Remembering Joan Stebbins
OCT. 28, 1941 – DEC. 13, 2025
Canada has lost a distinguished cultural leader and Member of the Order of Canada. Joan Stebbins, former Director and Curator of the Southern Alberta Art Gallery Maansiksikaitsitapiitsinikssin, passed away on December 13, 2025. Joan's life and work shaped not only this institution, but the cultural landscape of southern Alberta and of contemporary art in Canada.
Joan Stebbins began her remarkable career at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery in 1979, shortly after the Gallery first opened its doors. She quickly advanced through successive professional roles and in 1985 accepted the joint position of Director / Curator, leading the institution with exceptional vision until her retirement in 2007.
Joan's extensive contributions have been recognized through numerous honours, including her appointment as a Member of the Order of Canada in 2007, an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Lethbridge in 2009, an RCA Medal from the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, and the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished Artist Award.
As Director / Curator from 1985 to 1999, Joan assumed full responsibility for all aspects of the Gallery's operations, writing countless grants to raise funds from municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government to meet the Gallery's annual budget, while securing support for solo, thematic, and travelling exhibitions. Under her leadership, the Gallery expanded substantially, increasing its operational capacity and professional standing to match the ambition of her curatorial program.
In 1999 the Director / Curator roles were separated, which allowed Joan to focus on developing an intellectually rigorous and forward-looking exhibition program that established the Gallery as a nationally respected centre for contemporary art. She was committed to presenting innovative, critically engaged work by artists from southern Alberta and beyond, and she understood the Gallery's location in a small urban centre not as a limitation but as a site for cultural leadership. Through decades of advocacy, she broadened the community's appetite for art in ways that can never be fully documented, helping to transform Lethbridge into a site of contemporary art excellence.
Over 180 publications were produced under Joan’s leadership, forming a comprehensive and enduring body of scholarship on contemporary art in Canada. These catalogues became essential resources for curators, scholars, artists, and students nationwide, extending the Gallery's influence far beyond provincial boundaries. Through this publishing legacy, Joan reinforced the Gallery’s standing as a centre of national and international regard, positioning Lethbridge as a meaningful contributor to Canada's art and cultural history.
Joan's support of artists at all stages of career—often through their first major institutional exhibition—was integral to her vision. She brought a level of professionalism to the presentation of their work, more often associated with larger institutions, and artists she worked with describe her as an exceptional curator: intellectually generous, deeply supportive, and a committed champion of artistic practice. Contemporary art shaped Joan's life well beyond the Gallery; through hosting artists in her home and creating spaces for connection, she fostered lasting relationships and a strong sense of community—values that continue to define the Gallery today.
As the Gallery approaches its 50th anniversary on January 12, 2026, we do so with deep gratitude for the extraordinary dedication, vision, and care that Joan Stebbins gave to this institution. We offer our heartfelt condolences to her husband, Lucius Stebbins, and their family, and we honour Joan Stebbins for a life devoted to artistic excellence, intellectual generosity, and community transformation.
To read the official obituary visit https://www.mbfunerals.com/obituaries/stebbins/joan.