AAC: Where the arts meet community
Editor’s note: This marks the return of the Allied Arts Council’s regular column to the pages of The Lethbridge Herald.
What is art? Some call it subjective… elusive… magic? Maybe not.
Why is art so important? The answer to this might be a bit different coming from an artist or an audience member, or from a high-school drama teacher or a community festival organizer.
At its purest, art is about expression. An expression that is key to the cultural vitality of Lethbridge. Supporting this expression, in the name of nurturing a healthier and happier community, has been the mandate of the Allied Arts Council (AAC) since 1958. Created by 16 arts organizations, the AAC remains a member-based organization to this day.
We provide attention and care to the arts at the community level, ensuring there is space and opportunity for individual and collective expression. There is a strength in solidarity.
In any community art exists as a system. Though some artists may argue they work in isolation, they still depend on some level of outside influence, awareness, and connection. Our community is rich with creatives, from amateur to professional, throughout all sectors of the arts, and like any well-functioning system, it requires maintenance.
This year, to reconnect and remind the community of our role in advancing and enhancing the arts, we are waiving our 2024 membership fees. There are four ways to be a member; Artist, Friend (supporter of the arts), Associate (businesses and collectives engaged in/or supportive of the arts), and Allied (non-profit arts or educational institutions).
Why become a member? Depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re an arts supporter, we are your one-stop-shop for what’s happening in our community. We promote the arts through a range of communication platforms, some of which are directed specifically to members.
We also connect artists to local, provincial, and national opportunities, as well as offering free professional development resources to enhance skills, such as tax preparation or seminars on intellectual property rights or royalties.
Available to anyone, at any time, is our comprehensive event calendar that is a powerful tool to help you engage with arts happenings in our community.
We’re here to help. And our ability to provide this help is only enhanced by greater participation. Join us! Become a member.
Let us connect you with the arts in Southern Alberta.
The power of any system relies on the strength of its different parts, working together. The larger the membership base, the more connections we can create, and the more opportunities exist for supporters and audiences to better enjoy our phenomenal arts scene.
One of our primary goals is to eliminate the all-too-common refrain of “there’s nothing to do in Lethbridge,” which has been a myth for far too long.
Membership information can be found at artslethbridge.org.