Purpose of the Hub
The ASCN: Calgary Hub operates in partnership with Calgary Arts Development, Trico Changemakers Studio, and the International Centre of Art for Social Change. The primary mission of the Calgary Hub is to cultivate, promote, and nurture the field of art for social change and community-engaged arts in Calgary, harnessing its potential as a tool for driving social transformation.
We connect a dynamic community of Mohkínstsis (Calgary) art for social change practitioners, community leaders, non-profit organizations, art-based groups, and individuals committed to social transformation using art-based practices. We come together to share stories, resources, and initiatives and build relationships to strengthen the Art for Social Change field. Together, we inspire social innovation through the power of art.
How We Came to Be
In the Fall of 2021, the Calgary Hub embarked on a journey to uncover the landscape of Art for Social Change (ASC) in Mohkínstsis/Calgary through an outreach and mapping project. Through this project, we wanted to find the practitioners Mohkínstsis who are using arts to inspire and catalyze social change. We explored who is doing the work, how the work is done, and what conditions enable or inhibit Art for Social Change in Calgary. Over three months, we engaged with over 190 artists, art administrators, and representatives from various organizations and communities. Our findings showed that the question of resources continues to be present for most practitioners, and more interesting was the apparent need for connection within the field. More often than not, practitioners highlighted the challenges of connecting with colleagues and sharing their artistic endeavours. This has since become the Calgary Hub's first objective: connecting and engaging ASC practitioners in Mohkínstsis.
Our Guiding Collective
Wunmi Idowu
Cesar Cala
Upcoming Events
Unexpected Possibilities in Action
Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM MDT, Alcove Centre for the Arts (244 7 Avenue Southwest Calgary, AB T2P 0W6)
Theatre meets personal storytelling in this workshop with guest artist Aliza Sarian. Participants will explore movement, improvisation, and collaborative creation to develop and share honest, imaginative interpretations of themselves as representatives and agents of social change for our blue sky city.
ArtistSpeak*: Gender
Thursday, April 17, 7:00-9:00PM at Congress Coffee Company (215 36 Avenue Northeast #1A Calgary)
Part talk show, part performance, part craft night — ArtistSpeak is a unique gathering where artists share their work and insights in conversation with hosts Kenna Burima and Eddy Robinson.* The evening wraps with a collaborative craft activity (supplies provided). Join us for an intimate, engaging experience where gender, creativity, and art intersect.
Sky Narratives
Tuesday, March 25th, 6:00-8:00PM at the Alcove Centre for the Arts (244 7 Avenue SW, Calgary)
This event invites participants to explore their connections to Calgary through storytelling and collaborative art, with a focus on amplifying underrepresented voices. As they share personal reflections on what “Blue Sky City” means to them, they will create a web of yarn, symbolizing the ways their experiences and perspectives intertwine. Through collective art marking, participants will share a vision for how Calgary can fulfill its potential as a more connected and inclusive city. Through these shared narratives, participants will reflect on the stories that shape the city, considering which voices are dominant, which are missing, and how to ensure a more representative and diverse future.
ArtistSpeak* @ MRU: Indigenous Collaboration
Thursday, March 27th, 7:00-9:00PM at Trico Changemakers Studio (4825 Mount Royal Gate SW, Calgary)
This evening's discussion explores the rich potential and nuanced complexities of Indigenous collaboration in the arts. Centred around reflections on the Echoes of the Land exhibition, artists Skip Wolfleg, Cedric Lightning, and Kenna Burima will share their insights on the responsibilities, challenges, and transformative possibilities of working across cultures and traditions. Through their experiences, they will discuss the significance of respectful collaboration, the protocols that guide Indigenous creative practices, and the broader implications for artists and communities engaging in these partnerships. This conversation offers an opportunity to deepen our understanding of what it means to collaborate meaningfully, honouring Indigenous knowledge, storytelling, and ways of being.
Subscribe to: Art for Social Change Network (ASCN) to receive a monthly e-newsletter sharing the latest updates on ASCN Mohnkistists and upcoming Calgary Hub events and workshops. Add yourself or your organization to the ongoing Art for Social Change (ASC) Roster to share what you are working on. This is part of our ongoing goal to connect the ASC Community in Calgary.
Outreach + Mapping Report
Art for Social Change in Calgary: Outreach + Mapping Project
Appreciating the diversity of this field, we have investigated Calgary’s existing landscape of Art for Social Change (ASC) through an outreach and mapping project. This report illustrates Art for Social Change practitioners in Calgary, who they work with, conditions enabling or inhibiting Art for Social Change in our city, and hopes for the future. Furthermore, I hope that this report is used as a starting point to highlight and unite the Art for Social Change community in Calgary in
order to create more opportunities for the sector to grow and thrive.
Read the report here.
Artist as Changemaker Card Deck
Artists are the Changemakers of our times.
They are able to influence mental models, build empathy, and support group processes through their artistic practice. We built this deck as an open and adaptable tool for artists and groups who are doing changemaking work together. Use it to build common ground, unpack ideas, get inspired, understand impact, and dream big.