Canadian Forces Artists Program marks 25 years

June 05 , 2026 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time: 1:40

On June 6, 2001, then-Chief of the Defence Staff Maurice Baril announced that the Department of National Defence would establish a program to give professional artists access to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Twenty-five years later, the Canadian Forces Artists Program (CFAP) continues to connect professional artists with the CAF and to document military activities and service through art.

Following the announcement, Dr. John MacFarlane at the Directorate of History and Heritage, under the direction of Dr. Serge Bernier, worked quickly to establish the Canadian Forces Artists Program (CFAP) in line with the Chief of the Defence Staff's direction.

In the pilot phase, artists were deployed with each environmental command. In 2002, the Royal Canadian Navy sent John Horton to the Arabian Gulf aboard HMCS Ottawa, the Canadian Army deployed Allan McKay to Afghanistan, and the Royal Canadian Air Force sent Ardell Bourgeois to Dubai. Their work, now referred to as Group 1, was exhibited at National Defence Headquarters (see image of exhibition) in 2003.

CFAP marks its 25^th anniversary in 2026. More than 80 artists have participated in the program across nine groups, from selection and deployment to exhibition. Group 10 will be exhibited at Beechwood Cemetery from September 21 to December 6, 2026. Group 11 has deployed and is currently creating work, and Group 12 has been selected and is looking for opportunities to deploy. CFAP now typically deploys five artists during each group cycle.

To mark the milestone, a retrospective exhibition celebrating 25 years of CFAP will open at the Founders' Gallery in Calgary on June 24, 2027. Over the years, deployments have included operations with the United Nations, NORAD, NATO, and the CAF, as well as domestic tasks and ceremonial events.

CFAP differs from earlier war artist programs in Canada because it is open to a broad range of artistic disciplines. Over the past 25 years, the program has expanded to include multimedia and multidisciplinary artists, as well as writers, playwrights, composers, and musicians. Although CFAP does not maintain a collection, it provides artists with opportunities to exhibit their work as a group.

The Department of National Defence administers the program, while members of the professional arts community select participating artists. This approach helps ensure that participants meet high professional standards. Continued interest in CFAP demonstrates the value artists place on access to the CAF, while the work produced through the program contributes to Canada's military art legacy and offers Canadians perspectives on military service.