About The Arts Foundry

“Connecting people through art.”

At Leduc Arts Foundry, we are dedicated to fostering a vibrant and inclusive arts community in Leduc. We serve as a hub where various art forms and creative expressions merge, creating a space for all art factions to come together and thrive. From providing free community programming like our weekly drop-ins and youth initiatives to hosting large-scale events like the Leduc Art Walk, we aim to make art accessible and enriching for everyone.

Why are we important to the community?

The Foundry is not just about art—it’s about building connections, inspiring creativity, and offering meaningful opportunities for all ages and backgrounds. We partner with local organizations, celebrate cultural diversity, and work to support mental health, youth engagement, and reconciliation efforts. Whether you're an artist, a family looking for hands-on activities, or someone curious about the arts, we offer something for everyone.

By organizing events, collaborating on public art installations, and offering artist promotion and mentorship, the Foundry helps to nurture the artistic spirit of the city and provide a gathering place where creativity and community meet.

LAF Strategic Plan 2023-2026

*A note on exhibitors: Non-Indigenous artists portraying Indigenous content will be reviewed in consultation with a Treaty/Indigenous partner to determine whether they are appropriate to display or not.

For more information, head to this website: canadacouncil.ca

Our Goals

  • Invest in the infrastructure of the organization.

  • Expand opportunities and space to support all art forms.

  • Market and build access to the arts.

  • Generate understanding of the importance of art for both individual growth and community value.

Our Core Values 

  • Community: Every community needs meaningful cultural experiences and art enriches where we live. We are passionate about community-based artisans delivering these experiences.

  • Creativity: Creativity is essential and all people have the capacity for creative exploration and expression. We believe everyone should have the opportunity to develop their creativity.

  • Creative Process: Arts and culture open, inspire and ignite hearts and minds.

  • Creative Space: Every community deserves a safe and accessible place to gather, where the exchange of ideas and creative experiences inspire curiosity and understanding.

  • Diversity & Inclusion: We foster an open and welcoming space to gather and experience art in all its forms. We engage, educate and inspire all people regardless of skill, education, experience, purpose and medium.

  • Advocacy: We take an active role in our community and serve as a voice in arts education, innovation, and inspiration.

Our Mission

  • Central location: construction, implementation, and ongoing operation of an inclusive arts collaborative, to be known as the Leduc Arts Foundry

  • Professional development and training: provided by an inspiring team of skilled artisans working in an inclusive environment designed by artists, for artists in a venue that inspires collaborative creativity and culture

  • Community engagement: with a desire to reach out and positively impact our communities through active participation in the arts, Leduc Arts Foundry artisans extend and strengthen community engagement and inclusion through workshop programs, showcases, and various other events

  • Fiscal partnerships: we aim to attract new stakeholders, sponsors and clients to increase the Leduc Arts Foundry's capacity to participate in cultural, artistic, commercial, and community life

  • Community partnerships: to lead in the development and exchange of innovative projects and ideas

  • Sustainable arts environment: to foster an environment that is accessible and financially self-sustaining for the creation, presentation, participation, and enjoyment of the arts within the heart of our community

  • Innovate and inspire: through a social and cultural hub setting, deliver authentic artistic experiences to the community with the help of passionate, community based artisans, and the art community as a whole

What We've Achieved

  • Presented to the City of Leduc on multiple occasions, as well as the Leduc Parks, Recreation & Culture Board, and Leduc/ Beaumont MLA Honorable Shaye Anderson

  • Hosted two open houses to engage and update stakeholders

  • Engaged in a Feasibility Study of multiple potential land locations and received the first drafts of potential building layouts

  • Developed a Service Agreement with the City of Leduc

  • Acquired a lease space within the Leduc Recreation Centre, as of September 2020

  • Delivered a year of online and in-person programming

  • Hired a Media & Comunications Manager 2021

  • Recruited a diverse board of artists and professionals

  • Written Strategic Business Plan and Terms of Reference

  • Registered trade name, society, & bylaws

  • Incorporated on May 12, 2017 as a non-profit society

  • Undergone preliminary risks analysis and cost/analysis indicators

  • Hired grant specialist to assist in grants writing process

  • Designed a grant application strategy for project stages

  • Traveled across Canada to engage in a benchmarking study of 7 arts and cultural centres