Harcourt House

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Harcourt House Arts Centre is one of only four public galleries, and one of three artist-run centres in Edmonton, Canada. The centre delivers a host of services to both artists and the community, and acts as an essential alternative site for the presentation, distribution and promotion of contemporary art.

Harcourt House Arts Centre is an artist-run, charitable organization that promotes contemporary visual art to interested individuals and organizations by providing education, exhibitions and resources.

The WECAN Society (Where Edmonton Community Artist Network) was incorporated in 1987 after forming the “Artists For Tornado Relief”, a successful art auction organized by Edmonton artists to help victims of the 1987 Edmonton Tornado. Following this event, the energized group of artists devoted their attention into creating a permanent arts centre. In September 1988 the WECAN Society acquired the Harcourt House buildings from the provincial government located at 112th St. and 102 Ave. in downtown Edmonton, where the facility is still located today.

The Centre includes two public gallery spaces; and as the single largest community of visual artists in Edmonton, it offers 42 low-rent studios for local practicing artists and other non-profit arts related organizations. A unique area of programming to Harcourt House is the Art Enrichment program that serves over 25 local low income and special needs organizations with low/no cost art education classes.

Public gallery status and charitable status were granted to the organization in 1990. Harcourt House has received its core funding from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Arts Council. Additional funding has been obtained from the Clifford E. Lee Foundation, Alberta Advanced Education and Career Development, the Government of Canada and both individual and corporate donations.