Lac La Biche County and Portage College have been making plans for a community celebration to honour three new 2021 Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished Artists. Given the ongoing COVID-19 related challenges of convening in person, Portage College, Lac La Biche County, and the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Awards Foundation have moved the celebration to June 11, 2022.

This change has provided a new opportunity: for the first time in the Awards’ history, the host community of Lac La Biche County will celebrate both the 2021 Distinguished Artists and up to 10 new 2022 Emerging Artists.

Her Honour Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, says she is looking forward to honouring the Distinguished and Emerging Artists next summer in Lac La Biche. “I appreciate the tremendous work that the community has already invested into this special celebration, and I know that the 2022 awards will be well worth the wait. In the meantime, I offer my heartfelt thanks to all of the artists, administrators and patrons across Alberta for everything that you are doing to keep the arts a vibrant part of our lives and our communities during this extraordinary time.”

Recognizing emerging and distinguished artists in a combined event will give the community the chance to rub shoulders with some of Alberta’s most outstanding artists and showcase the strong creative spirit of our region! Plans for the 2022 event include opportunities to chat with artists, an awards gala, an outdoor community celebration featuring an Art Walk and Market, art classes and demonstrations, and an artist retreat, to name a few.

The organizers look forward to hosting this prestigious event and showcasing Alberta’s diverse arts scene in 2022.

Media Inquiries:
Jaime Davies, Corporate Communications Manager 
780-623-5581 or email