Stories of Community Impact 2025
Arts & Culture Stories of Community Impact 2025
Building a vibrant Calgary — together
Calgary is growing, and with it, the impact of our arts and culture sector is growing too. From neighbourhood murals to world-class performances, creativity is shaping the places we live, work and gather.
Our Arts & Culture division is proud to support this momentum, helping local artists, cultural groups and community partners bring bold ideas and unique placemaking initiatives to life.
Through funding, outreach and thoughtful planning, we nurture spaces where imagination thrives and where Calgarians can connect, celebrate and dream together. These initiatives aren’t just events or programs — they’re the heartbeat of a more connected, inclusive and vibrant city. They help fuel creative entrepreneurship by giving local talent the resources and opportunities to flourish.
Together, we’re building a Calgary that welcomes every voice, sparks innovation and provides diverse experiences for Calgarians and visitors to enjoy. This support keeps our city connected to the arts on both a national and international level through stable and sustainable funding programs for the local arts and culture sector.
Grant programs and subsidy
We invested more than $6 million in Calgary communities to support vibrancy, strengthen connections and build capacity. From local non-profits to Community Associations and Business Improvement Areas, funding helped transform ideas into action.
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$6+ million
Funding and subsidies provided
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$54.6+ million
Economic impact generated
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416
Individual initiatives supported
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1.9+ million
Attendees to funded initiatives
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369
Local organizations received subsidies and funding
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8,484
Local creative professionals received funding
#YYCNeighbourDay Microgrant
Partnerships
Our work is grounded in strong, genuine partnerships built over time with local artists, fabricators, event organizers, cultural groups and community partners who bring our city to life. When our partners succeed, Calgarians experience the benefits — from opportunities for jobs and entrepreneurship to inclusive services and vibrant arts, cultural and community spaces.
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35,553
Organizations, local creative professionals, community partners, sponsors, local businesses and volunteers collaborated
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5,533
Sponsors and local businesses reported benefits from initiatives
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18,812
Volunteer opportunities reported
Celebrating collaboration
Calgary’s creative community came together in January 2025 for Arts & Culture Canvas, an open house event that welcomed 175 people representing 95 local non-profits, Business Improvement Areas and Community Associations.
Equity
Equity means more than access — it means amplifying perspectives and voices. Through inclusive programs and partnerships, we can help ensure every Calgarian and visitors to our city feel a part of Calgary’s cultural story.
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$100,000+
Funding provided to 50 Chinatown initiatives
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30
Cultural groups featured in 2025 Canada Day Cultural Carousel
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22
New artworks by Indigenous artists added to the public art collection
Showcasing Treaty 7 and Indigenous artists
Contemporary Indigenous artists from across the Treaty 7 region shared their voices through digital art exhibitions.
Activating community spaces
Our work strengthens Calgary’s neighborhoods by transforming public spaces into vibrant, welcoming places through local festivals and events, public art and cultural programs.
These diverse and accessible experiences foster connections across cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Safe environments, where citizens can engage directly in shaping spaces and programs, help to define Calgary as a cultural capital.
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20%
Increase in events booked in 2025
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195
Event organizers directly supported
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2 million
Calgarians and visitors attended supported events
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1,300+
Artworks in Calgary's public art collection
Festival and Event Subsidy Program
Since 2010, the Festivals and Events Subsidy Program has helped approved festivals and events cover part of the cost for City services, including permit fees, license fees and pay-duty fees. In 2025, the program provided a total of $3.3 million in funding to 148 initiatives.
Shaping what's next
In 2025, we continued to support the shaping of Calgary’s identity as a creative, inclusive and connected city. Through strategic investments, innovative grant programs and strong partnerships, our team helped to deliver hundreds of initiatives that brought people together, activated public spaces and amplified the diverse voices that represent our city.
These efforts brought significant economic and social benefits to Calgary, strengthened social connections and helped to keep our city positioned as a flourishing cultural destination on both the national and international stages. Looking ahead, we will continue to advocate for sustained funding and collaboration across the sector, building on existing momentum to ensure strong support for the arts community as our city continues to grow.
The Golden Eagle and The Phoenix by Jarett Sitter