

Today, The Canada Council for the Arts and The Alberta Foundation for the Arts announced that the Alberta Creative Development Initiative (ACDI) will be renewed for another year. This jointly-funded grant is an opportunity for Alberta artists, arts organizations and arts administrators to apply for project-specific funding. The application deadline for arts organizations is June 1st, 2010, and the deadline for individuals is November 10th, 2010.

For more information on the program and for program guidelines, click here. 

Click here for more Information on the partnership renewal. 

First of all, it's been a while since I posted a blog entry, I know - Shame on me!

But the good news is that we've been busy developing our art space program at Calgary Arts Development! We have been in the street seeking out art space opportunities and trying to match artists and arts organizations to these spaces. Identifying space opportunities involves keeping an ear to the ground, tapping into knowledge networks, and actively brokering relationships.

Anyway, enough about us; the purpose of this blog is to bring attention to the wonderful developments, stories and inspiration related to space development in Calgary, Canada and the world!

Congratulations to Comrad Sound and Local Library!

It is extremely exciting to see the development of these two new all ages spaces (or  every-age  space, as denoted in the attached Local Library invite). As a local musician I have been following the all-ages music scene in Calgary for some time - through peaks and troughs - and am very excited to see artists and musicians creating their own spaces. First the New Black Centre was established and then Comrad Sound and now Local Library!

The music is only one of the highlights of these two new multi-disciplinary spaces! Comrad Sound has hosted a music gear trade day, movie nights, and  even a guitar set-up workshop! Local Library will have a visual art component to go along with the all ages music programming.

This is great news for a downtown Calgary that has seen the closure of spaces and the expulsion of all ages music programming from the premises. There was the Multicultural Centre (a mecca for the all ages music scene for a time) and the Carpenter’s Union Hall. One problem with sustaining space for the all ages music scene is that a few wreck it for all, which creates a stigma that is often unfairly attached to all ages shows and their patrons. Well Calgary can be proud of our new all ages space-makers who - young and not-so-young, have taken the initiative to open space where kids can partake in art, culture, community and creativity.

Visit Local Library this Saturday at 6 - 11 pm for their grand opening celebration!! (Local Library is housed at Central United Church at 131 7th Ave SW and is accessible by the alley entrance between 7th and 8th Ave.)

In case you missed it, here’s an article with the same theme from the FFWD a few weeks ago: click
Here’s the Comrad Sound calendar: www.comrad.ca
Also check out the New Black Centre: www.thenewblackcentre.com
 

Calgarians are a literary bunch.  We are home to the acclaimed Wordfest that takes place in October every year and the International Spoken Word Festival that is gearing up for take off over the month of April!  Calgary Publisher Freehand Books is having an incredible year, with Marina Endicott's book Good to a Fault,winning the commonwealth Writers' Prize Best Book Award, Canada and the Caribbean and securing a spot as a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and as one of the championed books on Canada Reads.   But most of all, WE READ!  C-trains are packed with reading commuters, libraries are heavily used, and book clubs can be found in every Calgary neighborhood.  So why not get involved by reading and voting in this year's Alberta Readers’ Choice Award?

Read more »

The Federal Government tabled budget 2010 yesterday.  Below is the summary provided by the Canadian Conference of the Arts

Canadian Conference of the Arts Executive Summary

The 2010 Budget includes stable funding to arts and culture with no cuts, but also yields no new investments into the creative economy. The CCA sees no investment towards cultural infrastructure, or funds for promotion abroad and audience development. It is encouraging that charities are given more flexible means to conduct business, and research granting associations will have an increased ability to fund higher education within the knowledge economy.  Moving forward, some concerns include administrative reforms, freezes on departmental operating budgets, and changes to strategic reviews. These measures may not be viewed as cuts at the moment, but may lead to financial difficulties for the arts sector down the road.

Read the full detailed update here