For almost a decade and a half, Calgarians have come together in celebration with Calgary’s mayor to recognize the contributions of Calgary’s arts community.
The Celebration of the Arts hosted by the mayor now enters its 14th year with its third mayor at the helm, as Calgary’s 38th mayor Jeromy Farkas takes over the celebration from former mayors Jyoti Gondek and Naheed Nenshi.
“It’s a thrill to host my first Celebration of the Arts,” said Mayor Jeromy Farkas.
“Tonight, we celebrate the people who bring our city to life and we commit to backing them.”
The Mayor’s support of the arts comes at a time when Calgary City Council has taken a greater interest in supporting the arts, including a pair of motions that recently passed Executive Committee to support existing arts venues and creating a long-term arts and cultural plan for Calgary.
Mayor Farkas, who was a co-sponsor on the latter motion, said that as the city grows it is important to celebrate the arts community and to not leave that sector on the sidelines.
“The arts create jobs, attract investment and drive growth. They also build belonging, confidence and real opportunity across our city,” he said.
The evening will feature a number of performances from local Calgary artists, as well as awards for leading organizations and individuals in the arts community.
Those awards being given during the evening include:
- Calgary Arts Academy Youth Arts Awards, which recognize young artists who inspire spirited citizenship, with two separate awards for Visual/Media Arts and Performance/Literary Arts.
- ATB Powering Possibility Through the Arts Award, which recognizes small to mid-sized organizations for enriching Calgary through arts programming.ATB Powering Possibility Through the Arts Award, which recognizes small to mid-sized organizations for enriching Calgary through arts programming.
- Rozsa Foundation Emerging Arts Manager Award, which encourages emerging professional arts managers.
- Mamdani Arts Leadership Award, which rewards the integral role of volunteer board members in supporting arts organizations and festivals.
- Legacy of Doug and Lois Mitchell Outstanding Calgary Artist Award, which honours globally lauded artists who choose to make Calgary their home.
- Indigenous Artist Award, established in partnership with the Calgary Public Library, which recognizes the contributions of Indigenous artists, craftspeople, and Knowledge Keepers.
- Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS) New Canadian Artist Award, which supports individual artists who have recently arrived in Canada and who face integration challenges.
“We thank Mayor Farkas for hosting and extend our gratitude to all the event sponsors and benefactors of the 2026 Cultural Leaders Legacy Arts Awards. We congratulate all the nominees and recipients of this year’s awards,” said Patti Pon, CEO of Calgary Arts Development.
The celebration runs from 7:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. at the Jack Singer Concert Hall at the Werklund Centre, with pre-show networking from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the Werklund Centre website.
Tickets are on sale at https://werklundcentre.ca/whats-on/celebration-for-the-arts-2026.