AUArts at a glance: 100 years of Creative Excellence
Alberta University of the Arts is the only dedicated art, craft and design university in Alberta and the Prairies, and one of only four in Canada. For over 100 years, AUArts has been a leading institution for creative education, innovation, and cultural development.
Below is an overview of who we are, what we offer, and the impact we make.
Programs & pathways
Students at AUArts pursue curriculum to follow their creative passions and develop their artistic potential. With small classes, close mentorship, and a rich range of disciplines, students have the flexibility to shape a curriculum as unique as they are.
- 3 Undergraduate Degrees: BFA, BDes, BCI, with 17 interdisciplinary concentration areas
- Continuing Education: Continuing Studies for Adults and Youth, including micro-credentials
Recognition & reputation
AUArts faculty, alumni, and students have significantly impacted visual culture in Canada and around the world for a century.
- Award-winning faculty and alumni, recognized for prestigious awards such as the Sobey Art Award, Gershon Iskowitz Prize, Governor General Awards, Order of Canada recipients, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished Artist Awards, and many more.
- Student award winners including L.A. Pai Gallery National Jewellery Student Competition, Alberta Craft Awards, Applied Arts and more.
- 31 public artworks created by more than 20 alumni and faculty artists in the City of Calgary alone.
- 100 years shaping visual culture, craft and design.
Community & students
AUArts is small enough for an exceptional student experience but big enough to make a global impact.
- 1200+ undergraduate and graduate students, annually
- 1500+ continuing education registrations, annually
- Students from 40+ countries
- Diverse student population including 26% identifying as 2SLGBTQIA+, 15% first-generation, 7% self-declared Indigenous students, 6% international students
- 1:12 faculty-to-student ratio
- 1:22 average studio class size
- 100+ faculty members
- 85+ non-academic staff
- Over 14,000 alumni
Facilities & campus life
Our campus is designed specifically to foster creativity, collaboration and innovation.
- 300,000 square feet of the best art, craft, and design educational facilities in the country
- 14 specialized studios for making, with state-of-the-art equipment, machinery, and tools
- Home studios where upper year students have access to a personal studio space on campus to develop work-in-progress and build their independent practice.
- Two major institutional galleries: the Illingworth Kerr Gallery and the Marion Nicoll Gallery
- 11 student-run gallery and numerous bookable and pop-up spaces to exhibit student work.
- The Lodgepole Center, through AUArts Indigenous Pathways: Soksipaitapiiwahsin (Good Living Ways), is a welcoming Indigenous gathering place that provides cultural, academic, and community support for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students.
- Luke Lindoe Library, Learning Commons, Multisensory Room and Multifaith bookable space, and Bookstore
- Cafe
Student experience & success
- 87% of final year students rated their entire educational experience as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’, significantly higher than the national average
- 85% of first year students would ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ attend AUArts again, higher than the national average
- 90% of graduating students were satisfied with the overall quality of teaching
- $400,000 of scholarships and bursaries available to students; 111 scholarships and 56 bursaries awarded in 2025-2026
- 45+ student travel and study exchange opportunities
- Bi-annual Gallery Crawl, five floors of student-run galleries, fine art, design exhibits, and live performances
- Show+Sale, AUArts Students' Association annual art market featuring original works created by AUArts students
- Summer Residency, 10-week studio residency for senior students, artists, designers, craftspeople, alumni, and community artists
Career outcomes
AUArts’ graduates live, work and create all over the world, applying their skills and knowledge in ways as unique as they are.
- 100% student access to Work-Integrated-Learning opportunities, with 90+ WIL partners, 100+ placements completed since January 2025, and $102K funds delivered to support students in WIL placements.
- 89% employment rate
- Careers at Google, Critical Mass, DC Comics, Hugo Boss, Converse, and beyond.
- Students develop skills in demand in the workforce including creativity, critical thinking, communication, adaptability, problem solving, collaboration and project management to name a few.
