The Nina Collective
is made up of over 200 artists with developmental disabilities.
Meet our Artists
The Nina Awards
Every year the Nina celebrates artists from our collective for their artistic achievement and growth. The Ninas are presented at our annual awards gala, ATB Presents Here’s Nina, each November.
Congratulations to this year’s winners:
2023 CN Artist of the Year
Mark Traficante
ATB Emerging Artist
Raymond Keung
EPCOR Create Award
Amynah Pirani
Rotary Club of Edmonton Northeast Connect Award
Carrie Wheeler
Realtors Community Foundation Changed Life Award
Rodney Dalessio
Edmonton EXPO Centre Artists’ Choice Award
Brittany Leitheiser
this year’s winners
videos generously produced by Lindisfarne Productions
thank you to our 2022 award sponsors:
Join The Nina Collective
Why join?
It’s no exaggeration to say that creating art changes lives—we see it every day. If you are a person with a developmental disability—or someone who works with a person with a developmental disability—and you’re interested in joining our collective, we invite you to drop into our studios between 10 am and 2 pm any weekday. There’s no need to make an appointment unless you’re coming with a group of five or more.
When you drop by you’ll see all the possibilities the Nina offers its artists. If you want to stay and make art, or you want to come to the studio for a few weeks on a trial basis—with no cost or commitment—we invite you to do so. Don’t worry if you’ve never made art before or you’re unsure about your abilities, we value and celebrate the process of creating art, not just the outcome.
How to join
Members of the Nina Collective have the opportunity to create many different types of art in a supportive environment. We see the impact this has on the artists we support every day in our studios.
Membership is open to anyone over the age of 18 who has a developmental disability, acquired brain injury, or identifies as neurodiverse. Anyone who fits this description and is interested in creating art is encouraged to join, regardless of previous artistic experience or skill. We value and celebrate the process of creating art, not just the outcome.
There is currently a waitlist to join the Nina Collective. Individuals who are interested in joining are welcome to schedule an appointment to tour the studio and join the waitlist.
We offer three free sessions in the studio for potential new members to see if it is a good fit for them. Artists who decide to join are asked to pay a nominal membership fee of $190-$385 per year, depending on how many days a week they will attend. This fee helps us recover some of the cost of supplies and gives members access to our studio space, supplies, and professional mentorship. Members may also have the opportunity to exhibit and sell their artwork.
For individuals receiving funding from Alberta Disability Services (PDD): Once you begin your trial period, you will need to reach out to your PDD caseworker to let them know. If you decide to join, the Nina will submit the Individual Service Request (ISR) for you.
Contact our Studio Manager, Maddi Dewar, at info@thenina.ca or (780) 474-7611 to schedule an appointment or get more information.