History

The Alberta Media Arts Alliance Society was registered on March 20, 1991, but the AMAAS concept had been building for several years prior. The Calgary and Edmonton media arts communities in the early 80’s did not think about each over overmuch.  Despite their relative proximity, the film & video co-ops were a new kind of cultural organization on the prairies.

A pivotal moment in the formation of AMAAS came in the form of the 1989 Hinton Independent Film & Video Festival.  Organized by Brent Spiess, the Festival was a showcase for Alberta film & video as well as a networking opportunity for administrators, artists and the general public, including the high-profile presence of then Alberta Minister of Culture & Multiculturalism, Doug Main.  As the festival came to a close, there was a meeting organized between representatives of the production co-ops present: FAVA, CSIF, EMMEDIA, and QAS.  The topic on their minds was the recently established Alberta Film and Video Arts Fund (AFVAF) as a lottery fund allocation.  The fund, which they had lobbied for, was now the agency supporting the co-ops, and it was thought that political action might be necessary for its continued existence.  The name “Alberta Media Arts Alliance” was conceived, and that September, Grant Poier penned the first of many lobbying letters to the Culture Minister in support of the AFVAF.

Three years later, with much time and dedication from the various personalities from the media-arts centres (including Liz Stobbe & Rick Gustavsen – FAVA, Brian Rusted, Ian Reid & Grant Poier – EMMEDIA, and Marcella Bienvenue – CSIF) the application for the Alberta Media Arts Alliance Society was filed and the organization was born!

Since then, AMAAS has continued to grow and expand its scope, and is recognized as the Provincial Arts Service Organization for the media arts.  It advocates for the sector, creates connections between media arts centres and artists, rewards arts advocacy with the Spirit of Helen award, runs an annual conference or symposium and creates annualexhibitions including Prairie Tales: Alberta Film & Video on Tour and the Gallery of Alberta Media Arts (GAMA).

For a detailed history from 1991-2007, please read our publication: Sweet Sixteen: an amble through the history of the Alberta Media Arts Alliance Society.