Town Support of Culture

The Town of Canmore provides support for culture in the roles of partner, facilitator, planner, investor, regulator, landlord, steward, programmer, convener, and host. The Arts and Events Department is the support hub and provides services in two primary service areas: public art; and community events. It also administers a bursary for emerging artists and builds cultural sector capacity through workshops, promotion, volunteer opportunities, and internships. Opportunities for artists include projects with communities and the exhibition space at Elevation Place. Key departmental functions in supporting arts and culture include:

• Public Art – Canmore’s public art program supports excellence in public art by emerging and established artists, in new and traditional media, through commissions and projects. Commissions are initiated through calls for artists. Projects involve working in partnership with schools and managing temporary projects such as the utility box project or mural programs. Staff also advise on public art generated through private development plans. The Public Art Committee, appointed by Council, guides public art policy as well as project and artist selection. The public art program is currently funded through an annual per capita art reserve fund.

• Events – A number of town-led events and an array of community-led events receive support including selection, coordination, workshops and training, permitting, and logistics. Town-led events include the Canada Day Parade, New Year’s Eve, Winter Carnival, and National Indigenous Peoples Day, and the department is involved in supporting international World Cup and Olympic cultural events as well as the Mayor’s Spotlight on the Arts, Alberta Culture Days, Wild, and First Thursdays, among others.

• Emerging Artist Bursary – On behalf of the Community Foundation, the department administers the Lamphouse Endowment for the Arts Fund for the Emerging Artist Bursary, which is given annually to an artist who is 17-25 years of age.

Facilities

The Town of Canmore works in partnership with the community to develop and maintain cultural spaces to create and share work and offer community programming. There are two main cultural facilities along with an exhibition space at Elevation Place.

• artsPlace is Canmore’s community arts centre serving Bow Valley residents and visitors, who are encouraged to explore, discover, and celebrate art and creativity through classes, workshops, camps, performances, film screenings, and exhibits. artsPlace is operated by the Canadian Mountain Arts Foundation (CMAF), a registered charity operating at arm’s length from the Town of Canmore. The town provides operational funding on an annual basis through a five-year service agreement with CMAF.

• The Miners’ Union Hall, owned by the town since 1994, is managed through a service contract agreement with the Pine Tree Players, a local theatre company. The venue is used for meetings, social events such as weddings, fundraisers, plays, and concerts. As the sole public building dating back to Canmore’s founding, the Union Hall is an important part of Canmore’s built heritage.

• Three Sisters Gallery at Elevation Place provides local visual artists the opportunity to exhibit their work. The department manages the space, coordinates the calls to artists, and oversees transportation, installation, promotion, and exhibition openings. There are six exhibitions per year.

Investment

The town’s investment in culture includes an annual operating budget allocation that supports the operations of the Arts and Events Department. artsPlace, the Canmore Museum and Geoscience Centre, and the Miners’ Union Hall receive funding for operations and maintenance. Public art projects are funded through a per capita reserve art trust. There are currently no dedicated grant programs that offer direct cash grants to community members for cultural projects or development.