RFP: Chinook Blast Strategic Planning Consultant
Chinook Blast
Deadline: May 19, 2025
Calgary Arts Development, on behalf of the Chinook Blast Executive Committee of the Chinook Blast Festival, is seeking a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Strategic Planning Consultant to Evaluate and Recommend the Future Business Operating Model for Chinook Blast.
Background
Chinook Blast (the ‘Festival’) is Calgary’s premier winter festival, growing significantly since its inception. With an increase in attendance of 15% in 2024 and over $15.7 million in economic impact, the Festival has proven its value to the city. The Festival’s current operational model is a collaborative effort, 70 partners hosting more than 120 events throughout the Festival. This partnership-driven model has been key to its success.
Chinook Blast receives partial funding from its founding partners, who now constitute the Executive Committee, through both financial and in-kind support. The Executive Committee is a diverse group of Civic Partners who share a belief in the need and value of a winter festival for Calgary. The four organizations — City of Calgary (The City), Calgary Arts Development Authority (CADA), Tourism Calgary (Tourism), and Calgary Economic Development (CED) — have a shared mandate to serve all Calgarians, and the Festival’s success is grounded in that mandate. The range of experience, expertise, and knowledge that each Civic Partner brings to the table offers different perspectives and the ability to approach challenges as unique opportunities. They are the visionaries and communicators of Chinook Blast.
In order to ensure the Festival’s continued growth and sustainability, it is crucial to explore and compare potential business operating models, using the current partnership-driven model as a baseline. Engaging a third-party to conduct this analysis offers benefits, including objectivity, expertise, comprehensive analysis, and benchmarking against industry standards.
The selected business model should help secure stable funding, maximize the Festival’s economic and social impact, and align with the city’s broader strategic objectives, including downtown revitalization and enhancing Calgary’s global brand.
Objectives
The consultant will be engaged to:
- Develop and propose future business operating models for Chinook Blast for 2027 and beyond, ensuring to include a governance structure that clearly defines decision-making authority and accountability.
- Evaluate the current operational and financial models and suggest ways to secure stable, long-term financial support.
- Align proposed models with The City’s strategic priorities, including economic resilience, downtown revitalization, and cultural vibrancy.
- Assess the feasibility of the proposed models, considering the Festival’s growth trajectory, economic impact, and community benefits.
To learn more about this opportunity, read the full RFP here.
Please submit proposals to chinookblast@calgaryartsdevelopment.com by 5 pm MT on May 19, 2025.
