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 an Advisory Board with appointed officers.

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.

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 directs the bulk of its revenue to 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.

Proceeds from the 2008 ride are expected to exceed $460,000.

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.

For the past two years, Art à la Carte's signature fund-raising event has been designated as a homecoming celebration for the Cancervive Peloton.

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 has hosted several PaintFests in recent months including the completion of a customized mural for the Cancervive gala in April of 2008. More than 500 attendees had the opportunity to participate. Riders, warriors and volunteers have been painting at Wellspring Calgary on an on- going basis. The next group session will take place at our own signature event – Articipation – on September 7, 2008.

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.

This year, an estimated 159,900 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer. Please consider becoming a partner in this small idea that is making a very BIG difference.