IN PERSON WORKSHOP Canada Council for the Arts Funding for Alberta Artists
FREE TWO-PART SPECIAL EVENT
Saturdays, March 28 and April 11, 2026 | 1pm-230pm MT
Canada Council for the Arts (CCA) Funding for Alberta Artists - a Workshop
NOTE: Have you registered to the March 14 Info Session? You MUST attend the info session in preparation for this workshop.
>>CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE INFO SESSION<<
PART ONE
Writing a compelling grant application
Saturday, March 28, 2026 | 1pm-2:30pm MT
Learn how to write an artistic CV and resume, make sure your application is focused and easy to read and, most of all, get the confidence to apply for funding. This session will start with a presentation, and there will be time for a general Q&A after the formal presentation for you to ask your questions. This session will have limited capacity and, if there is enough interest, Francine will open up a waitlist for additional sessions.
PART TWO
What assessors look for
Saturday, April 11, 2026 | 1pm-2:30pm MT
Learn how the peer assessment committees work at the Canada Council and take part in scoring some mock applications. Francine would also like to invite you to submit to her, via her email, one of your past unfunded applications or a current application you’d like to submit. She will present these to the group anonymously so you can have a chance to listen to some feedback from fellow artists on your application. This session will have limited capacity and, if there is enough interest, Francine will open up a waitlist for additional sessions.
This workshop takes place at the Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society (AWCS) on the 4th floor of cSpace Marda Loop (460, 1721 29 Ave SW).
It's brought to you by the Alexandra Writers' Centre Society (AWCS), the Writers' Guild of Alberta (WGA), and the Canada Council for the Arts.
ABOUT THE ALBERTA FOCUS INITIATIVE
The Alberta Focus Initiative is a two-year commitment that aims to strengthen engagement and collaboration with Alberta’s vibrant arts community, as well as to deepen the Council’s understanding of the community’s unique realities. Two Alberta-based arts liaison consultants will establish an on-the-ground presence for the Canada Council in Alberta. The consultants will engage with communities across the province to increase awareness of and access to funding opportunities and provide the Canada Council with field intelligence. They will ensure that meaningful support is accessible to a diverse range of artists and arts organizations, particularly in communities that have been historically underserved. www.CanadaCouncil.ca/Alberta
ABOUT THE FACILITATOR
Francine Cunningham is an award-winning writer, artist and educator and is a member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, in Alberta, but grew up in Calgary, Edmonton, and 100 Mile House, British Columbia. Francine is also Métis and has settler family roots stretching from as far away as Ireland and Belgium. She currently resides in rural southern Alberta, where she spends her days writing and mentoring emerging artists.
As part of her role with the Canada Council, Francine will focus on rural Albertans, Indigenous communities both on and off reserve and those needing extra support with understanding the granting process at the Canada Council, both virtually and in person through information sessions, webinars and one-on-one visits. She looks forward to providing information on granting programs and funding opportunities, creating greater connections in the Alberta Arts ecosystem and looking for ways to make Alberta-based artists’ voices heard.
