The old skills are worth keeping.
The Alberta Ancient Arts Foundation teaches, preserves, and shares traditional crafts and heritage skills, ensuring the transference of the old arts from our ancestors to all future generations.
Before it's forgotten
Not long ago, people knew how to build a shelter, forge a tool, spin thread, preserve a harvest, and bind a book by hand. These skills built communities and sustained families for thousands of years. Today, many are one generation away from disappearing.
The Alberta Ancient Arts Foundation exists to change that. We are dedicated to teaching, preserving, and sharing traditional arts, crafts, trades, and life skills, through hands-on instruction, research, and living-history experiences, for the benefit of the public.
Three Pillars
Learn
Workshops, courses, and demonstrations in blacksmithing, weaving, timber framing, herbal knowledge, historical cooking, and much more, for children, youth, adults, seniors, and families.
Preserve
We research, document, and archive the knowledge of traditional craftsmanship and heritage trades so it isn't lost when the last practitioner puts down their tools.
Open the door
Financial hardship shouldn't stand between a person and a skill that could change their life. Through bursaries, mentorship, and materials, we work to make heritage skills accessible to everyone.
Skills from many hands
Fibre, Cloth & Dyeing
From sheep to shawl: spinning raw fleece, dressing the loom, and natural botanical vats.
Timber Framing & Joinery
Chisels, drawknives, and mortise & tenon joints that last centuries without nails.
Leatherwork
Pouches, belts, games, shoes/sandals, hats, masks, books, boxes, hardened leather armor, and so much more
Indigenous Knowledge and skills
Healing walks, plant and herbal uses, traditional handicrafts, traditional indigenous land use and stewardship.
Who it's for
"Anyone who has ever wished they knew how to make something real with their own two hands."
Educating through Entertainment
Our events turn heritage skills into a day out. Watch the forge fire, try your hand at the loom, and learn something real while you're at it.
Help us keep the old ways alive.
Whether you learn, teach, volunteer, or give, there's a place for you here.
Stay in the loop with the Foundation