A Look Back at the Year in ACT

What a year 2022 has been! You may have noticed that live shows are back (and hopefully have attended some!), but behind the scenes Arts Commons has been working closely with our partners at Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) and the City of Calgary to bring our plans for expanding and modernizing Arts Commons to fruition. This project, known as the Arts Commons Transformation (or ACT for short), will dramatically transform Calgary’s creative future by making the arts more available, accessible, and relevant to everyone.

So what is ACT, anyway? ACT is Canada’s largest arts and culture infrastructure project and a cornerstone of the City of Calgary’s downtown revitalization efforts. At its core, ACT refers to the expansion of the Arts Commons campus and the modernization of our current facilities. But ACT is so much more than that. ACT will help us strengthen our city’s economic, cultural, and intellectual vitality by creating a truly inclusive place to enjoy arts and culture in our city.

This past year, the ACT project took several great strides forward.

In February, we announced ACT’s prime design team—an impressive collection of world-renowned experts in architecture and design who are tasked with designing a world-class building that acts as a cultural hub for the community and increases our ability to showcase artistic talent. Overall, ACT will dramatically increase Arts Commons’ venue space and add spaces for meeting friends, spending time with family, or just enjoying the energy of downtown Calgary.

The ACT prime design team brings a rich variety of perspectives and specialties to this high-profile project and includes Toronto-based KPMB, who recently worked on Toronto’s Massey Hall and the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity; Tawaw Architecture Collective, which is headed by former Canada’s first female Indigenous architect, Wanda Dalla Costa; Calgary-based Hindle Architects; and SLA, an internationally renowned nature-based design studio out of Denmark.

This collaboration of the best minds in design will ensure that an expanded Arts Commons reflects and serves the Calgary community. In addition to creating a stunning landmark in the centre of our city, the team will ensure Indigenous perspectives are thoughtfully and meaningfully woven into all aspects of the design, strengthening our commitment to Reconciliation. The team will also integrate the building with the surrounding outdoors spaces, creating an open and welcoming space for connection in our downtown core.

Pictured (L-R): Travis Perry (EllisDon), Kate Thompson (CMLC), and Alex Sarian (Arts Commons)

The ACT prime design team is just one of the highlights of the past year. In September, EllisDon was selected to be the project’s construction manager. A leader in large-scale construction for more than 70 years, EllisDon has a vast and impressive portfolio of projects across Canada and beyond, including the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa and the recently completed Massey Hall in Toronto. EllisDon will work closely with the prime design team to bring the project to life. We are thrilled to have a team with deep construction experience in the cultural sector as part of ACT.

Click the graphic to learn more about the Arts Commons Transformation!

In the upcoming months, we will be bringing ACT directly to the community and creating opportunities for Calgarians to learn more about this historic endeavour. Arts Commons is working with Daughter Creative, a female-led Calgary-based agency, to share our inspiring vision. Daughter brings a wealth of talent to the project and has led campaigns for Bow Valley College, United Way, and Alberta Cancer Foundation. They continue their daring and courageous work on ACT. We look forward to sharing our message with you in the upcoming months along with other exciting details of the ACT project.

As we close out the year, the design for ACT is progressing in a very real, very monumental way. With the project continuing to move forward, we are excited to be that much closer to making this new vision for the arts a reality!

Learn more about the Arts Commons Transformation and how we’re dramatically transforming Calgary’s creative future here.