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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Art à la Carte a registered charity?
2. What is your governing body?
3. How is the program funded?
4. Where do you get the artwork?
5. Who selects the art?
6. How is the art mounted?
7. Who delivers the art to the patients?
8. How is the collection stored?
9. What is Wellspring Calgary?
10. What is the relationship between Art à la Carte and Wellspring Calgary?
11. What is the Cancervive Peloton Project?
12. What is the relationship between Art à la Carte and Cancervive?
13. What is the PaintFest™ mural project?
14. Can anyone host a PaintFest™?
15. Who benefits from the program?
16. Why is the element of choice so important?
17. How can I help?
18. How can I start an Art à la Carte program in my community?
1. Is Art à la Carte a registered charity?
Yes. Art à la Carte is registered as a charitable organization with
Revenue Canada. (BN 88905 2254 RROOO1) Tax receipts are
provided for donations of $20 or more. Art à la Carte is also an Alberta
Society and a trademarked name across Canada.
2. Who is your governing body?
Art à la Carte is governed by a Board of Directors with appointed officers along with an Advisory Committee.
3. How is the program funded?
The program is funded entirely by individual, corporate, foundation and
grant donations including an annual fundraising event. Our administration
continues to operate without salaried positions.
4. Where do you get the artwork?
Initially, posters and reproductions were donated by museums, galleries,
manufacturers, frame shops, businesses, artists and the general public.
The collection has since been refurbished to include nearly 400 canvas
mounted prints and giclées.
We are so grateful to both Bruce McGaw Graphics www.bmcgaw.ca and
Canadian Art Prints www.canadianartprints.com for their ongoing support.
5. Who selects the art?
The program coordinator selects the artworks in accordance with the
themes most frequently requested by the patients. The collection is
constantly being refreshed with new pieces.
6. How is the art mounted?
All four hundred pieces in the rotating collection are either canvas
transfers or giclées.
A canvas transfer can be produced using almost any printed artwork. The
print is coated with a chemical that separates the ink from its backing.
The image is then transferred and embedded into high-quality canvas
stretched over a wooden frame. The result is an image that has the
texture and overall appearance of an original piece of art. These pieces
are also easy to clean, very light in weight and authentic in appearance.
Patients prefer the genuine look and greater depth achieved using this
process.
The word giclée (zhee-klay) comes from the French verb "gicler" meaning
"to squirt". It refers to a new form of printmaking technology whereby
fine art prints are created using digital inkjet-based processing. The
finished product produces incredible detail with better color accuracy
than other means of reproduction. Gicleés can be produced in any size and
lend the appearance of original art. They are commonly found in museums
as well as art and photographic galleries.
Traditional framing using a combination of glass, mat and wooden or
plastic frames is only used on hallways where Art à la Carte showcases
its permanent collection. It is, for the most part, prohibitively
expensive and potentially unsafe in a busy patient room.
7. Who delivers the art to the patients?
A minimum of two trained volunteers deliver the art each week. Due to the
highly delicate nature of acute cancer care, a strict protocol is
followed to avoid cross contamination when moving pictures from room to
room.
8. How is the collection stored?
Our custom built carts are designed for storage and delivery. They are
secure and free-standing in order to best accommodate the limited storage
space in our medical institutions. Two large carts are currently kept in
a basement cage in the Foothills Medical Centre. Portable wooden
cupboards house seasonal and special event pieces that are not currently
in circulation. The storage room is locked at all times.
9. What is Wellspring Calgary?
Wellspring Calgary is a community-based facility that supports
individuals and families living with cancer. In a warm, non-
institutionalized setting along the Bow River, the centre is supported by
trained peer volunteers. Services offered include: support groups, a
comprehensive resource library, yoga, tai chi, meditation, Reiki,
Reflexology, music appreciation, dance and creative arts programming.
The centre is self-financed and there is no charge for services. The
Calgary model is an extension of a network of Wellspring centres in the
Ontario region. www.wellspringcalgary.ca
10. What is the relationship between Art à la Carte and Wellspring
Calgary?
Both Art à la Carte and Wellspring Calgary are committed to serving
people with cancer. As such, we support each other's program initiatives
by sharing resources and volunteer support. Art à la Carte's first-ever
office is hosted at Wellspring Calgary, for which we are grateful beyond
measure. Our association is nothing short of synergistic and we are
looking very much forward to building our partnership in the years to
come.
More information about Wellspring Calgary can be found at:
www.wellspringcalgary.ca
11. What is the Cancervive Peloton Project?
The Cancervive Peloton Project is the flagship event for Cancervive – a
non-profit organization that raises awareness and support for Canadian
cancer survivors. The program is 100% volunteer driven and has provided one million dollars towards the development of Wellspring Calgary.
The word 'peloton' comes from the French for 'ball'. It refers to a group
of cyclists who ride close together in an integrated unit, much like
birds flying in formation. This formation, known as 'drafting' is unique
to the peloton. Riders must be acutely aware of the riders around them at
all times.
While the Tour de France is the world's best known peloton, Cancervive is
making an indelible mark on the North American landscape. In August of
2008, 30 riders, in pelotons of six, cycled relay-style, 24-hours a day
for nine days until they reached Philadelphia. There they hosted 30
cancer patients at a Lance Armstrong LiveSTRONG™ event, dishing up a
hefty dose of hope and inspiration along the way.
On July 1, 2009, the peloton will once again embark upon a journey of hope that concludes in San Jose, California.
12. What is the relationship between Art à la Carte and Cancervive?
Debbie Baylin first met Cancervive founder, Brian McGregor, across the
Board Room table at a Wellspring planning meeting. The introduction had
been carefully orchestrated by Wellspring founder and philanthropist,
John Stephure. As a cancer survivor who had experienced Art à la Carte
first-hand, Brian strongly endorsed the initiative to the Wellspring
organization. Cancervive has subsequently become an unprecedented
supporter of Wellspring Calgary and like-minded organizations such as our
own. We could not be more grateful.
Art à la Carte has introduced creative arts initiatives – including the
Mandala Project and PaintFest™ to Cancervive as a means to help the
peloton riders and warriors become better acquainted. The peloton
delivered two murals that they had painted together to cancer centres in
Medicine Hat, Alberta and Niagara, Ontario while en route to Philadelphia
in 2008.
Art à la Carte designated its signature fund-raising event as a homecoming celebration for the Cancervive Peloton in 2007 and 2008.
13. What is the PaintFest™ mural project?
It's a team-building, no experience required, light-hearted and colourful
way to bring people together. The PaintFest™ concept is the brainchild of
John Feight, Founder of The Foundation for Hospital Art in Roswell,
Georgia. The Foundation shares our vision for bringing comfort and hope
to hospitalized patients through the beauty of art.
An assortment of six-paneled, colour-coded murals are available for
purchase from The Hospital Foundation for Art. The murals are generally
nature themes with bold, rich colours. Paint, brushes and directions are
provided. Whether it's a party of one or group of 500, John's only
requirements for success are intention and heart.
Art à la Carte hosted a PaintFest for the Cancervive gala in April of 2008 that included a customized bike mural, designed by John Feight. More than 500 attendees had the opportunity to participate.
14. Can anyone host a PaintFest™?
Absolutely! You may contact Art à la Carte for assistance OR visit The
Hospital Foundation for Art online at www.hospitalart.com
15. Who benefits from the program?
Everyone! While the artwork is selected first and foremost with the
patient's preference in mind, visitors and staff also enjoy the benefits
of the program. Often the artwork becomes a topic for conversation,
particularly in a palliative situation. Everyone enjoys having something
to talk about other than the illness. When called upon to make the art
selection, family members and visitors feel they have been given an
opportunity to do something meaningful for their loved one. Doctors,
nurses and other support staff enjoy working in the colourful environment
that Art à la Carte provides. They often make use of the artwork themes
as openers for meaningful conversation.
16. Why is the element of choice so important?
Choice is a fundamental component to the Art à la Carte concept. We want
to do something for the patients, rather than doing something to them. By
offering an element of choice, patients are often able to regain a sense
of control in an environment that appears to control them.
17. How can I help?
There are many ways in which you can assist:
- Become a volunteer
- Donate original art or services
- Donate expertise as a member of our Advisory Board
- Assist with fund-raising by:
- Making a financial contribution
- Applying for a corporate or matched gift donation
- Appealing to granting agencies or service clubs
- Helping to engage sponsors for our signature event
- Hosting a third-party event with proceeds directed to Art à la Carte
Tell colleagues and friends about Art à la Carte
18. How can I start an Art à la Carte program in my community?
If you or someone you know is interested in establishing an association
with Art à la Carte please contact us. We will happily provide you with a
Commitment Letter outlining our policies and the exact terms for
association. Once the agreement has been signed, you will receive a copy
of our operating and training manual, CD and promotional brochure.
Our administration team will work with you directly, sharing our own
triumphs and trials, in order to help customize an Art à la Carte program
that best suits the needs of your medical community.
In 2010, an estimated 173,800 Canadians were diagnosed with cancer – 15,900 in Alberta alone. Please consider becoming a partner in this small idea that is making a very BIG difference.
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