New Beginnings in Times of Change
Time to read: 4 minutes
It is a privilege to become President and CEO of Arts Commons—to lead this bold organization that, much like the city it serves, is steeped in meaningful traditions yet constantly looking ahead in a world of perpetual change. Despite the fact that I have not yet officially started in my new role, I am overwhelmed by the warmth with which I have been welcomed into this family and am inspired by how closely its commitment to community-building aligns with my values and professional career over the past 20 years.
When my wife, Aliza, and I first explored the city back in February, attending various performances, researching residential districts, eating at restaurants, and meeting various members of the community, I quickly realized that to fall in love with Arts Commons is to fall in love with Calgary. We are vibrant, we push boundaries, we are adventurous, and we face challenges head on, while being unapologetically grounded in our shared humanity. I found, on every stage in our building and in every corner of our complex, a palpable sense of excitement and optimism fueled by the people who gather here. It is with that same excitement and optimism that I embrace my responsibilities to lead this institution during unprecedented times.
The world has changed drastically since I accepted this position in January 2020. I never imagined the kind of reality that we are currently facing. And while this change is inviting us to re-examine the model by which we engage in and around the arts, it has reinforced our steadfast commitment to our mission. None of us know what tomorrow will bring; but I promise you this: Arts Commons will continue to evolve as one of Canada’s most important arts centres and continue to bring the transformative nature of the arts to the lives of our fellow Calgarians. We will do this by delivering excellence that lives at the intersection of innovation and responsiveness; and by providing a destination—both physical and spiritual—in which we are elevating audiences of all ages by connecting them to experiences that bring us together.
These are challenging times. Like many arts institutions, ours is a business that revolves around people—and the bringing together of people in ways that demonstrate our care, our intentionality, and our responsibility to them. It is precisely for these reasons that we have joined others in temporarily closing our doors for our communal well-being. It is also out of love for our community that Arts Commons remains healthy during this crisis: one day soon, Calgarians will re-emerge from this pandemic with a hunger to gather, share, reflect, and look forward to a new future. While we continue to strive to bring our work to life during this time, it is when we re-emerge that the arts will take on the essential role of bringing people back together, as they have done since the beginning of time, and to heal through communal experiences of joy. We will be ready to give generously—more so than we’ve ever given—when people turn to us to make sense of a new world. However, at Arts Commons, we recognize that we cannot give what we do not have, which is why we are focusing on remaining strong, remaining joyous, and remaining committed to the sustainability of a Calgary that invests in its creativity, diversity, and resilience.
On behalf of the staff, the board of directors, and everyone who makes up the Arts Commons family, I express our unwavering commitment to deepening our civic dialogue with the communities of Calgary in order to reimagine the relevance of the arts in a post-COVID world. By asking the simple, yet powerful question, “How can we help?”, the same commitment to inquiry and beauty that drives us to create art will inform how we lead.
At Arts Commons, it is not enough that people feel welcome—we strive to offer a sense of belonging in and through the arts. Our success is not measured solely by our impact on Calgary, but by the impact that Calgarians have on us and our ability to reflect and elevate their hopes and dreams. These times of adversity are testing our values; but they are also bringing out the very best in us. And it is in times of hardship that Calgary will experience the very best of Arts Commons.
I am humbled to be leading this institution, and I look forward to building its future with each and every one of you.
Learn more about Alex Sarian on our website. Follow Alex on Twitter @alexsarian.
