Art Acquisitions by Application
This program supports Alberta's resident professional artists--individuals or ensembles--by purchasing their work for the permanent AFA Art Collection.
Offered by Alberta Foundation for the Arts
Amount
No fixed amount
Quick eligibility check
Who can apply
To be eligible for this acquisitions program, you must be a resident of Alberta. This means you:
- Are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or Protected Person with an open work or study permit from inside Canada
- Have had your primary residence in Alberta for at least one full year before applying
- Ordinarily live in Alberta for at least six months of each year.
Applicants must be in good standing with the AFA, with no outstanding projects or reporting obligations through any of the AFA's programs (i.e., AFA grant programs).
Current applicants to AFA grant programs and recipients of past AFA grants and awards are eligible to apply.
You must meet the AFA's definition of a professional artist. This means you must have participated in at least one public showing of your artwork and demonstrate an ongoing record of your artistic practice in your materials submitted. For more information on professional artist status, please see the AFA's Collections Development Plan.
Applicants must not be enrolled in any formal art-training program at the time of application. At least one full calendar year must have passed since graduating/completion of any formal art-training study before applying.
Artist residencies and PhD programs are considered eligible, provided they are self-directed and do not have a formal art-training component.
Ensembles of Artists
Ensembles of artists are eligible to apply provided that each member meets all the individual eligibility requirements listed above.
The ensemble must designate one artists as the primary contact and every member of the ensemble is required to complete and submit a Designation for Submission by a Commercial Gallery, Organization or Artist Agent form, designating the primary contact to act on their behalf.
Galleries/Agents
Applications from a gallery/agent are eligible if the featured artist meets all individual eligibility requirements and has signed a Designation for Submission by a Commercial Gallery, Organization or Artist Agent form.
Sole proprietorships must apply as a gallery/agent classification and the sole owner must complete the above Designation form.
Applicants may be required to provide additional information to confirm eligibility. This may include proof of residency and/or documentation of graduation from a formal art training program to determine eligibility. Other supporting materials may also be requested if needed to meet program requirements.
Eligible artworks must be:
- Original artworks created by a living artist.
- Produced within the last five years (calculated from the program deadline).
- Suitable for any required travel for public display (including freight elevator access) and manageable by handling by 1-2 people.
- In good physical condition.
- Display-ready, with appropriate hanging mechanism or hardware if needed.
- Priced at fair market value, based on the artist's past sales history and comparable works by peers. The AFA may request documentation to support the listed price.
Not eligible:
Ineligible artworks
The AFA no longer acquires film, video, moving image, digital media, or other time‑based media through this program
Artworks that require immediate maintenance and are not display ready upon submission may be deemed ineligible. Please check your works to ensure they are free from the following conditions to maintain eligibility
flaking or chipped paint, glaze, or other materials
curling, faded, ripped or otherwise damaged artworks
artworks with surface scratches or abrasions
artworks containing unstable materials that are not archival quality or are known to deteriorate over time
artworks that are soiled and require surface cleaning
artworks with warped or unstable stretchers
The following applications are also ineligible
Student work or any artwork created while enrolled in a formal art‑training program
Photographs or prints mounted directly onto aluminum, foamcore, or similar substrates
Applied arts (e.g., gaming, architecture, interior design, commercial photography
Graphic design, fashion design
Published books containing artwork or photographs
Reproductions or copies of original artworks (e.g., giclée prints
Artworks using Indigenous imagery, themes, or stories without evidence of respectful engagement, appropriate permissions, or community protocols
Such works are considered appropriation and do not meet CARFAC’s Indigenous Protocols for the Visual Arts
About the funding
The AFA does not help artists determine the pricing of their work. Artwork should be priced according to fair market value established through a record of past sales of artworks, and/or comparable artworks by other artists who are peers working in similar media.
If a record of recent sales is not available to verify fair market value, and the price of the artwork is in question, the AFA may undertake an appraisal made in writing by an independent qualified appraiser. The appraiser must not be in a position to realize any financial gain resulting from the purchase of the artwork. Artwork values may also be determined by examining commission contracts and insurance values for exhibiting the work.
An art purchase program, not a grant program: the AFA buys resident professional artists' work, at fair market value, for the permanent AFA Art Collection. Up to five artworks may be submitted in one application, and only one application per artist is allowed per annual intake.
