Atlantic Canada Institute

The Atlantic Canada Institute was a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of the history and cultural diversity of the Atlantic Provinces. It began as a modest experiment in alternative education on 23 October 1971, when a group of English professors met in Halifax to consider establishing a summer institute of Atlantic Canada studies. A steering committee was set up and by January 1972 the title Atlantic Canada Institute was chosen. By late 1972 a tentative summer program had been drawn up. It was determined that the institute's main goal would be to respond to the different cultural realities of the region. The first three-week non-credit summer program was held at St. Francis Xavier University in July 1973, attracting about 40 people. In 1974 the summer school moved to the University of Prince Edward Island, where it stayed for five years. The institute later alternated between sites in the Atlantic Provinces for several summers. The topics covered included music, genealogy, architecture, art, literature, military history, and a broad range of subjects affecting the distinct ethnic groups of the region, such as Mi'kmaq, Acadians, Scottish, and Irish. In 1983 the first French program was held, and in 1982 the institute began a newsletter to promote its programs and activities and provide announcements to members. It had other occasional publications as well. In 1975 the Atlantic Canada Institute was incorporated as a charitable institution by Letters Patent in New Brunswick. Governed by a joint board of directors and a board of advisors, its operations depended upon volunteers - a core group of academics, business people, teachers, lawyers, and many others. It was never self-sustaining financially. After 1977 its main support was from the Canadian Studies program of the Secretary of State. In the late 1980s, the termination of that grant and a continued lack of funding led to the discontinuation of the Institute.