The Alberta landscape has an incredible wealth of natural resources, ranging from oil and natural gas to forests and fertile soil. But Alberta's greatest resource is people. To benefit from these natural resources takes innovation, strength and perseverance – qualities Alberta's men and women have in abundance.
Our Mission
- To create educational, inspirational and empowering products and services that help
Canadians discover our history, value our achievements and enrich our communities.
Who We Are
- We are an eclectic Alberta based team of creative, inspired and grateful people who
are dedicated to the creation and distribution of products that inspire the spirit, evoke
the questions
and begin the journey of greater understanding.
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What We Do
- Stitch together the legacy of Alberta's industrial heritage
- Share how our industrial heritage is interwoven with our social and cultural heritage
- Uncover the history of over 150 years of oil exploration in Alberta
- Create an unprecedented level of accessibility to rarely seen photographs and seldom-heard stories
Where We Focus
- Historic discovery sites (ie: Turner Valley, Leduc, Athabasca oil sands)
- Cities, towns, villages and hamlets throughout Alberta
- Across Alberta's varying terrain
When We Are Covering
- The early years of Alberta leading up to today
- Trying times (ie: drilling 133 dry holes in a row before discovering Leduc No.1 in 1947)
- Boom times – major petroleum discoveries that revolutionized Alberta and the economic prosperity that followed
- Times defined by industrial and technological landmarks
Why We Do It
- To recognize the men and women of Alberta's history
- To honour the sacrifices of the workers and their families
- To share the many stories of hard work, discoveries and accomplishments that make up
the lives and times of Alberta's working people
How We Do It
- Visual design consulting
- Creative project planning and management
- Writing, editing and publishing books, calendars and other media
- searching archives and museums for historical materials
- Production of unique framed presentations featuring vintage photographs
- Customized image designs
Our Values
- Community – the people that shape the province
- Family – the long hours, the separation for days and the support of each other
- Recognition and honour – the appreciation for the people who connect us with our heritage
- Gratitude – being thankful for the countless amenities and lives we enjoy
- Pride – In our history and ourselves
- Camaraderie – The enjoyment of working as a team
- Balance – between career, family, personal and social lives
- Multicultural diversity – We appreciate that Canada was built by people from all ethic and cultural backgrounds.
The 2009 Petroleum Discovery Calendar is an immediate follow-up on the success of 2008's national award winner. Over 10,000 words and more than 100 rare archival photographs capture the people, the equipment, the locations and the municipalities that comprise Alberta's oil and gas industry. Last year's Alberta Petroleum Discovery calendar was a showcase of Alberta's petroleum industry; from its early roots to the opening of the world's largest oil sands mine in 1978. The unique layout was a success; winning the Canadian Petroleum History Society's 2007 Multimedia Award.
Soul of Alberta is also working diligently on projects for the farming and ranching industries, and for Alberta's Aboriginal history. These projects are slated to launch in June 2009 for the 2010 calendar year.
Over the coming years, Soul of Alberta will create a series that illustrates the link between Alberta's core industries and the people of the province. Soul of Alberta believes we have a responsibility to share the fascinating stories and amazing photographs the province's past. In doing so, Soul of Alberta is committed to preserving the memory of Alberta's rich history and respecting all those who contributed to the Alberta we know today.
As Sir Arthur Doughty, Dominion Archivist of Canada, said is 1924, “of all national assets, archives are the most precious. They are the gift from one generation to the another.”
Soul of Alberta. This is our history. This is our heritage.
