Calgary Arts Development

Calgary International Film Festival Hits the Accelerator

Posted September 29th, 2012

Calgary Arts Development announces CIFF participation in Remarkable Experience Accelerator

Tonight, the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) concluded an amazing festival year with a screening of Mars et Avril by renowned Canadian filmmaker Martin Villeneuve. Before the sold-out film, Calgary Arts Development (CADA) was proud to announce CIFF as one of the first participants in the innovative Remarkable Experience Accelerator.

The Remarkable Experience Accelerator will provide $150,000 to CIFF over a three-year period to accelerate the festival's programming vision and distinguish it as a film festival like no other. This unique funding model allows CADA to provide a strategic, customized support structure that will help to best achieve CIFF's long-term goals.

"With the 2012 edition of CIFF we've clearly seen Calgary's appetite to continue building a festival that is a distinctive and exciting reflection of our city," says Stephen Schroeder, Executive Director of CIFF. "All great film festivals got that way because they focused on how they were unique, not how they could be like others. Likewise, our aim is to develop an even more vibrant and unique festival experience that will resonate with audiences here and abroad. CIFF's acceptance into the Remarkable Experience Accelerator program is a tremendously important part of the new chapter for CIFF that we are writing together with our local and visiting audiences, partners and filmmakers."

Terry Rock, President and CEO of CADA, is enthusiastic to announce CIFF as the first investment made through the Remarkable Experience Accelerator. "Calgary Arts Development and the Calgary Hotel Association have recognized the need to invest in local cultural offerings with a high potential to appeal to both Calgarians and leisure travellers. This year's festival has shown that CIFF has what it takes to be one of Calgary's cultural flagships. We have confidence in CIFF's vision and are pleased to be a part of taking important steps forward towards making that vision a reality."

CIFF's 2012 lineup delivered over 150 film experiences from 40 different countries. Its opening gala featured Midnight's Children, directed by Deepa Mehta and based on the Booker Prize-winning novel by Salman Rushdie.

About the Remarkable Experience Accelerator

The Remarkable Experience Accelerator is a partnership between Calgary Arts Development and the Calgary Hotel Association. This multi-year partnership will invest up to $825,000 in Destination Marketing Fund (DMF) dollars over three years to accelerate medium to long-term (minimum two years) plans for remarkable downtown arts experiences. The goal is to enhance the emerging story of Calgary as a cultural hotbed and give people even more reasons to visit Calgary as leisure travellers.

The funding model nurtures relationships with applicants that demonstrate a proven track record, sufficient capacity and a readiness to accelerate the experiences of their audiences. Calgary Arts Development will be announcing other participants in the Remarkable Experience Accelerator throughout the fall.

Call for Applicants: Cultural Leaders Legacy Awards Juries

Posted September 24th, 2012

Calgary Arts Development is seeking artists and arts community peers to serve as jury members for the Cultural Leaders Legacy Awards.

The Cultural Leaders Legacy Awards are cash awards of $5,000 presented to artists in categories established by the award donors. Award winners will be selected through a nomination process or by acclamation, depending on the category. There will be a maximum of 10 awards presented in February 2013.

Award categories will be confirmed in the fall of 2012, with nominations opening by November 2012. Awards jury members should be available to review nomination packages or suggest nominees through November and December 2012. Jury selection meetings will take place in early January 2013.

The Cultural Leaders Legacy Awards are part of the legacy of Calgary's Cultural Capital year and made possible through private donations matched by Calgary 2012.

To apply for the awards juries, please complete the Awards Jury Nomination Form.

Arts Champions Congress: Call for Advisory Committee Members

Posted September 20th, 2012

Calgary Arts Development is issuing a call for applicants interested in serving on the 2nd annual Arts Champions Congress Advisory Committee.

The Advisory Committee will provide guidance on conversation themes, panel speakers and content for the Arts Champions Congress on February 21 & 22, 2013 and will assist in connecting Calgary Arts Development with speakers or conversation starters who exemplify the themes identified as priorities by the Committee. Strong candidates will be active participants in the arts sector and will be able to act as representatives for one or more of Calgary Arts Development's Peer Networks. Candidates should demonstrate a keen interest in Expanding the Circle of Arts Champions via Congress programming and activities that will galvanize the arts community, arts board members and corporate champions of the arts.

Those interested in applying should review the Advisory Committee Terms of Reference.

Applications must be submitted online by Monday, October 15, 2012. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those who best meet the membership requirements for the Committee will be contacted.

Complete the Advisory Committee application form.

Call for Letters of Intent: Cultural Space Investment Process 2013

Posted September 17th, 2012

The deadline for Cultural Space Investment Process (CSIP) 2013 letters of intent is November 2, 2012.

The Cultural Space Investment Process (CSIP, formerly the Art Space Investment Process) is a capital project evaluation process established by Calgary Arts Development to inform City Council and the municipality of priorities for community-led, cultural infrastructure projects. CSIP 2013 will accommodate facility proposals at an advanced stage of readiness that enable a broad range of arts, culture and heritage activity throughout the city. As an initial assessment stage, CSIP recognizes projects that demonstrate a compelling vision, advanced readiness, strong feasibility and sustainability (social, economic and environmental).

Not-for-profit organizations with capital space projects in arts and/or culture may submit project proposals to be recommended by Calgary Arts Development to The City of Calgary for up to 25% of the project's total costs. In 2008, City Council earmarked 5% of the province's $3.3 billion infrastructure contribution for arts and cultural space projects in the city. This amounts to $165 million in civic funding over the next 10 - 12 years for arts and culture spaces. A large portion of this support will be directed towards projects brought forward by Calgary Arts Development through CSIP.

Calgary Arts Development is accepting letters of intent for the 2013 CSIP program until November 2, 2012.

For more information, visit CalgaryArtsDevelopment.com/CSIP.

Winners of Civic Lottery Meet to Discuss Strategy for Calgary Arts Scene

Posted September 15th, 2012

Today, 36 randomly selected Calgarians came together to form Calgary’s first-ever Citizens’ Reference Panel on the arts in Calgary.

As part of an acclaimed Canadian-made process, these 36 volunteers will work together to help determine the priorities and vision that will guide the creation of a long-term Arts Plan for Calgary.

Today marks the first of four all-day meetings for the Panel. Over the course of the program, the 36 panelists will examine how the arts strengthen Calgary’s economic, social, cultural and civic life, and will consider how to build an arts sector that reflects the needs and interests of all Calgarians.

The Panel’s first meeting, held today, will set the stage for the work to follow. The Panel will speak with Patti Pon (Calgary Arts Development), Rachel Seupersad (City of Calgary), Karen Ball (Calgary 2012), Daniel Doz (Alberta College of Art and Design) and Stephen McHolm (Esther Honen’s International Piano Competition) in order to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the role of the arts in Calgary. Mayor Naheed Nenshi will also be present to meet the Panel members.

Future meetings will see the Panel meet with various working artists, cultural leaders and arts administrators. The Panel will ultimately produce and ratify a vision for the Arts Plan along with a set of recommendations that Calgary Arts Development will use in the development of the Arts Plan. Before finalizing their recommendations, the Panel will host a public roundtable discussion that Calgary residents are encouraged to attend. The roundtable discussion will take place on Saturday, October 13 between 1:00pm and 3:00pm at the Water Centre (625 25th Avenue SE).

Patti Pon, Acting President and CEO of Calgary Arts Development, is confident the Panel will provide both inspiring and useful guidance to the Arts Plan process. “I am excited to see such a diverse cross-section of citizens who have volunteered their time to think about the arts and consider the impact a vibrant arts sector will play in our city’s future. Each of the 36 citizen-representatives put their names forward after receiving one of 5000 letters mailed by Calgary Arts Development to random addresses across the city that invited them to take a seat at the table. Of those who expressed interest, 36 names were drawn to form the Panel, broadly matching the city’s demographic profile.

“When I put my name in the draw I never thought I’d win and have the opportunity to participate,” said one panelist. “This is a very special chance to become involved and learn more about the arts. I hope our work will be appreciated and have a positive influence on the arts in Calgary.”

Follow Twitter hashtag #yycArtsPlan and ArtsPlan.ca for the latest updates.

Further Information:

Dana Granofsky

Project Coordinator, MASS LBP

Phone: 647.883.4754

Email: dana@masslbp.com