Purpose

The Edmonton Artists’Trust Fund (EATF) is a joint project of the Edmonton Arts Council and the Edmonton Community Foundation. The EATF is designed to invest in Edmonton’s creative community and to encourage artists to stay in our community. The funds are intended to offset living and working expenses, allowing the artist to devote a concentrated period of time to his/her artistic activities, career enhancement and/or development.

The EATF was established in 1997 by three founding donations of $100,000 each. These donations were made by John and Barbara Poole, the Edmonton Community Foundation (through a transfer of funds from the ECF's Community Fund) and the Clifford E. Lee Foundation. The EATF is held and invested by the Edmonton Community Foundation.

The Edmonton Arts Council is the administrator of the award process which includes inviting Edmonton area residents to apply, appointing a jury of peers to adjudicate all applicants, and presenting the jury's recommendations to the Board of Directors of the Edmonton Arts Council for approval.