Calgary's Cultural Plan: Shape 30 Years of Live Music

The City of Calgary is embarking on a significant initiative to update its Cultural Plan, setting a long-term vision for the city's arts, culture, music, and creative economy for the next three decades. This is not just another city project; it's a crucial opportunity for Calgary's live music community – artists, venues, and fans alike – to directly influence the future landscape of our city's cultural heart.

What is the Cultural Plan and Why Now?

First published in 2016, Calgary's Cultural Plan has guided the city's arts and culture sector for the past decade. Now, The City is building on that foundation to develop an updated plan that will support Calgary for the next 30 years [S1, S2]. This updated plan aims to establish a long-term cultural vision that will guide future investments, policy decisions, partnerships, and strategies as Calgary continues to grow and evolve [S1, S2].

Franca Gualtieri, manager of Arts & Culture at The City of Calgary, emphasizes the everyday impact of culture:

Arts and culture are part of how we experience Calgary every day

— Franca Gualtieri, manager of Arts & Culture at The City of Calgary (Calgary.ca Newsroom)

This plan is about more than just funding. It encompasses priorities, partnerships, infrastructure, access, and shared outcomes for growing Calgary's cultural sector [S2]. It will help ensure Calgary continues to benefit from the contributions of arts and culture to community wellbeing, vibrant neighbourhoods, tourism, talent attraction, and economic growth [S1, S2].

Your Voice Matters: Shaping the Future of Live Music

For anyone involved in or passionate about Calgary's live music scene, this public engagement is a golden ticket. Your input during this phase will help shape the long-term vision and inform strategies for improving services over the next 30 years [S2]. The City is interested in your thoughts on six focus areas, what experiences, programs, places, and activities Calgarians value, barriers to access, and factors that should guide future investments in arts and culture infrastructure and funding [S2].

Consider the direct impact this plan could have on:

• Support for Artists: Policies and investments that foster artist development, fair compensation, and access to performance opportunities.
• Venue Sustainability: Strategies to support existing venues and encourage the development of new spaces for live music, ensuring their long-term viability.
• Audience Engagement: Initiatives that make live music more accessible across the city, attracting new audiences and enriching community life.
• Economic Growth: Recognizing live music's role in the creative economy, attracting talent, and boosting local tourism [S1, S2].

As Franca Gualtieri states:

Whether it's a festival, gathering place, cultural tradition or creative experience, these things help shape our city and connect us to one another.

— Franca Gualtieri, manager of Arts & Culture at The City of Calgary (Calgary.ca Newsroom)

This is your chance to ensure that live music is a central, thriving component of Calgary's future cultural identity.

How to Participate Before November 15, 2026

Public engagement for Phase 1 is open until November 15, 2026 [S1, S2]. The City is encouraging Calgarians to share what matters to them to help inform the updated cultural plan [S1].

There are several ways to participate:

• Online Survey: Share your feedback at your convenience [S1, S3]. A separate public survey for Calgarians is available [S3].
• Online Information Session: Join a virtual workshop to contribute to the broader sector conversation [S1, S3].
• Open House/In-person Workshops: Attend an in-person session, with options tailored to organizations if applicable [S1, S3].

Details about all engagement opportunities, including registration for workshops, are available at calgary.ca/culturalplan [S1, S2].

Feedback gathered during this phase will be summarized in a "What We Heard Report" and used to shape the next phase of engagement in spring 2027, with the proposed cultural plan presented to Council in late 2027 [S1, S2].

What This Means for Artists and Venues

This public engagement phase is a direct call to action for Calgary's live music community. By participating, you are not just offering an opinion; you are actively shaping the policy, infrastructure, and investment decisions that will impact your livelihood and passion for the next three decades.

For artists, this means advocating for better support structures, performance spaces, and opportunities for growth within the city. For venues, it's about ensuring the city's plan includes provisions for sustainable operations, development, and recognition of their vital role as cultural hubs. Your input can highlight specific needs, challenges, and innovative ideas that might otherwise be overlooked.

Don't miss this opportunity to ensure that Calgary's future cultural vision truly supports and elevates its live music scene. Your perspective is invaluable in creating a more creative, connected, and vibrant Calgary.