Hi all,
I have a request for help. The Alberta College of Art and Design,
where I teach has hit a severe financial hole ($650,000 deficit
they didn’t know they had and an arbitrated faculty salary rise for
the next three years-about $400,000 a year costs - with no money to
pay for it). Our new Board has given the school two years to solve
the problem completely: a 20% cut to funding when we already had a
25% several years ago. I keep doing the numbers and coming up with
drastic program cuts, 1-4 in my mind. One of them likely being
jewelry, the others potentially being in the crafts. I represent
three groups in this request: my jewelry program, the crafts
programs in general and the school itself.
We need letters to the Premier and Education minister-soemtimes
magics happen in the political arena that are not possible any
other way.
I am asking you to:
a) write a note of support. A sample note is provided below so all you have
to do is to reply to the email addresses given below,then delete this
portion of the text, type your name and send.
b) please forward this email to artists, art mailing lists,
jewellers, craftspeople etc, anyone likely to help out. We have
until mid-April to make an impact on the Government.
The more email the Premier and Education Minister receive from
around the world saying that the Alberta College of Art and Design
is important the more likely it is that they may think about saving
the school from drastic cuts.
Feel free to change or add to the sample note provided below:
Thank you for your time.
Charles Lewton-Brain, National Craft Representative, Director on
the Board, Canadian Conference of the Arts
PLEASE DELETE ALL THE ABOVE INFORMATION BEFORE SENDING YOUR REPLY
TO:
Paste in address line:
AltaTalk@gov.ab.ca, clint.dunford@aecd.gov.ab.ca,
saveacad@cadvision.com
Dear Honourable Ralph Klein, Premier, and Clint Dunford, Education
Minister
I understand that the Alberta college of Art and Design is in the
process of restructuring to deal with financial difficulties, some
of them historical in nature. It appears that program cuts may be
considered. Please consider repairing the historical underfunding
of the college and helping the college move into a new era without
losing its un-duplicated, crafts and art programs.
The college is a vital part of art education in the West. Numerous
graduates work in high tech companies such as Image Club, create
web sites, make art and craft that makes the province vital and
important. Its graduates contribute strongly to the economy of
Alberta. The skills taught allow its graduates to work in varied
fields involving creativity and art oriented thinking.
An example of the potentially threatened programs is
Jewellery/Metals. This program is not duplicated in Alberta, and
serves all of Western Canada, there are no jewellery programs in
either Manitoba or Saskachewan. It is one of only 9 programs for
jewellery in the entire Country and is one of the best of them. Its
faculty are internationally known and contribute to the
jewelry/metals field not just in Canada but in the United States,
and through the internet with much of the world.
Please retain and foster programs at the Alberta College of Art
and Design.
Thank you for your time.
Yours,
(please type your name here and your town and country)
Further contact
Clint Dunford
Education Minister
Legistlature Office
#229, 10800-97 Jasper Ave
Edmonton, AB, T5K 2B6
tel: 403-427-2291
fax: 403-427-2610
email address is: clint.dunford@aecd.gov.ab.ca
Honourable Raplph Klein
Premier of Alberta
#307, 10800-97 Ave
Edmonton, AB, T5K 2B6
tel: 403-427-2251
fax: 403-427-1349
Hon. Ralph Klein’s email address is: AltaTalk@gov.ab.ca
Charles Lewton-Brain/Brain Press
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email: @Charles_Lewton-Brain
Metals info download web site: http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tree.cgi
Book and Video descriptions: http://www.ganoksin.com/kosana/brain/brain.htm
Gallery page at: http://www.ganoksin.com/brain/gallery.htm