aac annual general report 2013
DESCRIPTION
Annual General Report of the Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge for 2013.TRANSCRIPT
2013
Annual Report
A L L I E D A R T S C O U N C I L O F L E T H B R I D G E
The Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge provides leadership in advancing and enhancing the arts in Lethbridge.
Table of Contents
Vision A Vibrant Arts Community enriches Lethbridge.
Mission
R e p o r t s 2
2013 President’s Report
R e p o r t s 1
None of these initiatives would be possible without the
efforts of a strong Board of Directors, the support of
an enthusiastic and devoted staff and the contributions
of our major funders, donors and volunteers.
Last year was a busy year for the Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge (AAC) as we continued to focus our efforts on initiatives that enhance and grow the arts in our Community.
The opening of the new arts centre, Casa, is perhaps the most significant council accomplishment of the year as it represents the vision, determination and years of effort by many artists, arts organizations and arts supporters. The official opening of the building on May 14 was attended by approximately 1,500 people who were delighted by the bright and spacious environment of this tremendous addition to the downtown core. Casa is unique in its conception as a civic facility that was purpose-built for creating and presenting arts of all disciplines.
Even as we celebrate Casa and the richness it adds to our community, the AAC board and staff recognize the need to complete a cultural corridor in downtown Lethbridge through the addition of a much needed theatre space. The AAC, as well as many other individuals and organizations, were able to champion the need for a new performing arts theatre to City Council during its Capital Improvement Program process in April 2013. Council kept the potential project on the books when they approved $10 million in future funding for a theatre. Although this funding is contingent on raising the balance of the required dollars, the City of Lethbridge Council’s commitment allows the AAC and the larger community an opportunity to continue to pursue the much required building.
The AAC was engaged in two important arts advocacy activities in 2013. In the fall of 2013 the AAC developed and circulated a Municipal Election Survey focused on the arts to each of the candidates vying for a position on the new City Council. The information that was gathered in the survey was shared with the AAC membership and was available on the AAC website thus providing each of the candidates an opportunity to share their arts platform with the voting public.
The other significant advocacy initiative was the on-going Economic Impact of the Arts Study. Data collection was completed for the study that was initiated by the Board of Directors in 2012. Information provided by self-identified artists allowed us to develop a profile of Lethbridge’s arts community as well as allowing us to develop information on the positive contributions the arts sector makes to the Lethbridge economy. We were extremely pleased with the participation of the AFA in the project. Not only were they able to provide data and an endorsement for the Lethbridge study; we were also able to analyze our data using multipliers that are consistent with previous AFA economic impact studies. A final comprehensive report will be ready for distribution in the fall of 2014.
In addition to the opening of Casa and the two major advocacy initiatives, the AAC continued to manage its ongoing activities. These included strong communication and arts promotion strategies and the delivery of projects that support artists and arts organizations while increasing awareness of the arts in the community. Members of the Board of Directors and the staff also demonstrated their support for the larger arts community through their attendance at member and community arts events throughout the year.
In June 2013 members of the AAC Board and staff travelled to Red Deer with representatives from the City of Lethbridge to participate in the Lieutenant Governor General Arts Awards Celebration. We were delighted to be present to hear the official announcement of Lethbridge being named the host city for the awards in 2015. Planning this celebration and a supporting youth focused arts festival will be one of many initiatives that AAC provides leadership for.
1 R e p o r t s1 R e p o r t s2 R e p o r t s
None of these initiatives would be possible without the efforts of a strong Board of Directors, the support of an enthusiastic and devoted staff and the contributions of our major funders, donors and volunteers. I would like to thank the AAC staff for their work during the last year which allowed for the successful opening of Casa as well as the maintenance of our on-going programs. I would also like to express appreciation to our major funders – the City of Lethbridge, the Province of Alberta, the Government of Canada and our many corporate, media and individual donors. No organization can function without committed volunteers and the AAC is no exception. We are extremely thankful for the assistance of the many individuals who donated time in 2013 to help with the opening of Casa as well as other AAC projects and programs. I must also recognize the efforts of the Board of Directors who volunteer their time and talents to guiding the strategic direction of the AAC thus ensuring its continued success.
On a sad note, I would also like to acknowledge the loss of a number of AAC members who greatly contributed to the arts community – Shirley DeBow, former AAC Board Director; Peter Green, photographer and Robert Croskery, painter.
Looking back on 2013 is inspiring with a year of accomplishments for the AAC and the arts community. We anticipate, with great enthusiasm, further accomplishments in the years to come as we continue our efforts to grow the arts in Lethbridge.
Kris HodgsonPresident, Board of Directors
R e p o r t s 2R e p o r t s 2
The past year was a time of change and growth for the Allied Arts
Council, precipitated by the completion of the new community
arts centre. Opening Casa presented great challenges as well as
great rewards as we worked to maintain on-going programming
while adding new and expanded programs for the facility.
The first quarter of 2013 was spent in planning the logistics of
moving from the Bowman Arts Centre, a home the arts community
had occupied for almost 40 years, to Casa. The sourcing and
ordering of equipment, the hiring of staff, refining operational
guidelines and the move and setup of Casa were collaboratively
managed by the AAC administrative staff and Bowman program
staff.
One of the most impactful changes to the AAC operations
resulting from the opening was the almost 78% increase in
staff members. Operating a facility with the square footage and
extended operational hours of Casa requires a large number
of competent employees. We are extremely fortunate to have
been able to assemble such a work force and are delighted how
they have solidified into a team. I am pleased to report that
Casa’s Facility Manager, Education Coordinator and Curator/
Gallery Services Coordinator with support from an administrative
assistant, receptionists, facility technicians, facility attendants
and custodians have very successful managed the phenomenal
growth in the respective programs that have occurred because of
the move to Casa.
The opening of Casa has also impacted operations at the 7th
Street office and our administrative duties. A new Point-of-Sale
system, an expanded payroll, increased accounts payable and
receivables and increased ticket and merchandise sales created
increased responsibilities for the finance portfolio in 2013. Added
responsibilities were also required of the Communications and
Projects portfolios.
In addition to the management of ongoing communications
including media, publications and community outreach initiatives;
the AAC undertook the planning of a communications strategy for
Casa. A community consultation group working with a facilitator,
graphic artist and web designer were involved in the first step of
the process: to develope a brand including a new logo for Casa.
The Communications Coordinator was then responsible for the
development of all communications tools from web design to
stationary, business cards and promotional program guides. The
Coordinator also developed and implemented a comprehensive
plan to promote Casa’s grand opening.
The focus of the Projects Portfolio for the first part of 2013 was the
Casa Grand Opening. The opening celebration included a Ribbon
Cutting Ceremony and Reception on May 14, 2013, guided facility
tours and a week of events that showcased the program potential
of Casa. The Projects Coordinator also managed the ongoing
AAC activities including our annual membership campaign, the
Mayor’s Luncheon for Business and the Arts, and Arts Days. The
coordinator was also responsible for the management of a variety
of artist’s opportunities such as the Bookkeeping and Tax Session
for Artists, the Farmers Market Table project and the Library
Showcase project.
Despite the expanded responsibilities created by the opening
of Casa, the AAC staff continue to participate in a number of
initiatives that increase awareness of the arts in Lethbridge. AAC
staff members participate on a number of community committees
including the Heart of the City committee, Economic Development
Lethbridge’s Team Lethbridge and the Tourism Joint Promotions
Program. We are also involved in the City of Lethbridge Public Art
Program both as participants on the Public Art Committee and as
managers of selection committees and processes.
I would like to thank and congratulate the AAC staff and volunteers
for their dedication and hard work in 2013. As we move forward in
2014, we will continue to diligently work to meet the requirements
of our funders, the City of Lethbridge and the AFA while supporting
the strategic initiatives of the AAC Board of Directors as they work
to enhance the arts in Lethbridge.
Suzanne Lint,
Executive Director
2013 Executive Director’s Report
R e p o r t s 3
I would like to thank and congratulate the AAC
staff and volunteers for their dedication and hard
work in 2013.
4 C o m m u n i c a t i o n s
CommunicationsThe Allied Arts Council utilizes a combination of traditional and digital media to
communicate with our membership and the community at large. Our communications
efforts focus on advocating the value of the arts to the larger community.
PublicationsThe AAC continues to be committed to promoting the arts to
the public by publishing a number of publications which are
distributed to the AAC membership as well as to the broader
public.
The ArtsBridge magazine is published twice yearly and builds
awareness of the arts by examining the past, present and future
of the arts in Lethbridge. The magazine is theme-based; the
Spring/Summer edition celebrated the opening of Casa. The
Fall/Winter edition examined “Arts from Outside”; the people,
places and influences that have helped shape Lethbridge’s arts
community. 2013 editions of ArtsBridge included contributions
from the AAC staff, board and membership, as well as members
of arts organizations, artists, musicians, poets, dancers,
architects, and City of Lethbridge staff.
The AAC published the sixth edition of the Arts Directory in
2013. The directory is the go-to publication for information
on Lethbridge arts, including information on artists, groups,
businesses, classes, supplies and much more. The directory
also included a public art map that can be used for self-guided
arts tours.
With the opening of Casa in May of 2013, the AAC also
coordinated the production of the Casa program guides.
The guides are released three times yearly: Winter (January
– April), Spring/Summer (May – August) and Fall (September –
December). Guides include class information and descriptions
as well as event, facility and rental information.
Online & Social MediaCommunications has slowly become more and more digitized and the Allied Arts Council is following this trend by doing a significant
amount of communications through online and social media. We manage two websites, three facebook pages, two twitter accounts,
two Instagram accounts, a google plus page, two YouTube channels and a Bi-monthly e-newsletter. Overall we have seen an
increase in engagement online from year to year, and continue to build and support our mission through online media.
2013An average of 4 unique arts events from AAC members are promoted online per week.
www.artslethbridge.org had 14,095 page visits in 2013, and 8600 unique visitors.
The Online Arts Calendar promoted 219 unique arts events in 2013.
PROMOTING THE ARTS
R e p o r t s 2R e p o r t s 2C o m m u n i c a t i o n s 5
Media PartnershipsThe Allied Arts Council continues to build on our media relationships
in the community. We are grateful of all the time and effort that our
media partners put into maintaining our strong partnerships.
We continue to partner with 94.1 CJOC on two unique arts
campaigns: Art Moments & Art Tracks. Art Moments provide
information on arts issues and initiatives in the community, and Art
Tracks provide on-air promotion for AAC member arts events.
The AAC also maintains a partnership with the Lethbridge Herald on
the “Share your Stories” Column. The Herald generously donates
space for a column for AAC members to share news, events, and
articles relating to the arts, weekly in the Friday Paper.
Several other media organizations including: Global Television,
Shaw Television, CTV Lethbridge, LAbeat, The Endeavor, The
Meliorist, Lethbridge Living, Quirk, CKXU 88.3, The River 107.7/Rock
106.7, B93.3/Country 95.5, CKVN 98.1 have generously provided
Non-Profit rates or media coverage for our organization, making it
possible for us to communicate with our greater community.
Promotions and PartnershipsCity of Lethbridge Recreation and Culture Guide: Each month, the AAC provides four pages in the Recreation and Culture Guide for the promotion of events, membership features and
general Lethbridge arts information.
Lethbridge Public Library Display Cases: The AAC and the Lethbridge Public Library continue our partnership which provides AAC member organizations the use of display cases
to promote their art, events and programming.
AAC Display Board: Members of the AAC had the opportunity to advertise arts events in the AAC display boards, located outside the AAC office and at Casa.
Passers-by stop to view poster boards to find out what’s coming up in Lethbridge’s art scene. In 2013, over 180 posters were displayed.
Art @ the Farmers Market Booth: The Allied Arts Council rented a booth at the 2013 Farmers Market from May to October and made it available for AAC members to rent
at a significantly lower cost. Member were able to sell art work, promote upcoming events, sell tickets, do demonstrations and inform the
larger community of their activities.
Exhibition Opportunities: The Allied Arts Council has the use of three exhibition spaces downtown, and provides members with an opportunity to display work on
a rotating basis. Royal LePage, The AAC office, and the Joan Waterfield Gallery at the Yates allow artists to showcase work for up to six
months at a time.
Tax Workshop for Artists: The AAC continues to work with Volution LLP Tax annually to present tax workshops for artists, giving them the opportunity to learn about
basic bookkeeping and preparing income tax returns for self-employed artists.
Ray Jolliffe Memorial Scholarship: The AAC works with the Lethbridge Community Foundation and the Jolliffe family annually to facilitate the application and jury process for the
Ray Jolliffe Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship provides financial support to a student pursuing study in the field of “Theatre Production
Design and Management” and/or “Television Production and Design.” In 2013, the scholarship was awarded to Taisa Chernichko, who is
studying at University of Lethbridge.2013
6 R e p o r t s
2013 Mayor’s Luncheon For Business and the Arts
Mayor’s Luncheonfor business and the arts
On September 19, 2013 the AAC hosted a sold out 8th annual Mayors Luncheon for Business and
the Arts at the Lethbridge Lodge. The Luncheon is a celebration of the relationship between the
business community, civic government, and the arts community and includes an awards presentation
that recognizes the achievements of individuals, organizations and businesses who have contributed to
the arts vibrancy of our city.
The Luncheon was attended by 240 arts supporters who saw the AACE & Joan Waterfield awards
presented to four dedicated arts supporters.
Allied Arts Council Excellence Awards recipients:
Nominated by: YWCA & Womanspace
Mike Spencer created a space for musicians to perform and for people who
love music to come together and enjoy an intimate live venue. This effort has
grown into the Geomatic Attic, where not only local bands and musicians can
perform, but is a venue that can host and present music that would otherwise
not have an opportunity to perform in our City. The Geomatic Attic supports
artists and inspires community members to come together to enjoy music.
2013 Business Recipient: Mike Spencer Geometrics
Nominated by: Potemkin Collective, Burning Ground Studios, Theatre Outre
Peter Fiorino has a genuine love of the Arts, and for many years
has helped by providing spaces for artists to work, display, and
perform at affordable prices. Pete’s work behind the scenes is
an important part of the strength of our arts community. Peter
says “art is life, without art, we have nothing”
2013 Individual Recipient: Pete Fiorino
6 M a y o r ’ s L u n c h
R e p o r t s 2R e p o r t s 2
Nominated by: City of Lethbridge Recreation & Culture
The Rotary Club’s investment into the building of Casa
and the Rotary Square was an essential and significant
contribution. The Rotary Club recognized the importance of
investing in the arts and the value that an inviting downtown
gathering place has for Lethbridge. The Rotary Club of
Lethbridge’s contribution was illustrative of what it means
to be an Allied Arts Council Excellence award recipient, and
their investment in the square at Casa will have an impact on
our community for years to come.
2013 Service Organization Recipient: Rotary Club of Lethbridge
M a y o r ’ s L u n c h 7
Joan Waterfield Award recipient
Peggy Mezei, University of Lethbridge Conservatory of Music
The Joan Waterfield Memorial Award is a peer to peer award recognizing outstanding contribution to the arts in Lethbridge.
This year’s winner, Peggy Mezei, of the University of Lethbridge Conservatory of Music, exemplifies the awards intent to
give credit to individuals who demonstrate long term commitment to nourishing the arts in Lethbridge. Peggy’s work with
the University of Lethbridge Conservatory of Music has had far reaching benefits. As an artist, leader, mentor, advocate and
educator, Peggy’s work helped make the participation of the conservatory in Casa a reality resulting in long lasting music
opportunities for the community.
1 R e p o r t s1 R e p o r t s
Lethbridge Arts Days was held at the end of September in conjunction with Alberta Culture Days and the Canada
wide National Culture Days. Arts Days is a week-long celebration of the arts in Lethbridge. Lethbridge Arts Days
provides a unique opportunity to showcase and share the talents of our member artists and arts organizations.
In 2013, Arts Days included the participation of more than 200 artists from a variety of disciplines. Funding received
from Canadian Heritage – Building Communities, Alberta Culture, the City of Lethbridge Heart of Our City, along
with several corporate sponsors provided us an opportunity to create a platform for artists to perform and showcase
their work in Lethbridge.
The 9th annual Artwalk included over 50 artists in storefronts and businesses in the downtown core, and several
artist studios. An artisan market provided space for artists and artisans to sell their work in a central location along
the Artwalk route, street performers and musicians performed along the route helping to engage audiences and liven
our downtown core.
The Allied Arts Council collaborated with several Lethbridge arts organizations to include their events in our program
adding to the diversity of the festival. Promoted member events included Drama Nutz Cabaret “Live in Lethbridge”,
Lethbridge Public Library “Word on the Street”, The Geomatic Attic concert “Little Miss Higgins”, Lethbridge
Symphony Orchestra’s “Chamber Series 1”, Alberta Media Arts Alliance series “Prairie Tales”, The Southern Alberta
Art Gallery Pancake Breakfast, Galt Museum & Archives Sculpture Show, The University of Lethbridge TheatreXtra
Production “Down From Heaven”, and a Gallery Stroll including SAAG,The Trianon, Casa Gallery, The U of L Penny
Building Gallery, and Geomatic Attic Gallery.
Christmas at CasaOn November 22 & 23 the Allied Arts Council hosted the first Christmas at Casa seasonal
art market. The market consisted of 21 unique vendors including individual artists, guilds and
collectives selling art in a variety of mediums including: photography, pottery, textiles, weaving,
paintings, wood-work, jewellery and sculpture.
Lethbridge Arts Days 2013
8 A r t s D a y s
R e p o r t s 9
With the opening of Casa this year we were able to expand our Arts Days Programming and add new events like the Family Affair on
the Square. This event was a family friendly day filled with art activities and live music. In addition to local singer-songwriters and up
and coming local bands, we were able to include performances by the Community Taiko Drummers, the University of Lethbridge Low
Brass Ensemble, and the Lethbridge Irish Dance Academy, thus enabling these organizations to perform their work in a new venue
to new audiences. Over 400 people took part in the event and we look forward to building on the success of this new initiative in the
upcoming years.
Overall attendance during Arts Days was approximately 4500 and we continue to appreciate the growth and opportunity that this
festival has in increasing the appreciation for the arts Lethbridge.
Arts Days . 2013
The event was held in conjunction with the Bright Lights Festival,
MADE Sale, and the moonlight madness in downtown Lethbridge
which added to the festive atmosphere of the sale. Also adding to
the atmosphere was the Casa Café which provided shoppers and
vendors an opportunity to enjoy a snack and a beverage.
Attendance at the event was approximately 1500 over the two days
and we look forward to building on the success of this year’s sale
and growing Christmas at Casa into one of the most anticipated
Christmas shows in the City.
A r t s D a y s 9
Grand Opening
1 0 C a s a
On May 14, 2013 Casa, Lethbridge’s new community arts centre opened its
doors to the public. The Allied Arts Council worked with the City of Lethbridge
to celebrate the Grand Opening with a week-long celebration of the arts.
The opening day consisted of a VIP reception, public tours, ribbon cutting,
speeches, and open studios. It was an opportunity to celebrate the hard
work of all the individuals who put tireless hours in to making Casa a reality,
as well as showcase what Casa has to offer to our community.
Our celebration continued throughout the week with a performance series
including original dance pieces by Intrinzic Dance & Nehiyah Iskwewak
Collective called “Dance comes Home”, an original Theatre Production
written by Jeremy Mason entitled “The Death of Vaudeville and Other
Stories”, and a concert presented by Geomatic Attic featuring Oscar Lopez.
A total of approximately 400 people attended these performances during
opening week.
The inaugural gallery exhibition “Transitions and Transformation” featured
34 Lethbridge and area artists who produced work in a variety of mediums.
The opening exhibition drew approximately 200 guests to Casa.
The final day of our celebration consisted of a “Party on the Plaza” concert.
This concert was free to the public and featured several Lethbridge and
area performers. The inclement weather brought the Party inside, but the
community room at Casa was a more than capable backup plan for the
performances.
After almost twenty years of work the Allied Arts Council and the citizens
of Lethbridge at large are finally getting an opportunity to see what our arts
community can do with increased and improved arts space. The opening
activities saw more than 3000 people visit Casa, and we are looking forward
to seeing what the future holds for this new facility.
R e p o r t s 1 1
Facility
C a s a 1 1
ROOM VISITS PARTICIPANTS GROUPS DESCRIPTION
Community Room 80 9769 57 Recitals, musical performances, films, photo presentations, workshops, artist residencies, training and info sessions, meetings, art sales, social events, dance performances & theatre productions
Meeting Rooms 80 1046 21 Meetings, AGMs, rehearsals, info sessions, polling station, speech arts, recitals, interviews
Dance Studio 158 2491 11 Ballet, ethnic dance, healing movement, interpretive dance, yoga, martial arts
2D Classroom 37 281 2 Visual art classes, art wellness programs
3D Studio 4 80 1 Workshops
Textile Room 4 60 1 Workshops
Atrium 2 120 2 Filming, music jam session
Upper Patio 1 25 1 Meet & mix
Rotary Square 3 500 3 Social interest rally, festival, pancake breakfast
Casa Bookings June - December 2013
The first quarter of 2013 found staff focused on preparations for the
move out of the Bowman Arts Centre and into Casa. Many hours
went into planning and orchestrating the move. Staff numbers grew
from three full-time and one part-time employees at the Bowman to
six full-time and six part-time employees at Casa. There was a two
week window to make the transition and with the unbelievable efforts
of staff and volunteers it went very well. New staff worked at Casa
assembling equipment and furnishings while existing staff packed up
the Bowman.
At least fifteen hundred people attended the Casa Grand Opening on
May 14, 2013 with many others enjoying specifically planned opening
week events. The number of people accessing Casa continues to
be impressive with most months realizing over eight thousand visits.
Approximately 800 people have been given guided tours of Casa
since it opened in May 2013. Fifty-two individual artists purchased
yearly Studio Access passes in 2013 and are regularly using studio
spaces and there are close to twenty art related groups booking
space at Casa either on a weekly or monthly basis. Most bookable
space is utilized daily during peak hours by art, non-art groups and
the Conservatory of Music. Highlight bookings during the first nine
months of operations include Jazz Festival, a Flood Relief Concert,
the Girls Rock Camp, the College Fashion Design program’s
Fashion Show, the University of Lethbridge Conservatory of Music
Donor Appreciation reception and the Tuba Christmas. Having the
University of Lethbridge Conservatory of Music at Casa adds yet
another art element to the centre and their presence continues to be
very positive. The Conservatory employs approximately fifty music
teachers and has over eight hundred students.
Moving into a new building comes with many challenges. The typical
construction deficiencies that are associated with the building of a large
facility have been and continue to be a concern. They are however
being addressed and we are confident issues today will not be issues
tomorrow. Challenges aside, Casa is a wonderful facility which is
being well used and is greatly appreciated by the community.
BUILDING COMMUNITY
EducationProviding strong skill building programs was an integral part of
the education programming at the Bowman Arts Centre and this
program focus has continued since the move to Casa. With a new
building, filled with more artist and classroom space, we have
seen our enrollment numbers surpass our numbers from 2012.
Our strong education program includes classes for children, youth
and adults as well as community outreach programs. Classes
range from drawing, painting, and photography to stained
glass, cartooning and book binding. During May and June of
2013 we offered a series of “samplers” allowing people to take
a smorgasbord of lessons in various arts disciplines. These
samplers provided a great opportunity for community members to
try different arts activities at an affordable price without the need to
commit to a particular class. Many of the students who participated
in the sampler classes subsequently enrolled in regular classes.
As always our clay classes have remained in-demand, with
classes being consistently at capacity. We are working to offer
more opportunities to study both clay handbuilding and the clay
wheel for both beginners and advanced students.
In addition to our regular classes we continue to grow our community
outreach programming. Our special needs programming remains
at capacity providing many arts opportunities for adults with special
needs. Our RAW program, which provides arts opportunities for
members of our community that battle poverty and homelessness,
has grown substantially since moving to Casa. This program now
under the umbrella of the Housing First initiative has been joined
by programs at Brassard House and a program for at risk youth.
In each of these our dedicated core of artist instructors help
individuals find meaningful daily activities and expression through
the arts. The feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly
positive and the program is consistently referred to as a highlight
in their week.
As the education programming has been developed and refined
in the last nine months we
have added two new artist
opportunities. Our Artist
Partnerships foster creative
development by combining
community inspired ideas
with Casa administrative and
facility resources. Proposals
for classes and workshops are
generated and delivered by individual artists or arts organizations
from all disciplines and are available to local as well as visiting
artists. There have been over 45 Artist Partnerships programmed
since May.
Our residency program provides an opportunity for artists from all
disciplines to pursue their own work in a supportive, community-
based atmosphere. It is open to artists from all backgrounds and
at any stage in their development, including recent high school
graduates, amateurs, and emerging or established professionals.
During an artist’s residency they have access to Casa for their
work and in exchange showcase their skills in free workshops or
presentations for the public. To date eight residencies have been
held at Casa.
1 2 C a s a
SUMMER CLASS STATISTICS
Total # Run Classes ................ 74
Total # Students ........................ 493
Average/Class ............................. 6.7
TOTAL # SINGLE SESSION
SAMPLER Classes .................... 48
Total # Students ........................ 287
Average/Class ............................. 5.9
FALL CLASS STATISTICS
Total # Run Classes ................. 45
Total # Students ........................ 343
Average/Class ............................. 7.6
The Gallery Program had a tremendous year filled with radical changes, fantastic exhibitions, and community engagement.
The year started with the final exhibition at the Bowman Arts Centre, and transitioned to Casa with an extremely successful
inaugural exhibition that included works by 34 artists. Since moving to Casa the program has expanded considerably, and we
will be continuing this evolution and expansion over the coming years.
The program presented eight gallery exhibitions, as well as numerous smaller ad hoc presentations. Of these eight gallery
exhibitions, five were solo shows. The other three exhibitions were group shows which included a total of forty-one participating
artists. All of our exhibitions in 2013 featured the work of either local artists, or artists with a strong connection to our community.
We have also hosted seven unique, smaller exhibitions on our feature walls and in our presentation showcases.
For the fifth year, the gallery organized a film series featuring rare documentaries about contemporary artists. This year’s
series, “Process and Perception” began in November, 2013. Films are now screened once a month rather than once a week.
A new program that resulted from the move to Casa is The “Window Shop” showcase giftshop, which provides an opportunity
for local artisans to sell their wares. Sales volumes for the “Window Shop” have been steady and are expected to grow.
The gallery program also had the opportunity to enter into a long-term partnership with both the Alberta Media Arts Alliance
and the EPCOR Centre for the Arts in presenting a Lethbridge extension of the GAMA (Gallery of Alberta Media Arts) program.
This is a peer-assessed fee paying program that presents media work by Alberta artists. The Casa component is a monitor and
viewing area adjacent to the gallery.
We were excited to receive notice of a $15,000 Canada Council for the Arts Project Grant (inter-organization collaboration) late
in 2013. Artist Cindy Baker is working on her Masters of Fine Art Degree at the U of L, and as part of her thesis, she is curating a
large installation and performance art event in Lethbridge, featuring international artists who will be travelling to our community.
Casa Gallery, in coordination with SAAG, Trap/door, M:ST Performance Art Festival, and the Potemkin Collective will be offering
support. Casa will provide space, and with the grant, help offset travel and artist fee costs for the visiting artists.
2013 was extremely successful, and we are confident that we will continue to amaze, astound and engage the residents of our
community in 2014!
C a s a 1 3
FALL CLASS STATISTICS
Total # Run Classes ................. 45
Total # Students ........................ 343
Average/Class ............................. 7.6
Artist’s Fees totaling $15,974 were paid to 46 exhibiting artists in 2013
Gallery Approximately 1000 people attended gallery openings in 2013
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1 4 R e p o r t s1 4 P u b l i c A r t
Public Art
which causes the once realistic picture plane to be abstracted, was
selected for fabrication. The gate and grill panels were installed in
early 2014.
An additional public art project for Casa involving the commissioning
of a site specific work by local artist David Hoffos was also initiated
in 2013. The work is being funded by the AFA and will be a part
of the Alberta collection on long term loan to Allied Arts Council for
installation in in the west facing window of Casa. The work will be
unveiled in the fall of 2014. Of significance with this project is the
collaboration between the AFA and the AAC and which creates a
model for future partnerships for accomplishing public art projects.
The AAC provides administrative support for the
City of Lethbridge Public Art Program through
staff participation on the Public Art Committee
as well as by providing management support for
project selection committees and commissioned
projects. The AAC also provides opportunities for
the community to learn about the public art program
through the hosting of artist talks and information
sessions.
The Public Art collection continues to expand
with the addition of three new works at Casa, the
installation of an integrated work that serves as a
gateway into the new City of Lethbridge Royal View
Cemetery and the completion of relief sculptures on
the entrance wings of the pedestrian tunnel which
was built as part of the North Scenic Drive extension
project.
Casa has provided a number of locations for
installing public art work. The second of three works
commissioned for the facility, Mirrored Earth a work
by the Vancouver based team of artists Nancy
Chew and Jacqueline Metz, was installed in June
2013. The highly successful work surprises and
intrigues viewers as a number of its approximately
600 wall mounted mirrors arranged to replicate the
coulees move in response to their presence. The
piece complements George Heagle’s Common
Unity, installed in late 2012 on the desk in the Casa
reception area.
A process to commission an artist to create a design
for the gate and grill incorporated in the north
courtyard fence of the centre was implemented in
early 2013. Local artist Marta Blicharz’s design
titled Bit Portal, based on the imperfect nature of
digital media and its susceptibility to pixellation
MA
RTA
BLI
CH
AR
Z - B
it P
orta
l
JACQUELINE METZ & NANCY CHEW - Mirrored Earth
R e p o r t s 1 5P u b l i c A r t 1 5
Also completed and installed in the summer of 2013 was Threshold by Tony
Bloom. Threshold is an integrated work that frames and draws attention to
the landscape, abstractly references and honors the mining industry and also
works as a functional gate for the new Royal View Cemetery. Prominent
elements of the gate are the post and lintel frame that suggests a mine
entrance, the arc and circle that evoke the tipple, spindles that replicate
hand augers and the end posts include aluminum replicas of pieces of
coal. Included in the Royal View Cemetery project process were a day of
consultation by the artist to gather information from community members on
mining in the Lethbridge area and an Artist’s Talk by Mr. Bloom that was held
in conjunction with the commission ceremony held in October 2013.
Another exciting project to integrate art into infrastructure was also completed
in 2013 with the installation of relief sculptures designed by BC artist Gerry
Houghton being installed on the entrances to the north scenic drive pedestrian
tunnel. The relief sculptures, like the Royal View Project, have a mining
theme which fits wonderfully with an underground tunnel.
In September 2013 a second Call for Proposals was issued for a public
artwork project for the recently renovated Helen Schuler Nature Centre,
because the submissions from the first Call for Proposals failed to meet the
expectations of the selection committee. Artists will be shortlisted for the
project in early 2014 with final selection of a project for recommendation to
City Council expected to be completed by July 2014. It is expected that the
project will installed in the spring of 2015.
TONY BLOOM - Threshold
1 6 R e p o r t s
The Allied Arts Council and the arts community of Lethbridge have been working with the City of Lethbridge to improve arts facilities
since 2005. Nine years later Lethbridge has completed two major projects:
SAAG expansion project
Casa –Community Arts Centre
However, the vision of the cultural corridor will not be fulfilled until a new Performing Arts Theatre is in place and there is increased
and improved performance space in our city.
Ten Million Dollars has been promised in the 2014-2017 City of Lethbridge Capital Improvement plan if the remaining $50 million
can be found from other sources. The AAC board has resolved that the AAC will take a leadership role in building and supporting a
larger committee to generate funds for a Performing Arts Theatre and will continue to build support in the community, engaging &
aligning stakeholders and expressing the need for a new Performing Arts Theatre to the community at large.
1 6 F a c i l i t i e s
COMPLETEDCOMPLETED
Performing Arts Theatre?CORRIDOR
CULTURAL
Improving Arts Facilities
R e p o r t s 1 7
COMPLETED
Membership
The AAC boasts a diverse membership of artists, arts organizations and arts supporters.
We enthusiastically welcomed 58 new members in 2013.
57 Allied Members Groups dedicated to furthering the arts
23 Associate Members Businesses engaged in artistic endeavors
123 Artist Members Individuals engaged in artistic endeavors
77 Friend & Family Members Individuals and families supportive of the arts
Lifetime Members
The AAC acknowledges the following members whose efforts have had a major
impact on the Allied Arts Council organization throughout the years. Each of them have
received Lifetime Membership in recognition of their contributions.
Doris Balcovske
Van Christou
Karen Kay
Clare Malmberg
Volunteers
The AAC gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the extraordinary volunteers who support our many initiatives.
Supported activities and programs in 2013 include: the AAC Board of Directors, Mayor’s Luncheon for Business
and the Arts, Casa Grand Opening, Christmas at Casa, Lethbridge Arts Days, Casa Education & Gallery programs.
Approximately 58 volunteers contributed 272 hours of their time to the AAC.
S u p p o r t e r s 1 7
Supporters
1 R e p o r t s1 R e p o r t s1 8 F i n a n c i a l s
Financials
9%18%
12%
62%
31%
1%
18%
19%
31%
RevenueProgram Fees/Membership $155,637.37 18%
Projects/Donations/Grants $104,307.12 12%
City of Lethbridge* $545,013.94 62%
Alberta Foundation for the Arts $ 81,066.38 9%
$886,024.81
*does not include imputed rent
Administration $247,629.07 31%
Facility $250,393.15 31%
Arts Promotion $151,836.24 19%
Programming* $149,563.17 18%
Board $ 9,375.79 1%
$808,797.42
*does not include imputed rent
Expenses
ALLIED ARTS COUNCIL OF LETHBRIDGE Statement of Financial Position
December 31, 2013, with comparative information for 2012
2013 2012
Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 364,544 $ 279,951 Accounts receivable 33,402 36,854 Prepaid expenses 1,395 2,056 Goods and services tax recoverable 1,892 1,579
401,233 320,440
Capital assets: Capital assets 115,913 112,275 Less accumulated amortization 71,208 70,486
44,705 41,789
$ 445,938 $ 362,229
Liabilities and Net Assets Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 2,165 $ 10,871 Deferred revenue 16,748 9,113 Deferred contributions 40,390 32,837
59,303 52,821
Net assets: Invested in capital assets 44,705 41,789 Unrestricted 42,059 42,059 Internally restricted 299,871 225,560
386,635 309,408
$ 445,938 $ 362,229
R e p o r t s 1 9F i n a n c i a l s 1 9
ALL
IED
AR
TS C
OU
NC
IL O
F LE
THB
RID
GE
Sta
tem
ent o
f Ope
ratio
ns
Yea
r end
ed D
ecem
ber 3
1, 2
013,
with
com
para
tive
info
rmat
ion
for 2
012
Pro
gram
A
dmin
istra
tive
Boa
rd
Edu
catio
n Fa
cilit
y G
alle
ry
Lead
ersh
ip
2013
20
12
Rev
enue
: Fe
es, s
ales
and
rent
als
$ --
$ --
$ 74
,921
$
55,6
68
$ 3,
544
$ 12
,448
$
146,
581
$ 10
2,01
4 C
ity o
f Let
hbrid
ge:
- fee
for s
ervi
ce
--
26
,854
--
337,
200
--
15
9,84
6 52
3,90
0 34
2,90
0 - f
acili
ty s
uppo
rt
--
--
--
38
2,03
8 --
--
38
2,03
8 15
9,60
0 Fu
ndra
isin
g an
d sp
ecia
l pr
ojec
ts
--
--
--
25
,806
--
50,8
41
76,6
47
42,3
35
Gra
nts,
don
atio
ns a
nd
spon
sors
hips
--
--
24
,528
--
82,8
88
26,7
57
134,
173
120,
109
Oth
er
3,96
5 --
--
--
--
--
3,96
5 3,
897
Rec
over
ies
(net
) 75
8 --
--
--
--
--
758
818
4,
723
26,8
54
99,4
49
800,
712
86,4
32
249,
892
1,26
8,06
2 77
1,67
3 E
xpen
ses:
P
rogr
am c
osts
--
--
24
,240
--
25,5
93
947
50,7
80
36,4
16
Adm
inis
trativ
e an
d
supp
ort s
taff
186,
162
--
39
,001
19
0,20
0 43
,783
26
7 45
9,41
3 33
0,52
0 Fu
ndra
isin
g an
d sp
ecia
l pro
ject
s --
--
--
51,0
55
--
59
,008
11
0,06
3 54
,402
S
taff
expe
nses
4,
232
7,34
5 --
539
--
--
12,1
16
12,9
72
Ren
t --
--
--
382,
038
--
16
,020
39
8,05
8 17
5,76
8 B
uild
ing
mai
nten
ance
--
--
--
18,8
16
--
3,
487
22,3
03
17,1
80
Offi
ce
21,5
17
--
--
--
--
3,97
3 25
,490
15
,245
C
omm
unic
atio
ns
3,39
9 4,
354
--
--
--
58
,742
66
,495
66
,834
U
tiliti
es
--
--
--
8,
160
--
2,
482
10,6
42
18,5
67
Insu
ranc
e 4,
662
--
--
--
--
--
4,
662
4,77
8 O
ther
6,
294
472
--
--
--
88
0 7,
646
7,32
7 Lo
ss o
n di
spos
al o
f
capi
tal a
sset
s --
157
131
1,17
7 10
5 1,
046
2,61
6 --
Goo
ds a
nd s
ervi
ces
tax
non-
reco
vera
ble
6,00
5 --
--
--
--
--
6,00
5 3,
939
Am
ortiz
atio
n --
873
727
6,54
6 58
2 5,
818
14,5
46
12,6
60
23
2,27
1 13
,201
64
,099
65
8,53
1 70
,063
15
2,67
0 1,
190,
835
756,
608
E
xces
s (d
efic
ienc
y) o
f rev
enue
ov
er e
xpen
ses
(227
,548
) 13
,653
35
,350
14
2,18
1 16
,369
97
,222
77
,227
15
,065
P
rogr
am a
lloca
tions
(not
e 10
) 22
7,54
8 (1
3,65
3)
(11,
377)
(1
02,3
96)
(9,1
02)
(91,
020)
--
--
Net
pro
gram
sur
plus
(def
icie
ncy)
$
--
$
--
$ 23
,973
$
39,7
85
$ 7,
267
$ 6,
202
$ 77
,227
$
15,0
65
Administration $247,629.07 31%
Facility $250,393.15 31%
Arts Promotion $151,836.24 19%
Programming* $149,563.17 18%
Board $ 9,375.79 1%
$808,797.42
*does not include imputed rent
Expenses
2 0 R e p o r t s
2013 Allied Arts Council Staff
2 0 R e p o r t s
PRESIDENT
Kris Hodgson
VICE PRESIDENT
Kim Siever
SECRETARY
Tyler Gschaid
TREASURER
Shanna Bailey
DIRECTORS
Jennifer Babits
Amanda Berg
Ron Brown
Tweela Houtekamer
Karla Mather-Cocks
Greg Norman
Dione Overes
Don Reeves
Jennifer Schmidt Rempel
2013 Allied Arts Council Board of Directors
Personnel
Casa Staff:
FACILITY SERVICES COORDINATORClaire Hatton
GALLERY SERVICES COORDINATORDarcy Logan
EDUCATION COORDINATORJeremy Mason/Victoria Manzer/Leila Armstrong
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTBeverly Stadelmann
FACILITY TECHNICIANS:Brent CoultonTim ElniskiAaron HaganBrian Quinn
RECEPTION:Lorraine LeePamela VeraDiana Zasadny
CUSTODIANS:Brad GorukAndrew Bialobzyski
AAC 7th Street Office:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Suzanne Lint
PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR
Ashley Markus
PROJECTS COORDINATOR
Muffy McKay
FINANCE COORDINATOR
Jana MacKenzie
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Derek Stevenson
Cont
ribu
tors
PLATINUM ($2,000 +)Val & Flora Matteotti
ATB Financial
GOLD ($1,000+)Deltec Power & Control Systems
Downtown Lethbridge BRZ
Ferrari Westwood Babits Architects
Gold & Gold Productions
Janice & Glenn Varzari
Korite Internationl Ltd.
North & Company
Rick Gillis
Royal LePage, South Country
SILVER ($500+)KPMG Chartered Accountants
Melcor Development
Peter Mueller
Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Green Haven
BRONZE ($250+)D.A. Building Systems
Rodney and Martha Draffin
Miles and Carol Godlonton
Overhead Door
Precon Precast Products
Richardson Oilseed Ltd.
Sterling Mutuals
Streatside Eatery
Volution LLP
Westwind Management Solutions
INDIVIDUAL PARTNERS($1-$249)Christopher & Jennifer Babits
Amanda Berg
Amy Brecka
Barb Cunningham
Wayne Dwornik
Elements Physical Therapy
Terri Fortunaso
Barb Goodman
Keith & Jeanette Greeno
Malcolm & Bonnie Greenshield
Lori Harasem & Duane Petluk
Linda Horner
Tweela Houtekamer
Lorita & Akira Ichikawa
R.A. & M Jacobson
Diana Lanier
Judy Legg
Dave McCann
Gary McGladdery
Mike Mountain Horse Elementary
Tad Mitsui & Muriel Mellow
Anne Myshok
Katie & Shig Nakagawa
Birthe Perry
Rose Primachuk
Lyle & Lesley Rode
Delmarie Skeith
Elizabeth Slovak
Don & Marcia Taylor
Gloria & Stanley Torrance
Darlene Weger
Dan & Karen Westwood
MEDIA PARTNERS94.1 CJOC
CKUA
CKXU 88.3
Country 95.5/B93.3
107.7 River/106.7
Lethbridge Herald
A L L I E D A R T S C O U N C I L O F L E T H B R I D G E
318 7 Street South
Lethbridge Alberta T1J 2G2
PH: 403.320.0555
F: 403.320.2450
EMAIL: [email protected]
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