Aboriginal Arts Council of Alberta
fine Art and Craft
WORKSHOPS - Exhibition
According to the International Council of Museums Statutes, adopted during the 21st General Conference in Vienna, Austria, in 2007:
“A museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment.”
Previous curatorial projects have taught us that artistic practice is a powerful and healing medium to approach and shed light on issues of social justice and inequality. Through its very nature, fine craft reveals the human experience. In addition, Aboriginal fine craft also reveals a continuum of cultural practices and the transmission of traditional knowledge. Through the exhibition of Aboriginal fine craft, cultural practices remain vital, and so the purpose of the exhibition is multi-faceted.
Working exclusively in Alberta, the AACA has successfully completed an extensive series of professional arts-based activities. With a focus on Aboriginal fine craft, our accomplishments range from promoting and creating opportunities for Aboriginal artists, arts and museum management, gallery and installation design, artist-in-residency management, curatorial and cultural consulting services, instructional and educational design, developing and implementing strategies for membership and volunteer participation, promoting the cultural sector with other organizations, and Aboriginal tourism activities.
MISSION AND VISION
Formed in 2010, the Aboriginal Arts Council of Alberta (AACA) is a non-profit organization which preserves, strengthens and promotes the cultural heritage of Alberta’s Aboriginal people through the interpretive sharing of cultural and artistic practice. Reflective of community values and cultural landscapes, the AACA mission focuses on exceptional educational programming; and the research, collection, and presentation of Aboriginal traditions, lifeways, cultural artifacts, and contemporary art.
Through exhibition, programming, outreach and events AACA strives to incorporate a continuum of Aboriginal achievement, both historical and contemporary. The connection to the land, kinship, and spiritual practices are of great importance to our people, and AACA takes responsibility to acknowledge and transmit those perspectives with sensitivity and care.
Aboriginal Arts Council endeavors to engage and support communities, through providing economic opportunities and social benefits, and by building capacity in the Aboriginal tourism sector and museological practices.