Allison Tunis

Allison Tunis (she/they) is a visual artist living and working on Treaty 6 territory, in amiswaciwâskahikan (Edmonton). Allison has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Alberta (2008) and a graduate diploma in art therapy from The Vancouver Art Therapy Institute (2013). Using her education combined with her personal experiences as a community organizer and self-advocate, Allison’s practice explores themes of personal and community healing through the art creation process. They also look to challenge norms and expectations around marginalized bodies – with a specific focus on queer, fat, and disabled experiences. Tunis aims to reimagine art materials, techniques, and collaborative processes in ways that reduce barriers and harm, while contributing to critical conversation within and beyond traditional art spaces about accessibility, intersectionality, and strengths-based theory.

Allison is a recipient of the Edmonton Artist Trust award (2018) and the Alberta Craft Council Early Achievement award (2018), and was the 2018/2019 artist-in-residence at Harcourt House Artist-Run Centre. Currently, she is working on a large collaborative series focusing on chronic illness and personal identity. 

Residency period: October – December, 2023