A pile of well-used paintbrushes, bristles stained blue, red, teal, and purple, on a paint-spattered board

Edmonton, Alberta · Est. 2016

Art is how we find each other.
And ourselves.

Lantern Arts Collective runs free arts programs in Edmonton for people who have been told the arts are not for them. That means daily open studio time, youth mentorship, an Elder Circle, and murals painted by the neighbourhoods that host them.

See Our Programs Upcoming Events

Programs Open to Everyone

You do not need experience or an audition. If you want to make something, come by the studio.

Two large pop-art portraits on easels at a busy outdoor art fair

Open Studio

Walk in any day of the week, find a table, and pick up a brush. Materials are supplied, and no experience is required.

Free · Drop-in · All ages

Youth Arts Mentorship

Young artists aged 14 to 24 are paired one-on-one with established Edmonton artists for 16 weeks. Each cohort ends with a public exhibition.

Elder Circle

Indigenous elders lead weekly sessions in beading, quillwork, hide painting, and weaving. Drop in, or register for a full series.

Close-up of an abstract acrylic painting in yellow, orange, red, and teal with drips running down the canvas

Community Mural Project

Neighbourhood residents design and paint large murals on Edmonton buildings alongside our lead artists. 45 murals since 2016.

Community-designed · Artists paid

Who We Are

A group of Edmonton artists started Lantern Arts Collective in 2016. They saw how unequal access to the arts was in this city and decided to do something about it, beginning with a borrowed studio and one rule: anyone who wants to make art can come in.

Today we run a 3,500 sq ft studio, open every day, in McCauley, and we pay every artist who works with us. People who give their skills back to their neighbourhood should be paid for it.

Support Our Work
participants in our programs each year
800+
public murals across Edmonton
45
paid artist residencies each year
12
the year the studio door opened
2016

Upcoming Events

Full events calendar
Apr
10

Open Studio Drop-In: Saturday Edition

Lantern Arts Studio · 10 am – 4 pm

Free
Apr
15

Beginner Printmaking Workshop

Lantern Arts Studio · 1 pm – 4 pm · 12 spots

Workshop
May
1

Youth Mentorship Cohort 8 Public Showcase

Art Gallery of Alberta · 7 pm

Exhibition
May
15

Mural Unveiling: Roots and Routes

108 Ave & 95 St NW · Noon

Public Art
Jun
5

Annual Community Art Showcase & Fundraiser

Bel Air Bingo Building · 6 pm · Tickets $25

Fundraiser

Paid Residencies for Edmonton Artists

Twelve paid residencies a year, with priority for artists from underrepresented communities.

Hands mixing paint on a wooden palette, with a painting of coral and teal flowers on an easel behind

Elder-in-Residence

12 months · $1,200 per month

A paid, year-long role for an Indigenous elder to lead workshops and share traditional art forms with the Lantern community.

Young man in a dark jacket, smiling with his arms crossed, standing among tall dried seed heads in golden evening light

Youth Artist Residency

6 months · $400 per month materials stipend

Six months of studio access and one-on-one mentorship for an emerging artist aged 18 to 26.

Orange neon sign reading 'you are what you listen to' on a brick wall between shelves of records

Community Mural Residency

4 to 6 months · $6,000 to $9,000 project fee

Lead a neighbourhood mural from first sketch to unveiling, with a separate budget for co-painters and materials.

Help Keep the Studio Open

Lantern Arts runs on donations and public grants. Your gift goes to artist stipends, free materials, and studio rent, and CanadaHelps issues a tax receipt for every donation.

Donate

  • Monthly Giving

    $20 a month buys a month of supplies for one youth artist, and $75 a month runs the studio for a week.

  • Volunteer

    We need studio assistants, event helpers, and grant writers: write to volunteer@lanternarts.ca.

  • Corporate Sponsorship

    Businesses can sponsor a residency or partner on a mural through partners@lanternarts.ca.