Alberta University of the Arts

What Alberta University of the Arts does

Alberta University of the Arts (AUArts) is a public post-secondary institution founded in 1926 in Calgary, Alberta, operating under Alberta's Post-Secondary Learning Act. It is the only dedicated art, craft and design university in Alberta and the Prairies, and one of four such institutions in Canada. The institution delivers studio-based education to approximately 1,200 students across undergraduate and graduate programs, supported by 300,000 square feet of specialized facilities and a 1:18 student-to-faculty ratio.

The academic portfolio comprises the four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Design (BDes), the newly introduced Bachelor of Creative Industries (BCI, launched in 2026), and a two-year Master of Fine Arts (MFA). Programs span 16+ concentration areas including Animation, Ceramics, Comics, Drawing, Fibre, Game Design, Glass, Graphic Design and Advertising, Illustration, Jewellery and Metals, Media Arts, Painting, Photography, Print Media, and Sculpture. Delivery is primarily on-campus, complemented by 45+ international exchange partnerships, on-campus galleries (Illingworth Kerr Gallery, Marion Nicoll Gallery), and a School of Continuing Education offering micro-credentials, professional certificates, personal-interest courses, and youth programs. Prospective students are acquired through a direct-to-consumer admissions funnel featuring portfolio review days, open houses, campus tours, and multi-channel digital outreach.

Revenue is generated through three principal streams: tuition and fees (with the institution offering the lowest fine-arts/design tuition in Canada), donations and fundraising (including a $1M anonymous centennial gift and a $400,000+ annual award pool across 227 scholarships), and continuing-education programming. As a public university, AUArts also relies on operating and capital grants from the Province of Alberta and is governed through a Board of Governors under Ministry of Advanced Education oversight. Leadership underwent transition in 2025 with a new presidential tenure, a new Vice President, Academic, and a new Executive Director of External Relations, alongside active centennial-year programming culminating in 2026.

Name

Alberta University of the Arts

Legal name

Alberta University of the Arts

Website

https://auarts.ca

Company type

Public

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Alberta University of the Arts (AUArts) is a public post-secondary institution in Calgary, Canada, offering accredited BFA, BDes, MFA, and BCI degrees in fine arts, design, and creative industries via studio-based learning to roughly 1,200 students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Art and Design)

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

akta.pro primary industry

Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior) (EDAHAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fine Arts Colleges (Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking) (EDAHAJAA), Animation, Game Art & Digital Arts Colleges (EDAHAJAI), Film, Television & Media Arts Colleges (EDAHAJAE), Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA), Personal Enrichment & Creative Arts Programs (EDAAAEAG)

Keywords

• Art and design education
• Fine arts degree programs
• Undergraduate creative studies
• Studio-based learning
• Continuing education courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition for degree programs in fine arts, design, and creative industries. AUArts charges among the lowest tuition rates among art and design universities in Canada.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations directed to scholarships, bursaries, awards, gallery support, and general endowment funds. Includes Centennial Scholarship Campaign with $1 million anonymous donor gift.
3. Continuing Education Programs: School of Continuing Education & Professional Development offers micro-credentials, professional certificates, personal interest courses, kid and teen programs, and summer camps for additional revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AUArts delivers studio-based undergraduate and graduate degree programs in fine arts, design, and creative industries, alongside continuing education, university preparation, and international exchange offerings. Its degree portfolio includes the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Design (BDes), newly launched Bachelor of Creative Industries (BCI), and Master of Fine Arts (MFA), with concentrations in animation, ceramics, drawing, fibre, game design, glass, illustration, jewellery and metals, media arts, painting, photography, print media, sculpture, and graphic design. Supplementary offerings include the School of Continuing Education & Professional Development (micro-credentials, professional certificates, kid/teen programs, summer camps), University Prep Programs (Arts-Bridge and Pre-College), and a 45+ partner international Exchange Program.

Product overview

Alberta University of the Arts (AUArts) is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of degree programs at undergraduate and graduate levels. The core academic offerings include the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Design (BDes), and newly launched Bachelor of Creative Industries (BCI), along with a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) graduate program. These degrees are structured around specialized studio concentration areas including Animation, Ceramics, Comics, Drawing, Fibre, Game Design, Glass, Graphic Design & Advertising, Illustration, Jewellery and Metals, Media Arts, Object Design, Painting, Photography, Print Media, and Sculpture. Beyond traditional degree programs, AUArts provides continuing education through micro-credentials, professional certificates, and personal interest courses; university prep programs including Arts-Bridge and Pre-College; and international exchange opportunities. The institution also operates campus gallery facilities including the Illingworth Kerr Gallery and Marion Nicoll Gallery for exhibitions and public programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)

Quantifiable outcome

• Lowest tuition in Canada for fine arts and design degree programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• APSN (Alberta Post-Secondary Network)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 July 2026AUArts hosted second annual APSN Stampede Reception welcoming 400+ individuals from Alberta's post-secondary institutions, government, community and industry.
• ATB FinancialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to showcase student and alumni artwork in ATB branches across Alberta. 'Art Where You Live' initiative brings art into everyday banking spaces. Up to 15 artworks to be selected for large-scale vinyl or digital installations themed 'Powering Possibility.'
• Calgary Underground Film Festival (CUFF)coreGTM or Marketing Partner23-year collaboration with AUArts alumni creating distinctive posters for the festival. Over 22 posters created by AUArts students, alumni, and faculty including Silas Kaufman, Fiona Staples, Riley Rossmo, and Nick Johnson. Festival showcases Calgary's creative talent internationally.
• SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAUArts students have access to housing in SAIT's on-campus residence. Historical relationship as AUArts was previously under SAIT before gaining autonomy in 1985.
• UCalgary (University of Calgary)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban Layers project collaboration between AUArts, UCalgary, and The City of Calgary where students reimagine Calgary's streetscape.
• The City of CalgaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Urban Layers project for student streetscape reimagining. City of Calgary recognized as Moh'kins'tsis by Siksikaitsitapi peoples.
• Contemporary CalgaryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership offering free memberships to AUArts students as part of centennial celebrations.
• 45+ International Partner InstitutionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExchange program partners enabling student mobility across 45+ travel and exchange programs and awards internationally.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson): Toronto-based comprehensive university with a Faculty of Communication and Design including schools of creative industries, fashion, and graphic communications management. Competes for design and creative economy students but offers a wider portfolio of programs.
• Concordia University: Montreal-based comprehensive university with a Faculty of Fine Arts offering BFA, BDes and graduate programs in studio arts, design, and art history. Overlaps with AUArts on studio-based fine arts and design education but operates within a much broader university.
• Sheridan College: Ontario-based college with nationally recognized animation, illustration, and design programs. Competes for design and animation applicants with AUArts but offers a broader applied-degree portfolio.

Regional players

• SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology): Calgary-based polytechnic and historical parent institution of AUArts (autonomy granted in 1985). Provides AUArts students with on-campus housing and represents an adjacent regional post-secondary competitor for creative and design talent.
• University of Calgary: Calgary-based comprehensive research university with arts programs and an active collaboration partner on AUArts' Urban Layers project. Competes in the same Calgary talent pool but does not focus on studio-based fine arts and design education.

Emerging players

• Vancouver Film School: Private for-profit post-secondary institution focused on film, animation, game design, and digital arts. Competes for the same animation and game design applicants as AUArts but with a shorter, intensive, higher-fee program model.
• LaSalle College Vancouver: Private art and design college in Vancouver focused on fashion, design, and digital arts programs. Overlaps with AUArts' BDes and continuing education offerings on a regional basis but with a higher-fee private delivery model.

Direct peers

• Emily Carr University of Art + Design: Vancouver-based dedicated art, craft, and design university. Direct peer as one of only four Canadian specialized art/design universities, with similar BFA/BDes/MFA program structure and studio-based pedagogy.
• OCAD University: Toronto-based dedicated art and design university offering BFA, BDes, and graduate programs across fine arts, design, and digital media. Directly comparable as one of the four Canadian specialized art/design universities alongside AUArts.
• NSCAD University (Nova Scotia College of Art & Design): Halifax-based dedicated art and design university. Direct peer as one of the four Canadian specialized art/design universities, with comparable studio-based undergraduate and graduate programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/AlbertaUArts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCleUQzPXx6RUwZsVuHEsuWQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/AlbertaUArts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/albertauarts
• Instagraminstagram.com/AlbertaUArts
• TikToktiktok.com/@albertauarts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alberta University of the Arts