2025 Alberta Budget for Arts and Culture

The 2025 Alberta Budget was released last Thursday, and it’s clear that the UCP government is still not FULLY committed to investing in Alberta’s vibrant, diverse, and growing cultural sector.

Albertans are asking for ethical, competent government, and what we are seeing is more chaos and cuts across the board. Think how much more they could have done if they didn’t waste $70 million on ineffective Children’s Tylenol; all the wasted dollars spent on dismantling AHS, and the ongoing CorruptCare scandal.

Rural and Mid-sized Communities: Still Left Behind

The UCP continues to pay lip service to supporting the arts in rural communities, but when it comes to funding, the reality is that small arts organizations and local initiatives still don’t get the financial support they need. The one-size-fits-all approach to funding makes it harder for rural and mid-sized communities to thrive, especially when the cost of programming and living in these areas is higher than ever.

The budget also ignores the growing need for arts programming in underserved communities. A critique of the UCP’s allocation of funds is that they prioritize larger urban centers, leaving out the heart of Alberta’s cultural vitality in rural and Indigenous communities where arts and culture play a crucial role. While we look forward to the transformation of Arts Commons and Contemporary Calgary, numerous smaller organizations across the province are left hoping for similar transformational capital funding.

What Could Have Been: A Missed Opportunity

This budget was a moment to demonstrate true leadership and vision for Alberta’s arts and cultural communities. We needed to see bold investments to repair the damage caused by previous UCP actions, like years of cuts to Alberta Foundation for the Arts funding under Jason Kenney’s government. The creative economy is a proven driver of economic growth, yet this government continues to underfund it at every turn.

One silver lining in the budget is the capital investment to Contemporary Calgary to retrofit and redevelop their facility. Along with municipal, federal and private dollars, Contemporary’s years of work to advocate to the provincial government to secure capital investment for this project means that the historic Centennial Planetarium will become a vibrant, revitalized cornerstone of downtown Calgary.

The Arts, Culture and Status of Women Budget Gets a $25 Million Decrease Overall: CIP cut $2 Million; Capital Grants cut $36 Million

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) budget will receive a modest increase for 2025-26, however, when compared to the needs of our sector and the huge growth in population plus inflation, in real terms this increase does not come close to what is required, nor does it meet the levels funded by the 2015-2019 NDP government despite protestations from the current government.

AFA grants have been stretched thin for years, and this budget will likely do little to support the expanding number of applications. We’ve heard from numerous stakeholders of the need for increased operational funding. For artists, small organizations, and grassroots community-driven initiatives, Budget 2025 will certainly not move the needle when it comes to their long-term sustainability.

A Promise for Accountability

As we move forward, I will continue to hold this government accountable. I will keep advocating for an arts budget that adequately reflects the importance of culture in our communities and our economy.

I urge all of you—artists, creators, and cultural advocates—to give me your feedback by replying to this newsletter as we move into the Estimates (budget debate) process. Together, we can push for a future where Alberta’s arts and cultural sector is truly valued.

You can watch my first Member’s Statement on the impact the CorruptCare scandal is having on all aspects of government. Additionally, my statement outlines how a well resourced Music Commissioner would support and enhance the music industry in Alberta. Links to my social media channels embedded.

Yours in creativity,

Shadow Minister for Arts and Culture
Joe Ceci