Equity

Arts & Culture Stories of Community Impact 2025 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.

Quick facts

  • $100,000+

    Funding provided to 50 Chinatown initiatives

  • 30

    Cultural groups featured in 2025 Canada Day Cultural Carousel

  • 22

    New artworks by Indigenous artists added to the public art collection

We must continue to expand access and opportunities for all artists

To build a truly inclusive cultural landscape, we must continue to expand access and opportunities for all artists. This means strengthening relationships with Indigenous and equity-deserving communities, honouring diverse voices and histories, and investing in programming that promotes cultural understanding, affordability and accessibility. Together, we can shape a creative city where everyone feels seen, heard and empowered to participate.

Evolving and enhancing direct events to celebrate diversity

In 2025, Canada Day celebrated culture and inclusion. Highlights included an Indigenous Spotlight and Powwow, a Cultural Carousel featuring 30 cultural groups — a 50 per cent increase from the previous year — and an interactive exhibit in the Municipal Building atrium where visitors could explore traditional cultural attire.

These experiences created opportunities for learning, connection and pride across our community.

Canada Day 2025 Indigenous Spotlight and Powwow

Revitalizing the historic 100+ year-old neighbourhood of Chinatown

Years in the making, revitalization efforts in Chinatown are bringing renewed vibrancy to the neighbourhood through community-informed projects, cultural programming and public space activations.

In 2025, the Chinatown Activation Microgrant provided over $10,000 to 50 initiatives and empowered individuals, groups and businesses to spark connection and celebrate culture.

“For years the community struggled to attract people to stay beyond grabbing a meal. Now there is opportunity for free art and culture classes that have transformed cultural spaces in Chinatown, and formed strong bonds and new connections.” – Alice Lam, community leader and grant recipient

Cultural programming making a difference

“I have attended these free [Tai Chi] classes for the past few months as a solution to managing my PTSD, as was recommended by my mental health therapist. I then experienced a severe motor vehicle accident, coming up five years this August, which resulted in a zero quality of life. Since attending this class, I immediately felt welcomed by the members in this community. Attending this class has given my quality of life back. The instructors always greet me with a smile, and are so kind and gentle, and encouraging to be patient in my healing, as this class is helping in my healing. Tai Chi is directly assisting me reclaim my health and in return my independence. Also, my depression has lifted since. My medical team and lawyers know all about Rick and the class, and are very excited for me that my bounce is beginning to show, and I owe it to this class. I thank The City of Calgary for providing the partnership with these instructors!”– Attendee of Chinatown Activation Microgrant recipient event

 

Free Tai Chi class offered by the Chinese Freemasons Society of Canada

Indigenous public art: Advancing reconciliation

Honouring and sharing Indigenous traditions, beliefs and stories through public art helps amplify Indigenous voices. The City’s Indigenous Public Art Program responds to Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #83, which is to create collaborative art that contributes to reconciliation.

The Indigenous Public Art program was initiated by the Moh'kinstiss Public Art Guiding Circle in 2020. The program works with Indigenous artists in its design and delivery. New acquisitions are guided by the curatorial panel made up mostly of BIPOC members, including 51 per cent who are First Nations, Métis or Inuit.

Calgary is proud to have an all-Indigenous team of arts professionals dedicated to increasing opportunities for Indigenous artists and representation in public art. In 2025, The City added 22 new artworks by Indigenous artists to the public art collection.

Showcasing Treaty 7 and Indigenous artists

Contemporary Indigenous artists from across the Treaty 7 region shared their voices through two digital art exhibitions.

Presented by the Indigenous Public Art Program, these exhibitions invited the public to engage with authentic expressions of Indigenous identity and experience.

They Come Together highlighted stories of land, history and cultural resilience using digital tools to bridge past and present. The People and the Lodge reasserted cultural symbols of dance and the lodge, reclaiming imagery often misrepresented in mass-produced art, and restoring it through cultural specificity and fresh perspectives.

“It’s affirming to see work rooted in cultural complexity and innovation being recognized by my city. It tells me that there’s space here for Indigenous voices that don’t just preserve tradition but challenge, expand and reimagine it.” – Joey Big Snake, artist featured in 2025 digital exhibitions

 

Digital artist Crystal Clark, discussing her piece Still Here.

Arts & Culture Indigenous Guiding Circle

In 2025, the Arts & Culture Division embarked on an initiative to establish an Indigenous Guiding Circle — a step in our reconciliation journey and a commitment to meaningful collaboration with Indigenous communities.

This initiative is grounded in sincere intention to listen, learn and incorporate the principles of Truth and Reconciliation into the work of Arts & Culture.

Guided by Indigenous knowledge, traditions and perspectives, the Indigenous Guiding Circle will help shape how our projects are planned and delivered, ensuring they reflect and respect the diverse voices that make up our city.

Commemorating Truth and Reconciliation

The City of Calgary’s Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation event on September 30 coincided with The Confluence’s Circle Camp, held in recognition of the 150th anniversary of the site's establishment.

With tipis from Treaty 7 Nations and a new layout, the space fostered a safe and welcoming environment for Calgarians to learn and reflect on the legacy of residential schools and local history, and to honour survivors and their families. The event welcomed approximately 1,000 attendees in person and over 1,400 live stream virtual attendees.

Over the years, this annual commemoration ceremony has increasingly centered Indigenous voices — particularly those of community members and youth — who fill the event’s programming with truth-sharing, storytelling, cultural performances and messages of hope for future generations.

 

Baby Flats drum group performing at Orange Shirt Day 2025.