CALGARY’S GUIDE TO GOING OUT
SPRINGBOARD
BUMP TURNS BLANK
CONCRETE INTO CALGARY’S LOUDEST VOICES
THINGS TO DO
MUSIC AND GIGS
VISUAL ARTS
FOOD AND DRINKS CAM HAYDEN COMIC
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF THE 27 ANNUAL TH
BETTY MITCHELL AWAR S!
WILDWOMAN
Alberta Theatre Projects in association with Gateway Theatre
Come From Away Theatre Calgary
Hucksterland Chromatic Theatre
Jessica Poirier-Chang
The Tale of the Gifted Prince, Theatre Calgary in partnership with Somerled Arts
Neil Fleming
Hucksterland, Chromatic Theatre
Cory Pattak
Come From Away, Theatre Calgary
Mike Rinaldi
The End, The Old Trout Puppet Workshop
Scott Reid
Come From Away, Theatre Calgary
visit www.bettymitchellawards.com for more information about our yearly celebration of outstanding achievement in Calgary’s Professional Theatre Community!
Jesse Robb
Come From Away, Theatre Calgary
Olivier Lunardi
WILDWOMAN, Alberta Theatre Projects in association with Gateway Theatre
Eric Wigston Botticelli in the Fire
Helen Knight
Casey and Diana, Alberta Theatre Projects in association with The Citadel Theatre
Nathan Kay
WILDWOMAN, Alberta Theatre Projects in association with Gateway Theatre
N. Girgis and Connor Suart
WILDWOMAN, Alberta Theatre Projects in association with Gateway Theatre
Come From Away Theatre Calgary
Steven Greenfield
Come From Away, Theatre Calgary
Jesse Robb
Come From Away, Theatre Calgary
Grisha Martirosyan
The Barber of Seville, Calgary Opera
Nikko Angelo Hinayo
The Tale of the Gifted Prince, Theatre Calgary in partnership with Somerled Arts
16 CALGARY NOSTALGIA
Calgary’s deep history of riot grrl music and activism.
We acknowledge the traditional territories and the value of the traditional and current oral practices of the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina, the Iyarhe Nakoda Nations, the Otipemisiwak Métis Government of Alberta (Districts 5 and 6), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.
11 COVER
The Beltline Urban Mural Project is rewriting Calgary’s story and bringing art to the streets.
4 ACT 1, SCENE 1
What to do, see, and hear this month across the city.
8 Q&A
Boban Stojanović uses collage and poetry to explore themes of resilience, healing, and social change.
14 ART SCENE
The Earthlings Exhibition channels on-theground research from Greece into a potent sculpture exhibit in Calgary.
15 THEATRE SCENE
The Springboard Performance ContainR art space lights up Inglewood with performance, expression, and connection.
Cover: Jae Sterling with his mural Portal Maker at BUMP Festival 2022. Photo: Asim Overstands
Publisher Käthe Lemon, klemon@redpointmedia.ca
Outgoing Editor Nathan Iles
Editorial Assistant Evelina Pak, epak@redpointmedia.ca
Events and Listings Editor Catrina Bowles, cbowles@redpointmedia.ca
Founding Editor Mike Bell
Designer Kris Twyman
Print/Digital Production Manager Mike Matovich CONTRIBUTORS
Kimberley Dooshima Jev, Lissa Robinson, Reid Blakley, Alicia L'Archevêque, Kathleen Renne, Cam Hayden
Client Support Coordinator Alice Meilleur
Senior Account Executive Jocelyn Erhardt
Account Executives Nadine Benoit, Vicki Braaten
CEO and co-owner Roger Jewett
President and co-owner Käthe Lemon
Vice President Operations Meredith Bailey Creative Director Steve Collins
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada
The Scene is a member of the Alberta Magazine Publishers’ Association and abides by its professional standards. redpointmedia.ca 1721 29 Avenue SW, Suite 375, Calgary, AB, T2T 6T7
18 CALGARY PRIDE
Explore the vibrant tapestry of 2SLGBTQ+ expression in the prairies.
20 VENUE
The newly renovated Commonwealth provides a new lease on clubbing life.
22 CAM HAYDEN COMIC
The July issue of The Scene included a photo on the cover that was incorrectly attributed to Paul Fesko. This photo was taken by Jarrett Edmund. We regret the error.
PHOTO: ZOLTAN VARADI
Leslie Feist and Placebo at the Republik in 1996
What to do in August
BY CATRINA BOWLES
CELEBRATE SUMMER WITH FESTIVALS, OUTDOOR MOVIES, CLASSIC LAWN GAMES, AND MORE
DESIGN WEEK
August 6 to 8 | Multiple venues | designweekcalgary.com
Have you ever walked through downtown Calgary and noticed just how beautiful this city can be? Well, the folks over at the Design Talks Institute, or d.talks, are familiar with this feeling, and you’ll find plenty of others who agree at Design Week. This festival celebrates design and creativity, with a focus on urban design. Attend talks, presentations, workshops, interactive exhibitions and more. Many of the events are free, just register ahead of time on their site.
HIGH PARK MOVIES WITH A VIEW
August 6, August 20, and September 3 | High Park | beltlineyyc.ca
Sit in the bustling downtown core every other Thursday night through the end of summer for High Park Movies with a View. Watch old favourites and explore new films, all projected in 4K onto a 30-ft inflatable screen. On August 6, catch Tekkonkinkreet, a 2006 anime film about two orphans facing the threat of yakuza taking over their town. My Friend Dave 2 plays on August 20, the second documentary from the grassroots My Friend Dave project, which supports marginalized and vulnerable men. Finally, on September 3, settle on the High Park grass for Zombieland, the much-beloved 2009 post-apocalyptic comedy zombie flick.
AFRICFEST
August 7 to 9 | Eau Claire Plaza | africfest.com
After a successful one-day fest that saw over 5,000 attendees, AfricFest is back for another year. It’s an outdoor cultural festival celebrating the diversity and expressions of different African cultures. Over three days, enjoy African food and drinks, music, dance, fashion, and storytelling. The fest is family-friendly, with plenty of interactive activities like arts and crafts to keep everyone entertained.
ALBERTA ON THE PLATE
August 7 to 16 | Multiple venues | albertaontheplate.com
Hope you’re feeling hungry this month because Alberta on the Plate is back with local food you’ve never tasted before. This annual food festival challenges restaurants to create a multi-course prix fixe menu using Albertan produce, meat, and craft beverages. Some restaurants to hit up during the week include Friends with Benedicts, Blue Star Diner, and Lulu Bar.
CARIFEST
August 13 to 16 | Cowboys Park | carifestcalgary.com
It’s the 45th anniversary of Calgary’s Carifest, a multi-day festival where Caribbean culture and music shine. Every day of the festival has something different to offer, from a family-friendly
“Vintage Vibes” celebration with live DJs playing classic Caribbean tracks to “Carnival in the Park,” featuring live performances, food trucks, cultural showcases, a beer garden, and a parade. The festival wraps up with the “Reggae Cool Down,” where chilled reggae vibes help you wind down after all the fun over the weekend.
EXPO LATINO
August 14 to 16 | Prince’s Island Park | expolatino.com
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Western Canada’s largest Latin festival, Expo Latino. From mouth-watering Latin food to dance workshops to live musical performances, Expo Latino is a weekend packed with good vibes. This year’s festival secured Unotopic as its headliner, a rising star in Latin music and R&B.
CLOUD JUICE CLASSIC LAWN BOWLING TOURNAMENT
August 15 | Rotary Park Lawn Bowls Club | eightyeightbrewing.ca
Did you know that Eighty-Eight Brewing holds an annual lawn bowling tournament? They do, and it’s an absolute blast, whether you’re a lawn bowling champ (unlikely) or just a lover of good beer and burgers (almost definitely).
Register a team of four for $200, and you’ll get a minimum of four games of lawn bowling, eight drink tickets, and four meals. Additional drinks and food are available throughout the day from Eighty-Eight and their friends at Portland Pizza. There are prizes for the winning team and for the best costume.
DANDYFEST
August 22 | Dandy Brewing Company | thedandybrewingcompany.com
The humble patio party that started in 2018 has blossomed into a one-day music and beer festival you don’t want to miss. The DandyFest party kicks off at noon and features two stages with over 10 performers playing through the fest, plus over 10 guest breweries on-site serving samples so you can taste a variety of new drinks. Dandy promises plenty more surprises on the day of, so dodge the FOMO and get your tickets now.
GLOBALFEST
August 27 to 30 | Spruce Meadows | globalfest.ca
GlobalFest just got a new venue over at Spruce Meadows and a schedule filled with four days of fireworks fun. The countries and cultures featured this year are Japan, Mexico and Italy,
PHOTO: TALULAH CHAN
Design Week
PHOTO: ILIA KOSMAK
Movies with a View
with a global finale taking place on the final day. Come hungry, because there’s food from all over the world served up by GlobalFest’s food vendors.
REGGAEFEST
August 28 and 29 | The Rise, St. Patrick’s Island | reggaefest.ca
After a tumultuous few years of venue changes and challenging weather, ReggaeFest is ready for a killer festival. Catch performances from big names in reggae like Leroy Sibbles, Jemere Morgan and Louie Culture, along with plenty more shows from small and up-and-coming artists. You’ll be outside under the sun (hopefully) so pack the sunscreen and bug spray, and be sure to hydrate so you can dance all the way into the night.
FIESTA FILIPINO
September 4 to 7 | Eau Claire Plaza | @fiestafilipinoyyc
Celebrate the Filipino community and culture at this year’s Fiesta Filipino. Since 2015, the festival has been finishing the summer off right with Filipino food trucks, live performances, cultural showcases and more. The family-friendly event also features a kids’ zone filled with traditional Filipino children’ s games. The best part? You can join in on the fun for free!
VEGFEST
September 5 | Sunalta Community Association and Hub | calgaryvegansociety.com
If you’ve got a passion for plant-based food or just want to expand your culinary horizons, check out VegFest. After successful markets over the past few years, Calgary Vegan Society is bringing all of Calgary’s best vegan food into one location. Grab bites from various vendors and food trucks while enjoying live entertainment throughout the day. Entry to the festival is by donation, so come with a few bucks.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND TOURS
NMC PRESENTS: EDDY FEST
BROTHER BICKER BAND
JADE ELEPHANT
DUKE DOMINO
SONIA DELEO & THE NEW DADS
DEICHA & THE VUDUDES
OLLEE OWENS BAND
JESSIE BIRD • BLACK CROW FUNK
LEWIS CARDINAL • ROSS FIZZARD
ASHLEY GHOSTKEEPER • LEO MARTINEZ JOHN RUTHERFORD • TAKE THE SONSET
Part storytelling tour, part listening session, exploring the legendary albums recorded in the "Sistine Chapel of rock 'n' roll.” TICKETS: STUDIOBELL.CA/WHATS-ON
NEW AND UPDATED EXHIBITIONS ON NOW
Free music playground for kids and families that transforms visitors from observers into active music-makers.
Celebrating the global pop icon’s sound, style, and fearless reinvention.
2026 CANADIAN MUSIC HALL OF FAME
Honouring the late jazz great on his 100th birthday.
PHOTO: KEVIN MITCHELL
Cloud Juice Classic
Onstage in August
BY NATHAN ILES
START THE MONTH WITH DISCO, END IT WITH CLASSIC ROCK, AND EXPLORE EVERY SOUND IN BETWEEN
ROSÉ DISCO
Presented by Cowboys Music Festival, this one-day pink-and-white themed rave is lighting up downtown Calgary with wine tastings, chef pop-ups, and groovy EDM jams from Felix Cartal and Nikolina Nolan. August 8 at The Confluence, rosedisco.com.
HYMMMELODIES
Dulcimer player Bijan Maysami leads this monthly party, bringing Persian and Latin music to the masses and inspiring you to dance down in a whole new way. August 14, 8 p.m. at Congress Coffee, congresscoffeeshop.com.
EDDYFEST
The King Eddy venue is turning 120, and the National Music Centre yearns to celebrate. Brother Bicker Band, Ashley Ghostkeeper, and Deicha and the Vududes are just a few of the local legends to catch during this three-day shindig. August 14 to 16 at The King Eddy, studiobell.ca.
PETE MURRAY (ACOUSTIC SHOW)
One of Australia’s finest folk troubadours makes his way to Calgary, hot off the heels of his seventh studio album, Longing. Murray has sold
1.2 million albums to date, and this show marks his first appearance in Canada in years. August 16, 7 p.m. at Festival Hall, gatewayyyc.com.
COHEED AND CAMBRIA
These prog-rockers are still going strong after three decades and millions of album sales. All but one of their records tell the story of The Amory Wars, a sci-fi epic that also encompasses comic books and novels; be a part of the story this August. August 18, 7 p.m. at The Palace, thepalacetheatre.ca.
SWEETNOTES MUSIC
A Filipino husband-and-wife duo that heavily uses sequencers, Sweetnotes Music bring beautiful vocal harmonies and earnest emotion to their renditions of classic love songs and Original Pilipino Music (OPM). August 21, 5 p.m. at the Jack Singer Concert Hall, werklundcentre.ca.
BINI
The “Signals” world tour brings this viral pop group to the prairies. With over a billion streams of hits like “Cherry On Top,” BINI were one of Spotify’s breakout artists of 2024, bringing worldwide exposure to Filipino pop music. August 21, 7 p.m. at the Grey Eagle Event Centre, greyeagleresortandcasino.ca.
THE BEACH BOYS
You’re running out of chances to catch music history live. With that in mind, don’t miss this rare opportunity to see one of the most influential pop bands of all time, anchored around the sole original member, Mike Love. Good Vibrations indeed. August 24, 6:30 p.m. at the Grey Eagle Event Centre, greyeagleresortandcasino.ca.
ANGELMAKER
With two lead vocalists and furiously thrashing riffs, Angelmaker are a melodic deathcore band of the heaviest degree. Ingested and The Goddess are opening the show up. Book a massage for the next day; your neck will need it. August 25, 6 p.m. at Dickens, dickensyyc.com.
BRUTAL YOUTH + ANTI-QUEENS
This gig is a full-blown Stomp Records showcase, featuring manic hardcore, punked-up rock jams, and a whole lot of good times. The Evergreen Standard plays first, and the show is free! August 26, 9 p.m. at the Ship & Anchor, shipandanchor.com.
RIOT
Progressive melodies and heavy basslines are the tools of the trade for this LA-based DJ duo. This rave is free before 10:30 p.m. if you RSVP in advance, so check out the link below! August 28, 9 p.m. at The Palace, thepalacetheatre.ca.
DEEP PURPLE + KANSAS + JEFFERSON STARSHIP
Speaking of rock history, this show is a triple-whammy of grandpa rock in the best way. If you’ve got “Highway Star” stuck in your head or know every word to “Carry On My Wayward Son,” attendance at this one is mandatory. August 31, 6:45 p.m. at the Scotiabank Saddledome, scotiabanksaddledome.com.
PEACHES
“No Lube, So Rude.” That’s what this iconic Canadian musician has titled this tour, and it
sets the tone perfectly for an electroclash dance party for the ages. “Fuck the Pain Away” with a crowd! September 1, 7 p.m. at MacEwan Hall, machallconcerts.com.
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 IN CONCERT
There are three perfect film trilogies. The Lord of the Rings, Linklater’s Before trilogy… and How to Train Your Dragon. Take your nephew to the middle entry, presented in HD and featuring the Calgary Philharmonic performing John Powell’s score live. September 4 and 5 at the Jubilee Auditorium, calgaryphil.com.
KRUELTY
Flying in all the way from Tokyo, Kruelty plays filthy hardcore punk rock that is emboldened by doom-y metal influences. Dead Heat from California, local bruisers Dying Remains, and other guests are also on deck to smash it up. September 5, 8 p.m. at The Palomino, thepalomino.ca.
PHOTO: KYLE LEE
PHOTO: NOELLA STEINHAUER
Felix Cartal, Rosé Disco
Ashley Ghostkeeper at Eddyfest
Markets in the Plaza
FREE to attend!
in the Plaza at Heritage Park. FREE to attend, all summer long!
Saturdays: July 11 – Sept 12 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
BY EVELINA PAK
IActivism in Art
f you Google Boban Stojanović, you’ll first find him as an 2SLGBTQIA+ and human rights advocate. In Serbia, he co-founded the Queeria Centre and helped organize Belgrade’s Pride Parade. After facing violence and threats, he left the country and moved to Canada a decade ago.
In Canada, his activism took a different form — through art. His multilayered collages combine vintage imagery with fragments of poetry to explore identity, migration, queerness and resilience. He is also the author of the Serbian-language poetry collection This Could Have Been Our Living Room
Beyond his artistic practice, Stojanović serves as Vice President at the Centre for Newcomers, where he supports refugees and newcomers as they build new lives.
Q: What first drew you to activism?
A: “My first experience with activism back home came while I was in mandatory military service. During the ‘90s, the country where I was born, the former Yugoslavia, fell apart, and we started killing each other. I was very young, but I felt it wasn’t right, even though there was very strong government propaganda.
“That’s how I learned about anti-war groups and joined them. I met politically like-minded people, then feminists, politically engaged artists and queer people — very interesting people with stories and a mission in life. That’s how it all started.”
Q: Do you still consider yourself an activist?
A: “Yes. I think once you’re an activist, you always will be. It’s a way of life.”
Q: When did art become an essential part of your life?
A: “Art has always been part of my life, even when I was a kid. I grew up in a very violent family, so to survive, I had to create my own world. When I was around seven to 10 years old, I expressed myself through art classes, and that was the first time someone recognized my talent.
“When I was a teenager, questions like
“Art became my tool to transform pain and sadness. ”
BOBAN STOJANOVIĆ
whether you were gay or straight became important. I was bullied by older students to the point where I hated going to school. Instead, I’d go to the local library, grab art books, and spend hours browsing.
“There was a coffee-table book called Art Now, and it featured a painting by Frank Stella. It was a minimalist abstract painting titled Nunca Pasa Nada, which means ‘nothing ever happens,’ like ‘everything is okay.’ Those words became my mantra. Whatever happens to me, I always say these words.”
Q: Why collage?
A: “Collage is my main medium. I was drawn to it because of my grandmother. She was a seamstress. Whenever she had leftover fabric, she’d use it to create something for my mother or the women around her. It was always eclectic and colourful.
“I became fascinated with bringing different pieces together and creating an entirely new story. I use what other people discard: old magazines, newspapers and photographs. I want to give those things a second life.”
Q: Who are the people in your collages?
A: “Random people — fashion models or celebrities. For me, what matters isn’t who they are but the story I create around them.
“There has always been a lot of discussion around collage and copyright. I’m thinking of the photographers who took those photos. How would they see their work incorporated in my work?”
THROUGH MULTILAYERED COLLAGES, ACTIVIST AND ARTIST BOBAN STOJANOVIĆ EXPLORES THEMES OF IDENTITY, MEMORY, AND CONNECTION
Q: Beyond identity, what ideas do you hope people take away from your work?
A: “My goal is always to create something beautiful, something eye-catching that evokes emotion. Emotion creates connection, and if people feel something, it means they’ve connected [with the work].”
Q: Despite everything you’ve experienced, how do you hold on to hope?
A: “I’ve created a whole philosophy around this. Bad things that happen in our lives are a matter of perception. You can go through
hardship and get stuck there, or you can use it.
As humans, we have the capacity to transform experiences. Art became my tool to transform pain and sadness.
“In a very bizarre way, I’m grateful for every struggle I’ve been through because it made me a better person.”
This Q&A was created in collaboration with the Werklund Centre. Boban Stojanović’s work is currently featured at the +15 Galleries in an exhibition presented by the Calgary Queer Arts Society. See more of his work on Instagram: @resilient_poet.
PHOTO: MILOŠ TADIĆ
Untitled
Eyes – Shirley Moorhouse
Zadie Xa with Benito Mayor Vallejo
Moonlit Confessions Across Deep Sea Echoes: Your Ancestors Are Whales, and Earth Remembers Everything
Johnathan
Eyes
Shirley Moorhouse is realized
collaboration between the artist and Rose Bouthillier, Guest Curator.
Moonlit Confessions Across Deep Sea Echoes:
Ancestors Are Whales, and Earth Remembers
Moorhouse, Beaded
BEST.
EVER. FIRST DATES
CJSW August Charts
Direct from your radio pals at 90.9 FM, here is a snapshot of the current artists & albums topping the charts at CJSW. Tune in, turn it up and enjoy.
1. Taxi Girls* - Static (Stomp Records)
Ghost Cartridge** - looking into people’s windows (30/30)
3. La Securite* - Bingo! (Mothland)
4. Flytrap** - Weapon Of Mass Creation (Mo Gravy Records)
5. Sook-Yin Lee* - 72RHR (Hand Drawn Dracula)
6. Tyson Ray Borsboom* - These Days (Self-Released)
Ora Cogan* - Hard Hearted Woman (Sacred Bones Records)
8. Nixon Boyd* - Every Time We Turn A Corner (Royal Mountain)
9. Knitting* - Souvenir (Mint Records)
10. Zoon* - Happy Thought School (Paper Bag Records)
11. Zenon** - Redecorating My Mind (Self-Released)
Tired Cossack* - ZIMA (Self-Released)
13. Sunglaciers** - Spiritual Content (Mothland)
14. Bobby Wiens - Focus (Self-Released)
15. sundayclub* - sundayclub (Paper Bag Records)
16. Cherry Pick* - :3 [EP] (Light Organ Records)
Deer Fang* - Forest For the Trees (Self-Released)
18. The Galacticas** - IRL (Sketchy Records)
19. Devon Parkin* - New Beliefs On Layaway (Mysterybox Records)
Dark Orchard* - Oration (Self-Released)
BIG|BRAVE* - in grief or in hope (Thrill Jockey)
st. davis* - self entitled (Self-Released)
Lovelet** - Freedom River Float (Self-Released)
Jolene Marie** - Sun Creek (Small Fry Music)
S.K. Wellington** - TWENTY 26: face to face (Self-Released)
The Zaxons* - Videopticons (Science Centre Records)
Telehealth - Green World Image (Sub-Pop)
Leeroy Stagger* - Pilgrimage (Cordova Bay Records)
Souls In Rhythm** - Stranger In My Heart (Self-Released)
30. Tommy Douglas Keenan* - Returns to the Moon (Self-Released)
* Canadian
** Local (Calgary area)
From Murals to Movement
“WE’RE INTERESTED IN CREATING SPACE FOR MANY STORIES, VOICES AND COMMUNITIES TO COEXIST IN PUBLIC SPACE.”
HOW BUMP HAS REDEFINED PUBLIC ART IN CALGARY
BY KIMBERLEY DOOSHIMA JEV
Calgary has never had a simple relationship with public art. Over the years, public installations have sparked spirited debates about everything from artistic merit and public spending to identity, politics and who gets to shape the city’s shared spaces. That tension is part of what public art is meant to be: it asks people to look, react, question and, sometimes, disagree.
Against that backdrop, The Beltline Urban Murals Project (BUMP) has reshaped Calgary’s urban landscape, changing not only the city’s skyline but its relationship with public art. Since its launch in 2017, BUMP has transformed more than 160 walls and created over 460 public art installations across the city.
MORE THAN BEAUTIFICATION
To describe BUMP as an organization that paints murals is technically correct but incomplete. For Priya Ramesh, creative director of
BUMP Festival, public art isn’t simply about beautifying walls. It’s about changing how people experience cities.
“If it simply makes a wall more beautiful, we’ve only scratched the surface,” she says.
Instead, she sees public art as a catalyst for conversations that connect people to neighbourhoods, local histories, new perspectives and communities they might not otherwise encounter.
“Muralism was never the end goal,” says Ramesh. “What we’re really interested in is how culture shapes public life.”
Since its launch, BUMP has evolved from a seasonal mural festival into a year-round public art organization working across sculpture, film, music, conferences, youth mentorship, placemaking and public interventions.
“BUMP is an urban art movement disguised as a mural festival.”
SLOWING DOWN
For Chloe Chan, marketing director of BUMP Festival, the impact of public art is often found
in everyday moments.
“When I think of Calgarians, I imagine someone running to the CTrain,” she says. “People feel the pressure to keep up, to catch up, to go, go, go.”
She hopes BUMP’s work creates opportunities to interrupt that pace. “It’s nice to think that you can be stopped at a red light and look over and think, ‘Hey, that’s pretty nice. I live in a nice city.’”
For BUMP, the impact of public art goes beyond attendance numbers or online engagement. It lies in whether an artwork makes people more curious about the city around them.
BUILDING A CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM
Over the years, BUMP has expanded its programming, introducing initiatives that support artists, engage communities, and explore new forms of public art.
Road Works transforms concrete traffic barriers into vibrant art, giving emerging artists their first experience working at public scale. CAMP BUMP introduces youth to public art through mentorship, as they create solo
painted street and patio jersey barriers. The Urban Art Conference brings together artists, academics, organizers, and policymakers to discuss the future of cities.
This year, the organization enters another chapter, expanding its work through new public sculpture projects, internationally respected guest curators, year-round programming, and continued investment in artist development.
“We’re not simply commissioning artwork,” says Ramesh. “We’re trying to build an ecosystem where artists can grow throughout their careers and a city that can hold it up.”
BEYOND MURALS
As Calgary grows, so does the conversation around identity. Rather than presenting a single version of Calgary, BUMP embraces multiple perspectives.
“We’re not interested in presenting one story about Calgary,” Ramesh says. “We’re interested in creating space for many stories, voices and communities to coexist in public space.”
That focus on community is central to how the organization approaches its work. For Chan, the impact of public art comes back to the people who experience it every day. “At the end of the day, we care about the folks in our city,” she says. “These are the people we interact with daily, the people who come out to events, the people who engage with our work.”
Looking ahead, Ramesh hopes BUMP’s legacy won’t simply be measured by the walls it has transformed. “I hope BUMP helps make Calgary a city that believes in itself creatively,” she says. “A city that isn’t waiting for culture to arrive from somewhere else, but understands it can generate it here.”
After nearly a decade, BUMP’s greatest accomplishment extends beyond the murals. It has shown that public art isn’t something that happens to a city — it’s something that helps define it.
BUMP Festival runs from August 3 to 17, with mural unveilings, the Urban Art Conference, and an outdoor rave. For more details, visit yycbump.ca.
PRIYA RAMESH, CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF BUMP FESTIVAL
PHOTO: JEVAN BAILEY
“Linens In The Wind” by Megan Oldhues
The City on the Walls
10 WORKS THAT CAPTURE CALGARY’S COMMUNITIES, HISTORY, AND CHANGING IDENTITY
BY EVELINA PAK
If an alien came to Calgary and asked you to show them artwork that represents this city, what would you show? With over 1300 public art pieces around the city, it’s a hard question. But BUMP murals offer some pretty amazing candidates. We’ve mapped 10 murals — a small selection that reflects different moments in Calgary’s history, different styles and communities. Some are familiar landmarks, while others are waiting to be discovered. These murals aren’t just visually striking: they raise questions and reflect the issues that mattered when they were created. Most importantly, they carry stories. Years later, those stories become part of Calgary’s history.
1
PARDNERS
by Jill Stanton, 2018
Where: 17 Ave. S.W.
Pardners is a two-piece mural featuring cowboy boots, created by Edmonton-based artist Jill Stanton. She looked at the side of Gravitypope, a shoe store on 17th Avenue, and did the most Calgarian thing possible: cowboy boots. Two of them, side by side — one in purple and pink, one in red and orange — facing each other like old friends, which is where the title “Pardners” comes from.
Stanton wanted to offer a fresh perspective on the cowgirl aesthetic. “I wanted to give a different take, a different voice, on the femme cowgirl theme with these strong graphic cowboy boots,” she said. The design also draws inspiration from 1970s cowboy fashion.
@jillvstanton
2
BLUE BIRD
by DALeast, 2019
Where: 930 15 Ave. S.W.
Prolific Chinese muralist DALeast is known for his distinctive technique — thousands of individual spray-painted lines. These “metal shards” assemble into a bird. Thematically, his work explores the tension between the natural and the artificial, rendering organic forms in fragmented, almost mechanical patterns.
@daleast
3
SIMONA LISA
by Alex Kwong, 2020
Where: 1518 7 St. S.W.
This is a story about one artist championing another. In 2020, Alex Kwong — known for capturing the people and places around him — turned his lens on Simone Saunders and her textile work. He photographed her, then composed the mural using the pose and framing of Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, swapping in Saunders and her craft as the “modern subject.” At the time, Saunders was fresh out of the Alberta University of the Arts, working out of her home studio. Kwong wanted to support a fellow local artist: “I am also hoping to utilize this opportunity with BUMP to bring attention and support to one of
my peers in the Calgary art scene.”
Saunders has since gone on to receive international recognition. This mural is a snapshot of a hometown artist right before the rest of the world caught on.
@_alexkwong
4
ALL TOGETHER
by Mono Sourcil, 2020
Where: 119 12 Ave. S.W.
Maxilie Martel, known by her artist name Mono Sourcil, is a young multidisciplinary mural artist from Montreal. Her Calgary piece features a gathering of goofy, oddly lovable monsters and robots, all crowded together on the wall.
“The heteroclite crowd tends to celebrate acceptance and the richness of difference and multiculturalism in a fantastic and playful way,” she said.
A joyful celebration of diversity, and perhaps exactly the kind of optimism people needed after a difficult pandemic year.
@monosourcilart
5
VIOLET KING
by Curtia Wright, 2022
Where: 800 block of 12 Ave. S.W. Violet King was the first Black woman lawyer in
Canada. The mural’s artist, Curtia Wright, is a Toronto-based fine artist and arts educator. She chose King not only because of her connection to Alberta (King was born in Calgary), but for her “prevalence as a figure of Canadian history.” She said the mural is intended to be “a memorial and celebration of King’s life and legacy,” with the hope that more people will learn her story simply by walking past it.
@curtia
STRAIGHT UP (WORLD’S TALLEST MURAL)
by
DAIM, 2022
Where: 123 10 Ave. S.W.
Maybe we don’t have the tallest buildings in Calgary, but we have the world’s tallest painted mural. German artist Mirko Reisser (DAIM) created the record-breaking mural Straight Up, which has been in the making for over two years, reaching about 310 ft, 9 inches (95 metres) high. It’s visible from an airplane window on approach into Calgary.
BUMP’s president Peter Oliver described the surrounding parkade district as having a “Gotham” feel — all brutalist concrete and spiral ramps. The mural was designed to transform that stark landscape.
@mirkoreisser
PHOTOS 1-4: BUMP FESTIVAL; PHOTO 5: JEVAN BAILEY, TYRELL BONNICK; PHOTO 6: NICK COYNE;
7
BONES OF OUR PAST
by Kalum Teke Dan, 2022
Where: 340 10 Ave. S.W.
Kalum Teke Dan, a self-taught Blackfoot artist from the Blood Tribe (Kainai) in Southern Alberta, creates works that reflect spirituality and the energy around us. His first BUMP mural, Sunset Song, was controversially bricked over by a new development in 2021. The following year, Dan returned with Bones of Our Past at High Park. This piece speaks directly to the history of the residential school system and depicts the survival and strength of Indigenous people.
“This mural … should serve as a reminder of what it really means for all of us to exist on this land, and how much more work there needs to be done for true reconciliation,” he said.
@kalum.t.dan
8
SYMBIOSIS
by Dinho Bento, 2023
Where: 601 10 Ave. S.W.
Brazilian-born, Ottawa-based Dinho Bento created a triptych SYMBIOSIS in an ode to the importance of stewarding our natural world and its inhabitants. The message is explicitly about climate change and the urgency of collective human action — framing animals and people as interconnected rather than separate. The magnificent grey fox, grizzly bear, and eastern cougar appear almost as though they were carved into a living tree. Looking directly at the viewer, they seem to ask us not to forget the planet.
@dinho_bento
9
DAYDREAM
by Ben Johnston,
2024
Where: 1269-1315 10 St. S.W.
BUMP partnered with the City of Calgary, Sustainable Calgary, and Bloomberg’s Asphalt Art Initiative to create its first-ever ground mural, painted directly onto the street beside Connaught School. Ben Johnston’s design is text-based and vivid, meant to do double duty: it’s art, but it’s also a traffic-calming tool, marking out a safer, more visible pedestrian zone in a busy part of the Beltline.
@ben_johnston
THE LOVE OF MUSIC
by Matthew Springer,
2025
Where: 731 10 Ave. S.W.
You may recognize this vibrant mural on the wall of Commonwealth, featuring a joyful marching band made up of colourful characters. Springer created the work as a tribute to the community that gathers at the venue — “a magical place where creatures and folks of all kinds come together for the universal love of great music.” The bright colours and playful figures reflect the energy of the venue and Calgary’s local music scene. Sometimes a mural doesn’t need to be complicated — it can be as simple as a celebration of music and the people it brings together. (Read more about Commonwealth on page 20).
@springatus
Echoes of Kefalonia
INSIDE THE EARTHLINGS EXHIBITION
BY LISSA ROBINSON
For 12 Canadian artists, the Greek island of Kefalonia became more than a scenic setting for an art residency — it became a living participant in their creative process. Through their time at the Ionian Center for the Arts and Culture, organized by Natasha Faye Jensen and Patrick Moskwa, the artists explored the relationship between art, ecology, and place, culminating in Earthlings, an exhibition of their final works at The New Gallery.
Located near Ithaca, the legendary home of Odysseus, the island is a complex ecosystem where mythology is deeply intertwined with the ancient landscape. On the ground, the participants were surrounded by iconic olive groves, towering cypress trees, and wild Mediterranean scrub set against limestone cliffs and the turquoise Ionian Sea. Over two weeks, they engaged in open-ended research, treating the land and sea as collaborators, which encouraged them to redirect their creative process and reimagine their initial trajectories.
Jensen says bringing a group of mostly Alberta-based artists to an ancient Mediterranean setting was intentional. “There is something transformative about encountering a landscape that is not your own,” she explains. “Distance can sharpen perception, allowing artists to notice relationships, patterns, space, and plants that often become invisible in the places they inhabit every day.”
The artists immersed themselves in these unfamiliar surroundings by working closely with local experts, including the curation team at Cephalonia Botanica and the beekeepers at Kefalonian Honey Michalatos. They learned to formulate earth pigments from local soils and clay, process inks from seaweed, and develop cyanotypes from
plants gathered from the botanical garden. By exploring where materials originated, how they evolved, and the histories they carried, the group developed a deeper connection to the island. They then used local materials, including pigments, dyes, and clay, to create a physical connection between the artworks, landscape, and themselves. For example, in a striking act of respect, Josefina Rodriguez placed her figurative sculpture made from foraged clay into the sea, allowing it to dissolve back into the natural elements. Moskwa drew inspiration from the rocks he explored near the water, capturing their textures through rubbings and transferring them onto copper sheets. To age the metal, he washed the copper in the sea and allowed it to develop a natural patina under the intense heat.
Each artist approached Kefalonia in their own way, carving individual creative pathways across diverse disciplines, materials, and processes. Avery Fisher chose rocks that fit in her hand, bending metal into botanical forms using ancient smithing techniques. Karine Locatelli gathered native sea fennel and caper flowers on Zeus Island, which she integrated into her painting process. Filmmaker Nick Johnson focused on Old Vlachata, a village abandoned after the devastating 1953 earthquake, using experimental film to trace its history through crumbling stone ruins.
They also converged with the other cohorts, including Jillian Fleck, Kelly Isaak, Rocio Graham, Sarah Slaughter, Sean Jena Taal, and Tammy McDonald. Together, their collective output moves far beyond traditional landscape representation with projects that unearth the island’s overlapping layers of geological history, mythology, and ecology, revealing how a specific landscape can reshape an artist’s entire way of seeing and working.
Perhaps the most enduring artifact from
“There is something transformative about encountering a landscape that is not your own.”
EARTHLINGS
the residency is the tight-knit peer community born from this shared isolation. As the curators beautifully emphasize, the mutual generosity, studio exchanges, and even the collective WhatsApp group chats are just as integral to the living archive as the physical works hanging on the gallery walls.
Ultimately, Earthlings presents a profoundly transformative reflection on how we can inhabit, understand, and tenderly care for the fragile worlds around us. The exhibition encourages viewers to consider how their own lives are intertwined with nature, from the glacial, fast-flowing Bow River to the sprawling, prairie landscapes we call home.
Earthlings is on view at The New Gallery from August 12 to 15, 2026. A reception will be held on Friday, August 14, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. thenewgallery.org
Earthlings participants comtemplating materials
PHOTO: NATASHA FAYE JENSEN
ORGANIZER NATASHA FAYE JENSEN
Between Walls & Sky - Art 1 by Sarah Slaughter
Artworks by Karine Locatelli
Graphite Mylar Paper Wood by Kelly isaak
DIVING INTO THE ARTS
SPRINGBOARD PERFORMANCE’S CONTAINR EVENT SPACE ACTIVATES INGLEWOOD
BY KATHLEEN RENNE
Like many great ideas, containR — Calgary’s first art park — began as a conversation over a bottle of wine. It was 2009, and the Olympic Games were headed to Vancouver the following year.
“There was a call for artists to pitch ideas, but there were no galleries, no venues, no theatres and no sponsorship money,” recalls Nicole Mion, the artistic director of Springboard Performance, the organization that operates containR.
“We said, ‘What if we took a shipping container to a street corner in Vancouver and made it into a theatre space?’” Mion remembers. And so containR — a pop-up arts and community installation made from recycled shipping containers — was born.
“It felt really exciting to have thousands of people connect with the arts and these structures in a different way,” Mion says.
Since its Vancouver debut, containR has moved to seven locations across Calgary from the East Village to Marda Loop to Sunnyside. containR’s new home is in Inglewood. It launched in June.
There is also a satellite site in Crescent Heights that hosts various youth muralism camps over the summer.
“You can put the c-cans together like Lego to reflect the needs of the community,” Mion says. In Inglewood, the c-cans are aligned with the railway behind them, so people can see the same structures in two different contexts.
Mion says this iteration of containR is “more dialed-up” than ever before with a stage, a truss system to protect audiences from inclement weather, a toilet c-can and a concession c-can.
Filipino-born Calgary-based artist Harvey Nichol will create the murals on the c-cans in containR. “Calgary’s muralism community is hot and vibrant, and Harvey is amazing at weaving community, history and story in murals,” says Mion.
Inglewood is a particularly exciting spot for containR, Mion says, as the community is
“WHEN YOU GO TO A PARK, YOU UNDERSTAND YOU ARE GOING TO DESIGN YOUR OWN ADVENTURE. WE SEE CONTAINR IN A SIMILAR WAY. YOU CAN COME TO WATCH A PERFORMANCE, ATTEND A WORKSHOP OR ARTIST TALK, OR TO KNIT WITH OTHERS.”
NICOLE MION, THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF SPRINGBOARD PERFORMANCE
already something of an artistic hub with the Inglewood Night Markets, the Music Mile, and the Esker Foundation.
“When you go to a park, you understand you are going to design your own adventure. We see containR in a similar way. You can come to watch a performance, attend a workshop or
artist talk, or to knit with others. You can participate, or you can just sit and listen,” Mion says.
“There are so many creatives in Calgary who are doing exciting things. We want to celebrate that outdoors in the summer.”
Through mid-September, audiences can expect a wide variety of activities to animate
containR, including dance, poetry and art installations, as well as family-friendly activities such as clowning, circus and puppetry. Springboard aims to program two to four events a week, with almost half of the events available for free to audiences.
While there will be the occasional artist from elsewhere in Canada appearing at containR, Mion says the focus is on celebrating artists from the community, including those who are at the beginning of their artistic careers.
In fact, she says, containR has served as something of a “testing ground” for burgeoning artists due to the affordability and accessibility of the space.
Mion points to the South Asian performing-arts troupe Madhuban as an example of a group containR helped foster.
“containR let them try things out and build an audience and helped them learn about creative producing. Now, Madhuban has a great following and performs across the city,” she says.
Another example is Calgary’s only “dog-inclusive drag show,” Sit. Stay. Slay! The event raises money for the SPCA and “brings drag out of a bar setting,” explains Mion.
Mion says while programming details are still being finalized, people can expect a performance at containR in conjunction with the Music Mile every second week over the summer.
Salsa workshops have already been scheduled for July and August, and a flamenco festival will take over containR at the beginning of August.
containR is also working with an Indigenous organization to feature Indigenous musicians in the park.
“I’m in such support of what an arts hub and festival can do in terms of bringing community and artists together. We want to connect the two and be part of a hyper-local and national community at the same time,” Mion says.
“And we want to celebrate all those idiosyncrasies that are unique to Calgary.”
Check out springboardperformance.com for more details on containR’s summer lineup.
TD Pride Block Party at containR
PHOTO: LEIGH-ANN HAZARD
Calgary Riot Grrrl Through the Ages
A brief, hyper-local history of Calgarian feminist punk
BY ALICIA L’ARCHEVÊQUE
ARiot Grrrl’s articulation of her purpose always seems to drip with the intentional protest and explosive vulnerability that has long characterized the larger ethos. Riot Grrrl is a subcultural movement born in early ‘90s Olympia, Washington, and has been somewhat synonymous with feminist punk rock — or, a “riot” against the misogyny and oppression that exists both in and outside of the music scene.
As Calgary’s very own Riot Grrrl renaissance continues to revolutionize local stages, we glance back at a brief, hyper-local history. While feminist punk emerged many years before local bands overtly associated themselves with Riot Grrrl terminology, femme-fronted punk bands in Calgary have addressed themes like gender inequality and sexual violence, with varying levels of bluntness, since the ‘90s and 2000s. Some deem their approach “Riot Grrrl” upon reflection decades later, and many revere the modern-day Calgary bands carrying the punk feminist torch.
THE 90S: PLACEBO AND PUSSY MONSTER
“There were a few women, but you could probably count them on two hands,” says Elescia Wojak, Placebo’s bassist. “Being a woman in the music scene back then, it was almost kind of an anomaly.”
Placebo was a femme-fronted punk band active from 1993 to 1996 in Calgary, led by the now-international folk sensation Leslie Feist.
“[Feist] carved out her own territory,” says Brad Simm, a former contributor to CJSW’s VOX Magazine. “Maybe it wasn’t overtly a Riot Grrrl statement, but it was in there, that’s for sure.”
Fronted by Jean Choe and Val Smyth, Pussy Monster also formed in the early-to-mid ‘90s, one of the few femme-fronted acts in the scene (alongside Placebo, Lemonjade, Maud, and a few others). They often wrote about reclaiming control and denouncing sexist double standards, as is evident in their song “Modern Girls.”
While Riot Grrrl raged on in Washington around the same time, Pussy Monster were relatively unaware of the movement. “If we had been more aware of it we would probably have called 'Modern Girls', Riot Girls,” says
“THERE IS SOMETHING TIMELESS TO THE RIOT GRRRL SPIRIT.
AS LONG AS WE NEED FEMINISM, RIOT GRRRL WILL BE RELEVANT .”
MAUD SALVI, DIRECTOR OF SLED ISLAND
Val Smyth. “It could practically be one of the anthems for that movement, then or now.”
THE 2000S: HONEYROCKET, KILBOURNE, AND BOGART!
“I think the impact of [Riot Grrrl] hit with bands like Honeyrocket, then Kilbourne,” says Arif Ansani, president and lead archivist at the Calgary Cassette Preservation Society.
Honeyrocket, who She Rox dubbed “forerunners” in Canada’s Riot Grrrl movement, turned into Kilbourne around 2004. Throat-ripping vocals on songs like “the revolution of less” and “Orphanage of the Future” reverberate with a rawness that feels acutely Riot Grrrl.
“Maybe we’re projecting, but we like to think we hear the roots of the current crop of excellent femme-fronted Calgary hardcore bands in Kilbourne,” says Ansani.
Bogart! was active until 2008, fronted by Miesha Louie. “Riot Grrrl was a big part of my formative high school years, and was sort of the tipping point of me finding my confidence as a performer,” says Louie. “I didn’t see any Indig girls anywhere — the closest I came was Honeyrocket, fronted by Fillipinx sisters Trez and Fannie. Trez, whether she knew it or not, became my mentor.”
Louie now runs BAM! Camp Calgary and mentors modern-day artists like Rebel Grrrlz, an active local band who met and formed at
PHOTO: ZOLTAN VARADI
Pussy Monster at The Ship & Anchor in 1996
PHOTO: ZOLTAN VARADI
Girl punks at Olympic Plaza in 2000/2001
the music camp for girls and gender-expansive youth.
THE 2010S: THE SHIVERETTES, FEMME WAVE, AND SLED ISLAND
When she first joined the Sled Island team in 2013, present-day director Maud Salvi’s first pick for a guest curator was Kathleen Hanna, pioneer of the Riot Grrrl movement. While Hanna had to cancel due to health complications, the festival’s fondness of Grrrl bands continues, having booked over the years bands like Mannequin Pussy, The Coathangers, Birds of Prrrey, and local Riot Grrrl acts such as Toxic Fem, Rebel Grrrlz, and Perra.
“There’s a lot of overlap between Riot Grrrl values and that of Sled Island, so it makes sense that we end up booking a lot of these
own way and more direct.”
In 2015, Muir and Cormack set out to put on a "no boys allowed" show. The show quickly turned into a multi-day intersectional feminist arts festival, Femme Wave, which included sound production and recording workshops to help bring more women and non-binary artists into the scene.
PRESENT DAY
Nowadays, Calgary’s scene boasts some of the most forthright, powerful and politically outspoken bands that the city has seen.
“A lot of Riot Grrrl is about sexual trauma and violence, and writing through catharsis,” says one of Perra’s lead vocalists. Perra is also vocal about issues surrounding harm reduction and migrant rights, having recently performed in a series of benefit shows denouncing ICE, with proceeds going towards legal representation for detainees.
“We always had that Riot Grrrl influence. Bringing up social causes and political issues was always something we wanted to speak on and be loud about,” says Finley Lawrance, Rebel Grrrlz’s bassist.
While earlier approaches were more subliminal, modern-day Riot Grrrl bands push the needle even further by denouncing more intersectional political issues, or in Perra’s case performing in front of a quilt that reads “DEAD MEN DON’T RAPE.”
“It’s great that now we just call it what it is, because the point is to make people uncomfortable,” says Placebo’s Wojak.
THEN & NOW
In a conversation about the powerful feeling of asserting your place in the scene, an earlier femme-fronted punk musician posed a question for modern-day Riot Grrrls:
Q. The girls that are playing punk today, do they still feel that raw power when they play? Do they feel strength coursing through them? That they could tear somebody to shreds?
WOJAK (Placebo, 1991 to 1993):
A. Big time. I miss the power I felt on stage, I carry it with me to this day. It changed my DNA, and it’s made me a stronger person.
KALEY (The Shiverettes, 2013 to 2019)
acts,” says Salvi.
Around 2013, musicians and organizers Hayley Muir and Kaely Cormack started up their feminist punk band, the Shiverettes. When the Me Too movement was first garnering global attention, the Shiverettes put out songs like “Incel”, “Shout Your Assault” and “Dead Men Can’t Cat Call” that overtly denounced exclusionary spaces and sex-based violence.
“Being a woman in a band was fucking hard, and people said stupid stuff to us all the time,” says Cormack. “Even if we didn’t start off political, being in that space politicized us and forced us to respond fiercely.”
“Always grateful for the women and non-binary folks who came before us for paving the way and normalizing certain things,” says Muir.
“I’m very aware of the privilege that it is to be able to speak, at least at that time, freer in our
Identifying with a feminist punk movement that originated in the ‘90s involves some degree of looking back to the artists who came before. Still, the ‘90s weren’t all that long ago, meaning that those who paved the way can now appreciate first-hand the modern — and often blunter — music and organizing that still bleeds from their efforts.
“This Riot Grrrl renaissance happening in Calgary right now is everything I’ve ever wanted,” says Bogart!'s Louie.
Pussy Monster’s Jean Choe hopes that one day Calgary’s modern Riot Grrrl bands will cover their song “Modern Girls.” “There were and still are many things to be fighting for,” says Choe. “It’s wonderful to see music continuing to be the tool to combat the madness.”
“There is something timeless to the Riot Grrrl spirit,” says Salvi. “As long as we need feminism, Riot Grrrl will be relevant.”
A. Yes, I do. 100 per cent. It’s a bit different now, because thankfully there’s more girls and femme people in the punk scene. But there’s still so much toxic masculinity, and I’ve had to call out a lot of dudes.
GRACE (Medusas, 2023 to 2026):
A. As a female drummer, there’s not that many of us still. I’m good at what I do and I kick ass. It’s really powerful.
SCARLET HEGEL (Rebel Grrrlz, 2023 to present)
A. Yes. Performing is extremely vulnerable and powerful, there’s a suspension of disbelief and power dynamics, like drag, like BDSM. It’s awful and great, and every set rips me to shreds. It’s like a cannibal ritual.
HELEN ARIAS (Perra, 2024 to present)
PHOTO: MICHEL GRONDIN
Rebel Grrrlz at Tubby Dog
PHOTO: KAITLYN TIMMONS
PERRA spreads girl love at Community Association
PRIDE SCENE
THREADS OF COMMUNITY
HOW CALGARY PRIDE’S NEW TAPESTRY MODEL REFLECTS A COMMUNITY WOVEN INTO CALGARY
BY KIMBERLEY DOOSHIMA JEV
There was a time when Calgary Pride was largely defined by a parade, a festival site and a weekend of celebration.
Today, Calgary’s queer community cannot be contained to a single place or moment.
Throughout the year, drag artists perform in neighbourhood venues, grassroots organizations host community gatherings, local businesses create welcoming spaces and artists continue building audiences long after Pride banners come down. During this year’s Calgary Stampede, Drag Me to Cowboys show drew a large audience and generated widespread attention online, bringing drag performance into one of Calgary’s most recognizable western entertainment venues. While separate from Calgary Pride Week, the event reflected something larger than a successful night out.
It highlighted how Calgary’s queer cultural landscape continues to evolve.
This changing landscape is at the heart of
Calgary Pride’s shift in 2026.
This year, the organization has introduced a new “tapestry” model, replacing a single festival footprint with a city-wide approach connecting community organizations, artists, businesses and events taking place across Calgary.
“We chose a model that better reflects the diversity of Calgary’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community by moving beyond a single festival site and including events across the city,” says Ilgin Karik, communications & administration manager at Calgary Pride.
THE PRIDE TAPESTRY FOLLOWING
Calgary Pride Week returns August 31 to September 6, introducing a new city-wide format built around seven “threads” that encourage attendees to explore Pride across Calgary rather than at a single festival site. Here’s a look at what the threads represent.
RED THREAD: NIGHTLIFE & PERFORMANCE
Celebrating Calgary’s vibrant queer nightlife through drag, DJs, comedy and live performance in venues across the city. These events highlight the artists and spaces that continue to shape queer culture year-round.
ORANGE THREAD: TWO-SPIRIT ARTS & CEREMONY
Centres Indigenous and Two-Spirit leadership through ceremonial events, including a Pride Week flag raising, cultural
gatherings and artistic showcases.
YELLOW THREAD: ALL AGES CELEBRATION
Family-friendly programming, youth activities and storytelling designed to create welcoming spaces where younger generations can experience Pride together.
GREEN THREAD: QUEER ARTS MARKET
A celebration of Calgary’s queer artists, makers and entrepreneurs through markets, exhibitions and community resource booths supporting the city’s creative economy.
BLUE THREAD: COMMUNITY COLLABORATION
Community-led events, panels, cultural celebrations, and grassroots initiatives hosted by local organizations throughout Calgary. This thread embodies the collaborative spirit behind the new tapestry model.
“The tapestry model recognizes that Pride isn’t one experience, it’s many.”
The tapestry model consists of rainbow-coloured “threads,” with each colour defining a different aspect of Pride celebration.
According to Karik, the decision for the new model grew out of conversations with artists, volunteers, businesses and community organizations, alongside the financial realities facing many Pride organizations across Canada. Rather than concentrating resources around one central event, the new model intends to strengthen partnerships while amplifying the work already taking place throughout the year.
The change arrives during a period of ongoing conversations surrounding 2SLGBTQIA+ rights in Alberta. For Calgary Pride, the focus of this year’s programming is not simply responding to those conversations, but investing in the relationships, organizations and community networks that continue long after Pride Week concludes.
Rather than asking Calgary’s queer community to gather around Pride, Pride is choosing to gather around Calgary’s queer
THE THREADS
INDIGO THREAD: INDIGO NIGHTS
Calgary Pride’s signature fundraising gala will support Calgary Pride alongside community partners, including Stonewall Recovery, SafeLink Alberta, Black Pride YYC, and Awowakiiks. The evening will feature live entertainment, networking, and fundraising in support of year-round programming. Though initially scheduled for late July, the gala has since been postponed to late winter/early spring.
PURPLE THREAD: PRIDE PARADE
The Calgary Pride Parade returns on Sunday, September 6, bringing thousands of participants and spectators together in downtown Calgary for the city’s signature Pride celebration.
To stay up-to-date on events, be sure to check out Calgary Pride’s online calendar at calgarypride.ca.
Pride Parade
PHOTO: ANIKA HAROON
community. A distinction that becomes clearer when looking beyond the festival calendar.
One of the tapestry’s threads can be found , a long-running monthly cabaret produced by Dawn Desmarais. Independent of Calgary Pride, the show has spent years cultivating a space where drag performers, burlesque artists, comedians, musicians and dancers share the stage while building relationships across artistic disciplines.
Sin & Gin has always been about more than presenting a monthly show; it is about creating opportunities
“When the community works together, everybody mentors each other,” she says, describing rehearsals where performers exchange ideas, offer constructive feedback and help emerging artists develop their work.
That philosophy extends beyond the per-
Desmarais believes welcoming spaces are created by supporting artists, respecting
audiences and encouraging newcomers to experience performance without judgement. Through that approach, Sin & Gin has become more than a cabaret. It has become a place where creative disciplines intersect, emerging artists develop their practice and audiences discover performers they may never have encountered otherwise.
Although independent of Calgary Pride’s programming, spaces like Sin & Gin illustrate the broader cultural ecosystem that exists throughout Calgary year-round. Alongside advocacy groups, community organizations, arts collectives and local businesses, they continue creating opportunities for connection beyond any single festival.
That is ultimately what Calgary Pride’s tapestry model seeks to recognize.
Rather than positioning Pride as the centre of Calgary’s queer community, the new approach positions it as a connector. A link bringing visibility to the people, organizations and spaces that have long been doing the work.
It is an acknowledgment that queer community isn’t built during one week each year; it already exists. It exists in rehearsal halls and neighbourhood venues. In grassroots organizations and community centres. In artists mentoring one another. In businesses opening their doors. It exists in monthly cabarets and
in large public celebrations that introduce new audiences to queer performance.
Success, Karik says, won’t simply be measured by attendance. Instead, it will be reflected in stronger partnerships, greater visibility for artists and organizations, and a deeper sense of belonging across Calgary’s diverse queer community.
Sharing the ‘Wealth
BY REID BLAKLEY
On the night of June 20, 2013, I was near the stage on Commonwealth’s main floor when punk legend and OFF! vocalist Keith Morris chided audience members exiting the building for “going out in the flood.”
This was the night that heavy rains caused the Bow and Elbow Rivers to overflow, turning the downtown core into a lake and cancelling the rest of that year’s Sled Island festival. The Elbow was between the venue and my house at the time, forcing me to take refuge in a friend’s apartment for the night.
As a crowd, we weren’t the first in that building to be witnesses to Calgary history. The brick building on 10th Avenue S.W. between 7th and 8th Street was established in 1924 as a shipping warehouse for the Five Roses flour company. By the early 1980s, the basement was a gay health club and bathhouse called David’s. In 1984, the upstairs became a private member’s nightclub called (appropriately enough) the Warehouse, with a bar in the basement called the Underground. Facebook and Reddit are littered with former patrons reminiscing about the club’s glory days, including the story of a Dayglo Abortions show that flooded after the sprinkler system was triggered; the band reportedly played until the power went out.
Issues with liquor permits forced the Warehouse to close in 2010, with the Commonwealth Bar and Stage emerging from the ashes the following year, quickly becoming another important Calgary venue. For a time, a food counter on the main floor served as a second, bite-sized location of Tubby Dog, the legendary hot dog restaurant and punk venue on 17th Avenue at the time. Despite the changes in name and ownership, the club’s glory days weren’t behind it.
In late 2017, Commonwealth came under the wing of Vancouver-based event promoter Blueprint, also responsible for Badlands Music Festival.
“We weren’t trying to wipe the slate clean or turn it into something completely different,” said Commonwealth’s general manager Brad
AFTER YEARS OF
TRANSFORMATIONS,
COMMONWEALTH REMAINS A BELOVED CONCERT VENUE
“AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU JUST WANT PEOPLE WALKING OUT SAYING, ‘THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLE NIGHT.’”
BRAD DROBOT, COMMONWEALTH GM
Drobot in an email. “It was more about holding onto what people have always loved about the place while giving it some new life.”
Commonwealth remained open during renovations in 2025. A relaunch and rebranding that November came with a refurbished interior, updated sound and lighting systems, and a whimsical cartoon mural on the east exterior wall by local artist and musician Matthew Springer.
“The renovation gave us the opportunity to reimagine the space in a really thoughtful way,” said Drobot. “Every change was made with the goal of making Commonwealth an even better place to see live music and spend a night out.”
Though focused mainly on EDM, DJs and dancing, Commonwealth still hosts bands and remains a Sled venue, having been the site of the festival’s annual kickoff show and other performances for the past several years.
The venue’s main floor is main floor is up a short set of stairs leading up from the frontentrance. The dance floor is open and wide, with great sightlines to the raised stage and the tech crew stationed in a cordoned-off area well behind the audience; the only way a shorter-than-average man such as myself couldn’t see the performers would be if the entire rest of the audience were made up of NBA players.
To the audience’s left is the entrance to the basement venue, known as the UNDRGRD, which is spacious despite the low ceilings.
Commonwealth is a venue where the entertainment, whatever it may entail, is accessible to everyone within it; in that way, it’s true to its name.
“At the end of the day,” said Drobot, “You just want people walking out saying, ‘That was an incredible night.’ Whether they came for a
concert, a club night or an event, we want Commonwealth to be one of those places people keep coming back to because it feels like part of Calgary.”
QUICK FACTS
Address: 731 10 Ave. S.W.
Hours: 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Thursday to Saturday
(Hours changed for special events)
Events this month:
• Emmit Fenn @ UNDRGRD — Friday, August 7, 10 p.m. — $35 in advance
• Meltt: North American Tour — Friday, August 14, 7 p.m. — $22.85 in advance
• Cyril @ UNDERGRD — Friday, August 28, 10 p.m. — $30 in advance
CJSW’s bandroom has a legendary lineup. Check out the sessions at YouTube.com/@CJSWRadio
