Fredericton Arts Alliance

06/11/2026

The Story Behind the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund: Remembering Jane LeBlanc

Many people know the programs and bursaries offered by the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund, but fewer know the story of the person whose life inspired the organization. We would like to share a little about Jane LeBlanc and the values that continue to guide our work.

Tell me,

what is it you plan to do with your one wild precious life?

- Mary Oliver

Jane LeBlanc (known as Janey to her family) lived a life shaped by curiosity, creativity, and a strong desire to understand the world around her. From an early age, she demonstrated a love of learning, physical activity, and creative expression, participating in school athletics and performance activities that brought enjoyment to those around her.

As a young adult, Jane sought out learning experiences beyond her home community. She spent time abroad caring for children, studying, and immersing herself in different cultures. Her travels took her to multiple countries, where she engaged in everyday work, observed local traditions, and documented her experiences through writing and photography as part of her personal learning and reflection.

After returning to Canada, Jane continued her education at St. Thomas University and later worked in New Brunswick. Following a diagnosis of brain cancer, she spent many years living with family, where she continued to write and reflect on her experiences and relationships.

Jane passed away in 2010, surrounded by family and friends. After her death, her journals—kept throughout her life—were discovered by her family and provided insight into her reflections, creative thinking, and commitment to understanding the human experience.

Jane’s life and writings form the historical and inspirational foundation of the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund. The Fund exists to honour her values by advancing education, creative learning, and public engagement in the arts.

Jane's curiosity, commitment to learning, creative expression, and interest in understanding different people and cultures continue to inspire the Fund's work. Through educational programs, bursaries, mentorship opportunities, workshops, and public learning activities, the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund seeks to carry forward those values for the benefit of the wider community.

This info is intended to provide historical and memorial context for the mission and educational work of the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund

artsnb
ArtsLink NB
Arts Culture NB
New Brunswick College of Craft and Design
UNB Media Arts and Cultures Student Society
Cat LeBlanc
Maureen LeBlanc
Media NB
Fredericton Arts Alliance
Saint John Arts Centre
Théâtre Capitol Theatre
Writers' Federation of New Brunswick

06/11/2026

The ArtsNEWS is a weekly pdf publication of arts related events in the Greater Fredericton Area.
You can download the latest ArtsNEWS through the website: https://www.frederictonartsalliance.ca/programs/arts-news or through the link in bio.
Subscribe to receive it weekly, and submit your own events, whether performances, shows, openings, sales, call for entry, or classes, as long as it is art and family friendly.

06/09/2026

A reminder that you should submit any events, calls for entry, classes, or arts related news for the next weeks ArtsNEWS before Monday at 7PM.

06/05/2026

Just Announced:

We've got another evening of storytelling in the works!

This next instalment in our storytelling series will feature eight true stories performed live, based on the theme of Friends & Family.

Some of the storytellers for this event include Fredericton writer and standup comic Gill Salmon, local author Jen Selk, writer and photographer Ramneet Kalra, CSAC's very own Matt Carter, and others.

As with past storytelling events, 50% of the proceeds will be donated to a local partnered charity. This time we will be supporting Hospice Fredericton.

Friends & Family | August 4 | Charlotte Street Arts Centre | Doors at 7. Show at 7:30 p.m. | PAY WHAT YOU WISH tickets available here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/friends-and-family-an-evening-of-storytelling

This event is being co-produced in partnership with our friends at the UNB Art Centre in support of their summer exhibition, Brief Infinity, an ongoing body of work by Canadian visual artist Danielle Hogan. Brief Infinity includes over 1000 paintings and, working across multiple media, investigates notions of time, precarity, grief and joy. The works are both absolute in their presence and incomplete in what they leave open to the viewer.

We encourage everyone to visit the exhibition June 24 - August 28, 2026 at the UNB Art Centre, 9 Bailey Drive, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton.

UNB Art Centre Fredericton Arts Alliance

06/02/2026

Congratulations to all

Eleventh Annual New Brunswick Book Awards Winners Announced
June 1, 2026 - The eleventh annual New Brunswick Book Awards were presented at a ceremony Saturday, May 30 in Saint John, celebrating writing excellence in picture book, books for youth, poetry, nonfiction and fiction.

This year’s winners are as follows:

The Alice Kitts Award for Excellence in Picture Book Writing, sponsored by the Kitts Family: Jennifer McGrath, Hillsborough, The Pony and the Starling, Groundwood Books.

The Books for Youth and Young Adult Award, sponsored by JD Irving Ltd. – Evan Jones, Moncton, What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do (Independent)

The Fiddlehead Poetry Book Prize, sponsored by The Fiddlehead – Ian LeTourneau, Fredericton, metadata from a changing climate (Gaspereau Press)

WFNB Nonfiction Award, sponsored by the Brennan Family – Karissa Donkin, Fredericton, Breakaway: The PWHL and the Women who Changed the Game, (Goose Lane Publishing)

Mrs. Dunster’s Award for Fiction, sponsored by Mrs. Dunster’s Bakery: Robert Stutt, Fredericton, Puppet, Merlin Star Press

A Legacy Award was also presented to Nancy Bauer of Fredericton, who has been a longtime writer, editor, publisher, NB arts journalist and reviewer, and a founder of arts organizations and writers’ groups.

The competition for the 12th annual New Brunswick Book Awards will open in June. Traditionally published and self-published authors who have lived in the province for three of the last five years, including the award year (2026) are welcome to enter. The deadline for entries is December 1, 2026.

The awards program is a production of the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick (WFNB), which for more than 40 years has passionately supported the development of home-grown writers at all stages of development.

The book awards ceremony was held at Lily Lake Pavilion as part of WFNB’s annual writing festival, WordSpring.

05/30/2026

05/29/2026