Grant Investment Programs
Calgary Arts Development is pleased to release the results of its 2020 grant investment programs. A full breakdown of each of the programs can be found below:
Arts Organizations
The Operating Grant Program provides stable, predictable funding to arts organizations in Calgary. Operating Grant funds may be allocated to any area of an arts organization’s budget and are confirmed on a yearly basis upon the receipt of an interim report until the end of 2022.
In 2020, organizations had the opportunity to apply for an increase to their yearly grant, which was determined through a hybrid formula and peer assessment process.
For information about how this program was assessed, please see the Terms of Reference for the Operating Grant Program for 2020 to 2022.
| Organization | Total Annual Operating Grant Amount for 2020 – 2022 |
| Acoustic Music Society of Calgary | $7,500 |
| Adult Recreational Choir Society of Calgary | $18,200 |
| Alberta Ballet | $407,000 |
| Alberta Craft Council | $49,900 |
| Alberta Dance Theatre for Young People | $10,500 |
| Alberta Media Arts Alliance Society | $11,200 |
| Alberta Playwrights’ Network | $16,300 |
| Alberta Printmakers | $17,500 |
| Alberta Theatre Projects | $364,500 |
| Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society | $19,200 |
| Alliance Française | $39,300 |
| Amici String Program | $12,900 |
| Antyx Community Arts | $40,700 |
| Artpoint Gallery & Studios | $4,500 |
| Beltline Neighbourhoods Association | $16,400 |
| Book Publishers Association of Alberta | $29,300 |
| Brazilian Community Association of Alberta | $5,000 |
| Calgary Allied Arts Foundation | $3,200 |
| Calgary Animated Objects Society | $49,800 |
| Calgary Bach Festival | $3,500 |
| Calgary Blues Music Association | $43,200 |
| Calgary Boys’ Choir | $8,400 |
| Calgary Children’s Choir | $3,600 |
| Calgary Chinese Orchestra | $3,500 |
| Calgary Cinematheque | $14,000 |
| Calgary Civic Symphony | $11,000 |
| Calgary Concert Band | $5,300 |
| Calgary Fiddlers | $24,700 |
| Calgary Folk Music Festival | $146,700 |
| Calgary Foothills Barbershop Chorus | $9,400 |
| Calgary Girls Choir | $32,500 |
| Calgary International Film Festival | $95,900 |
| Calgary International Fringe Festival | $35,000 |
| Calgary Jazz Orchestra | $15,000 |
| Calgary Men’s Chorus | $6,000 |
| Calgary Multicultural Choir | $3,500 |
| Calgary Opera | $326,300 |
| Calgary Performing Arts Festival Society | $10,000 |
| Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra | $435,900 |
| Calgary Pro Musica | $23,700 |
| Calgary Protospace | $12,500 |
| Calgary Reggae Festival | $18,810 |
| Calgary Renaissance Singers & Players | $4,200 |
| Calgary Round-Up Band | $4,500 |
| Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers | $37,500 |
| Calgary Underground Film Festival | $38,000 |
| Calgary Young People’s Theatre | $20,300 |
| Calgary Youth Orchestra | $12,000 |
| Canadian Academy of Mask and Puppetry | $7,500 |
| Canadian Music Centre, Prairie Region | $20,600 |
| Cantare Children’s Choir | $27,400 |
| Caribbean Community Council of Calgary | $11,400 |
| Casa Mexico | $10,000 |
| Chromatic Theatre | $15,000 |
| CJSW 90.9 FM | $53,300 |
| Classical Guitar Society of Calgary | $7,000 |
| Contemporary Calgary | $132,500 |
| Corps Bara Dance Guild of Calgary | $2,950 |
| Cowtown Opera (2020 Grant Only) | $5,200 |
| Dancers’ Studio West | $31,100 |
| Decidedly Jazz Danceworks | $194,300 |
| Design Talks Institute | $17,000 |
| Downstage | $17,500 |
| Early Music Voices | $10,100 |
| East Side Dance Festival | $10,000 |
| Elephant Artist Relief | $5,000 |
| EMMEDIA Gallery & Production Society | $40,700 |
| EnChor Choral | $2,000 |
| Evergreen Theatre & Community Spaces | $40,300 |
| Exposure Photography Festival | $26,900 |
| Femme Wave | $30,000 |
| Fire Exit Theatre | $4,000 |
| Fish Creek Concert and Cultural Society | $3,325 |
| Foothills Bluegrass Music Society | $2,750 |
| Foothills Brass | $10,200 |
| Footprints Dance Project | $13,200 |
| Forte Musical Theatre | $11,700 |
| FreeFall Magazine | $8,000 |
| Front Row Centre Players | $18,600 |
| Ghost River Theatre Society | $27,700 |
| Glenbow Museum | $349,000 |
| Gli Azzurri – Calgary Italian Folk Dancers | $9,300 |
| GlobalFest | $33,300 |
| Green Fools Theatre | $27,100 |
| Handsome Alice Theatre | $12,400 |
| Harmony Guzheng Ensemble | $5,900 |
| Hispanic Arts Society | $33,400 |
| Honens | $84,600 |
| Humainologie | $24,000 |
| Iiniistsi Treaty Society | $20,000 |
| Illingworth Kerr Gallery, Alberta University of the Arts | $12,200 |
| Indefinite Arts Centre | $63,300 |
| Indigenous Resiliency in Music | $30,000 |
| Inside Out Theatre | $22,200 |
| Instrumental Society of Calgary | $5,200 |
| International Festival of Animated Objects | $17,200 |
| International Festival of Song and Chamber Music | $10,400 |
| JazzYYC | $27,200 |
| Jeunesse Classique Ballet | $17,000 |
| Kantorei Choral | $8,000 |
| Kensington Sinfonia | $7,300 |
| La Caravan Dance Theatre (2020 Grant Only) | $3,000 |
| Land’s End Ensemble | $11,000 |
| Leighton Art Centre | $39,000 |
| Loft 112 | $20,000 |
| Loose Moose Theatre | $23,800 |
| Lougheed House | $52,100 |
| Luminous Voice | $20,000 |
| Lunchbox Theatre | $65,000 |
| Making Treaty 7 | $30,000 |
| Marda Loop Justice Film Festival | $4,000 |
| MoMo Multi Ability Movement Arts | $14,100 |
| Morpheus Theatre | $17,700 |
| Mount Royal Choral | $6,500 |
| Mountain Standard Time Performative Arts Festival | $20,200 |
| Music Calgary | $6,750 |
| National Music Centre | $256,000 |
| New Works Calgary | $10,300 |
| Old Trout Puppet Workshop | $49,900 |
| One Big Jam | $15,000 |
| One Voice Chorus | $10,000 |
| One Yellow Rabbit | $89,100 |
| ProArts Society | $10,200 |
| Pumphouse Theatres | $43,200 |
| Queer Arts Society | $31,200 |
| Quest Theatre | $51,700 |
| Quickdraw Animation Society | $53,200 |
| Revv52 | $31,500 |
| Rocky Mountain Concert Band | $6,500 |
| Sarb Akal Music Society of Calgary | $30,000 |
| Savridi Singers | $2,000 |
| Silver Stars Musical Revue | $5,400 |
| Single Onion | $3,800 |
| Sled Island Music Festival | $92,700 |
| Soulocentric Performing Arts | $7,000 |
| Southern Alberta Woodworkers | $1,250 |
| Spiritus Chamber Choir | $9,700 |
| Springboard Performance | $32,800 |
| Stage Left Productions Theatre | $17,300 |
| Storybook Theatre | $50,300 |
| Stride Art Gallery | $43,400 |
| Studio C, Prospect Human Services | $20,900 |
| Suzirya Ukrainian Dance Theatre | $12,600 |
| Swallow-a-Bicycle Theatre | $14,000 |
| The GRAND | $77,000 |
| The Festival Chorus | $10,800 |
| The League of Extraordinary Albertans | $11,800 |
| The New Gallery | $43,400 |
| The Shakespeare Company | $22,500 |
| Theatre Alberta Society | $63,000 |
| Theatre Calgary | $410,600 |
| Theatre Encounter | $2,000 |
| Three Left Feet Movement Creations | $10,200 |
| Trickster Theatre | $56,300 |
| TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary | $50,000 |
| Tryzub Ukrainian Dance | $27,000 |
| Untitled Art Society | $24,200 |
| Verb Theatre | $9,100 |
| Vertigo Theatre | $124,600 |
| W&M Dance Projects | $9,700 |
| West Village Theatre | $10,400 |
| Westwinds Music Society | $18,900 |
| When Words Collide | $3,000 |
| Wild Mint Arts | $15,000 |
| Woezo Africa Music and Dance | $15,000 |
| WordFest | $91,400 |
| WP Puppet Theatre | $18,700 |
| Writers Guild of Alberta | $38,800 |
| Youth Singers of Calgary | $68,800 |
Individual Artists & Collectives
Calgary Arts Development is pleased to release the results of the 2020 Project Grant Program for Individuals and Collectives. This program provided one-time funding to support artistic projects by individuals and artistic collectives that strengthen our artistic communities and ensure that citizens of Calgary can experience what they have to offer.
In 2020, we received 171 applications requesting a total of $1,575,844.38. 94 projects were funded for a total of $850,019.51.
For information about how this program was assessed, please see the Terms of Reference for the 2020 Project Grant Program for Individuals and Collectives.
| Artist or Collective | Project | Grant Amount |
| 8ROJO | Developing The Immigration Project | $10,000 |
| Ahmed Gooda | Artist Professional Development | $8,808 |
| Aimee-Jo Benoit | TRIPTYCH | $10,000 |
| Alex Manitopyes | In the City | $9,200 |
| Ali Bryan | Takedown | $7,400 |
| Allan Brent Rosales | Uncomfortable Conversations from the Silence: Portraits of Racism from FilipinX who call Calgary/Mohkinsstsis Home | $10,000 |
| Andrew Cooper | Frankenstein | $10,000 |
| Andrew Mohr | The Road to Greathaven | $10,000 |
| Ann Mansolino | The Book, the Land, and the Self: Connections Between Self and Place in the Landscapes of Alberta | $9,630.73 |
| BrownKam | BrownKam Music Video Production and Distribution | $5,770 |
| Bryan Faubert | NYC/MTA:YYC/LRT | $10,000 |
| Calvin Gomez | Thunder Of Alberta | $10,000 |
| Claudia Chagoya | A Rose for Remembrance | $8,700 |
| Clea Anaïs Foo Fat | Circle Zero – Video Series | $8,666 |
| Constantine Anastasakis | Imperfect Symmetry | $10,000 |
| Crystal Eyes | Crystal Eyes Music Video at the ‘Castle House’ | $5,000 |
| David Sklar | The Engagement | $10,000 |
| Elijah Wells | Professional development and research in digital capacity – photography and video editing | $8,364 |
| Eric Stroppel & Alex Mitchel | Throwback | $9,900 |
| Erna Bianca Miranda & Keshia Maria Cheesman | The F Word | $9,920 |
| Flint & Feather | Flint & Feather – Renaissance | $10,000 |
| Fredy Rivas | Highway II | $10,000 |
| Gary Spice | Gary Spice Garden of Hope Album Production | $10,000 |
| Glenna Cardinal | NUWI (over there – further) | $10,000 |
| Hanne Loosen | For Design’s Sake – An experiment putting scenography first | $9,946.40 |
| Heather Hazlett | Adapting to the Digital World | $10,000 |
| Hernan Moreno & Germán Rodriguez | Mirrors and Windows | $7,000 |
| IDGAF Theatre | Losing It at the End of the World & The Face-Off: A Series of Workshops | $7,113.70 |
| Ireke Amoji | Smell da coffee African Caribbean Situational Comedy Video Pilot Project | $10,000 |
| Jacqs Walker | Calgary without Patriarchy: Composers’ Collective & Recording | $10,000 |
| Jacqueline Aquines | kapwa people: a sci-fi musical of an Anti-Racist Future | $10,000 |
| James Ziegler | Shimmering Willows | $10,000 |
| Janey Luc-German | Live Figure Drawing/Painting | $1,800 |
| Jason de Haan | Structure for Observing Atypical Flight | $10,000 |
| Jessica McMann | Indigenous Classical Music CD | $10,000 |
| Joline Olson | I Always Knew: A Mixed-Orientation Marriage Book Manuscript project | $5,715 |
| Jordan Wieben | Timeline Tourism Roleplaying Game | $8,986 |
| Julya Hajnoczky | Creation of body of work Bloom | $10,000 |
| Kara Bullock | aux.la.more | $9,706 |
| Katharina Schier | Groundwork Residency: Movement Knowledge as a Kind of Cultural Knowledge | $10,000 |
| Kenna Burima & Brianna Strong | While She Sleeps Songbook and Animation Album | $10,000 |
| Kerry Maguire | Resonant and Deeper – Live AV Performance by Wish Lash | $8,300 |
| Kiana Rawji | ESSENTIAL – Documentary on Essential Workers & the Cargill COVID-19 Outbreak | $10,000 |
| Kiana Wu | The Strid: A Stage It! Playwright/Producer Performance with Downstage Theatre | $10,000 |
| Kyra Newton-Guy | Blissful Dance Class | $10,000 |
| Landon Krentz | Devising Deaf Theatre Workshop Series – Seeking Planet Eyeth (Working Title) | $10,000 |
| Lara Schmitz | Delayed Deliverance Workshop | $2,722.50 |
| Laura Anzola | Blue Borders | $10,000 |
| Lauren Chipeur | Picking up, taking and filling | $700 |
| Le Cirque de la Nuit | Wondrous Theatre Production | $10,000 |
| Lili Tayefi | Intelligent Artifacts | $9,990 |
| Lindsay Bowman | You Are Here (And So Am I) | $10,000 |
| Lisa Lipton | Soon All Your Memories Will Be With Me | $10,000 |
| Maggie MacKenzie | Sh*t Happens | $10,000 |
| Malavika Venkatsubbaiah | Manasi | $10,000 |
| Mandy Morris | Music with Mandy | $10,000 |
| Many Mothers Collective | Urgency | $10,000 |
| Mar’ce Merrell | On Culture and Embodiment: Fiction and Non-Fiction Works | $10,000 |
| Mark Kunji Ikeda | Crime and Punishment Technical Residency | $10,000 |
| Matthew Gigg | Val-d’Or Literary Manuscript | $4,813.44 |
| Melanee Jill Murray-Hunt | Short Story Series | $10,000 |
| Michael Lohaus | Awesome Fun Battle Time | $10,000 |
| Miruna Dragan | Hummingbird Guided Meditation | $9,410 |
| Mudfoot Theatre Collective | Jabber: The Folk Opera | $10,000 |
| Nurgul Rodriguez | Vessels Project: A Container, a Book, a Body | $10,000 |
| Oksana Kryzhanivska | Present – Augmented Reality Interactive Spaces | $5,897 |
| Pamela Tzeng | SHED / knowing each other as different and the same (working title) | $10,000 |
| Peter Tertzakian | Blackfoot Co-operative Coal Mine | $10,000 |
| Project InTandem | Project InTandem commissions a double-bill dance production | $10,000 |
| Rocio Graham | Art residency at KOAC and the creation of The nest studio garden a legacy project | $10,000 |
| Sandra Vida | Way Station | $8,550 |
| Sarah Graham | Waiting for the Storm to Break | $10,000 |
| Sarah MacDonald | Live-stream Flute Recital | $2,500 |
| Sasha Ivanochko | The March | $10,000 |
| Savanna Harvey | Wastelands Summer Workshop 2020 | $10,000 |
| Sebastian Buzzalino | Little Deaths | $8,461.74 |
| Seniors’ Acting Lab | Signage | $10,000 |
| Seth Cardinal Dodginghorse | The Tsuut’ina War | $10,000 |
| Shaun Crawford | Here & After | $4,719 |
| Simon Chan | The Hare & The Hound | $10,000 |
| Stacy Da Silva | Virtually Haute | $10,000 |
| Stefanie Kathleen Barnfather | Scattered | $10,000 |
| Tara WIlson | The Gateway Project | $10,000 |
| The Deep End Collective | Bungalow | $10,000 |
| The Hello Darlins | The Hello Darlins – Marketing Support | $10,000 |
| Thumbs Up Good Work Theatre | The Born Again Crow Gwandaak Co-Production | $10,000 |
| to the AWE | to the AWE Season #4: RAW FEST | $10,000 |
| Todd Kipp | The Butcher, Short Film – Post Production Phase | $10,000 |
| Tracy Breaker | BSEP – Broadening Artistic Ability | $7,000 |
| Tunnel | A monument to tears | $5,900 |
| Tyler Klein Longmire | Renderfam (animated short film): final production and post-production phase | $10,000 |
| Wil Knoll | observationTwo | $9,430 |
| Yolkless Press | Yolkless Press | $10,000 |
| Yvonne Kustec | Year Long Artist Residency at Medalta | $10,000 |
This program is supplemented through donations from:
First Nations, Métis, Inuit Artists & Organizations
The Original Peoples Investment Program provided one-time funding to support projects which support the preservation and revitalization of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit art.
In 2020, we received 77 applications requesting a total of $744,624.46. 44 applications were funded for a total of $399,397.89. For information about how this program was assessed, please see the Terms of Reference for the 2020 Original Peoples Investment Program.
| Artist, Collective or Organization | Project | Grant Amount |
| Adrian Stimson Arts | Mohkinitsis/Siksika Connecting through Art – The School of Badger 2020 |
$10,000 |
| Alanna Blackrider – Onespot | Spirit (A poetry book by Alanna Bluebird) | $8,500 |
| Angel J. Aubichon | Thantoka/Buffillo | $10,000 |
| Authentically Indigenous | Authentically Indigenous Community Arts Gathering | $7,000 |
| BB ISKWEW – Kayla Simpson | Metamorphosis | $10,000 |
| Brittney Bear Hat | These Gifts: Research and Development | $6,000 |
| Bruno Canadien | Sehéh łą́h kų́ę́ nádéh (My famıly) | $8,500 |
| Celestine Twigg | Poos Animation Project | $10,000 |
| Chantal Chagnon | Songs and Storytelling Album | $10,000 |
| Cowboy Smithx | The Silent X | $8,000 |
| Curt Young and the Healers | This is My Story EP Album | $7,500 |
| Danielle Kehler | Who We Are | $10,000 |
| Deedra Salange Ladouceur | Ghost’ Return to Mourning | $10,000 |
| Dwight Farahat | Dwight Farahat’s Mini Documentary/Video Album | $10,000 |
| Glenna Cardinal | Xatalini – Spring (water) | $10,000 |
| Heather Morigeau | Pine Needle Weaving with Ktunaxa Knowledge Keepers |
$10,000 |
| Indigenous Resilience In Music | Rhythm of the People Music & Arts Festival | $7,000 |
| Jared Tailfeathers | Traditional Methods of Making: Dog Trail (Imitáá ohtáóhsokoyi a’póóhsin) Part 2 |
$9,500 |
| Jarret Twoyoungmen | Tibi | $10,000 |
| Jason Gordon | The Missing Rose, Stage Two, Donation Website, Marketing and Memorials |
$10,000 |
| Jesse Gouchey | The Ancient Static | $8,000 |
| Jessica McMann | CD Recording | $10,000 |
| Kalum Teke Dan | Kalum Teke Dan Artist Book | $7,000 |
| Michelle Soto | Winter Gear | $5,000 |
| Midewiwin Teaching Lodge Society of Alberta |
Midewiwin (Big) Teaching Lodge | $10,000 |
| Nika Productions | I Get Lonely – A Short Film | $8,516.89 |
| Ryan Jason Allen Willert | nvrlnd. inaugural residency invitation | $9,908 |
| Sabrina Wozny | Golden Feather Creations Business/ Moss Bag making |
$10,000 |
| Sandra Sutter | Cluster Stars Song Book and Show – Parallel Process – Honouring the Oral and Written Word |
$10,000 |
| Sarah Houle | ᐅᑳᐄᐧᒫᐤ okâwîmâw Mother | $9,984 |
| Seth Dodginghorse | Asdaguʔagujagi (When did it happen?) | $10,000 |
| Shane Ghostkeeper | Ghostkeeper Music Video Production | $9,989 |
| Soloman Chiniquay | Simulacrum | $5,000 |
| Sophia Lebessis | Printmaking for Treaty 7 Area Artists | $7,000 |
| Status Savage | Learn-Create-Teach-Reclaim | $10,000 |
| Sweety Treaty | Sweety Treaty Show & Music Production | $10,000 |
| Tania Dawn Big Plume | The Breath of Old Bones | $10,000 |
| Tara Beagan | Whoop Up | $8,000 |
| The Napi Collective | The Napi Collective – Film Camps | $10,000 |
| Travis Miller | Travis Miller – Alberta Bones | $10,000 |
| Troy Emery Twigg | Aakakohtomiia: The Blackfoot Story (Working Title) | $10,000 |
| Tyson Night | Hung Up | $10,000 |
| Wild Mint Arts | Summer Dance Training | $10,000 |
| Zach Running Coyote | Kohkum & Me | $9,000 |
Relief Funding
Supported by The City of Calgary’s Emergency Resiliency Fund, Calgary Arts Development’s Recovery Fund supported organizations in developing and implementing strategic recovery and resiliency plans to ensure long-term sustainability.
We received 112 applications to this program, requesting over $3.9 million. 60 organizations were funded to a total of $1,001,400. For information about how this program was assessed, please see the Terms of Reference for the 2020 Recovery Fund.
| Organization | Amount |
| Alberta Playwrights’ Network | $10,000 |
| Alberta Printmakers Society | $25,000 |
| Alberta Theatre Projects | $20,000 |
| Alexandra Writers’ Centre | $5,000 |
| Antyx Community Arts | $10,000 |
| Beakerhead | $25,000 |
| Binhi Ng Lahi Philippine Folk Dance Troupe | $15,000 |
| Calgary Chinese Orchestra | $5,000 |
| Calgary Girls Choir | $20,000 |
| Calgary International Film Festival | $27,500 |
| Calgary Korean Orchestra | $8,000 |
| Calgary Opera | $20,000 |
| Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra | $25,000 |
| Calgary Queer Arts Society | $20,000 |
| Calgary Young People’s Theatre | $8,000 |
| Cantare Children’s Choir | $8,000 |
| CARFAC Alberta | $9,900 |
| Casa Mexico | $10,000 |
| Dancers Studio West | $15,000 |
| Design Talks Institute | $20,000 |
| Elephant Artist Relief Society | $20,000 |
| Exposure Photography Festival | $10,000 |
| Femme Wave | $10,000 |
| In-Definite Arts | $25,000 |
| Indigenous Resilience in Music | $20,000 |
| Inside Out Theatre | $20,000 |
| Kantorei Choral Society | $20,000 |
| KO Arts Centre | $20,000 |
| Land’s End Ensemble | $16,000 |
| Leighton Art Centre | $10,000 |
| Lougheed House | $30,000 |
| Luminous Voices | $18,000 |
| Making Treaty 7 | $20,000 |
| Morpheus Theatre Society | $13,000 |
| Mountain Standard Time Performative Arts Festival | $25,000 |
| New Works Calgary | $9,500 |
| Prairie Debut | $10,000 |
| Quest Theatre | $20,000 |
| Quickdraw Animation Society | $8,000 |
| Revv52 | $20,000 |
| Sage Theatre | $20,000 |
| Sankofa Arts & Music Foundation | $20,000 |
| Seities Studio | $3,000 |
| Sled Island Music Festival | $20,000 |
| SpanicArts: Hispanic Association of Professional Artists | $8,000 |
| Springboard Performance | $28,000 |
| StoryBook Theatre | $10,000 |
| Stride Gallery | $10,000 |
| The New Gallery | $25,000 |
| Theatre Alberta | $12,000 |
| THIRD ACTion Film Festival Limited | $20,000 |
| Trickster Theatre | $30,000 |
| TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary | $25,000 |
| Untitled Art Society | $5,000 |
| Verb Theatre | $18,000 |
| Vertigo Theatre | $25,000 |
| West Village Theatre | $20,000 |
| WordFest | $11,500 |
| WP Puppet Theatre | $20,000 |
| Youth Singers of Calgary | $20,000 |
Supported by The City of Calgary’s Emergency Resiliency Fund, Calgary Arts Development’s Resiliency Fund supported initiatives which contribute to the resiliency of the arts sector through adapted approaches to artistic and business practices.
We received 141 applications between two program intakes, requesting over $5.1 million. 65 applications were funded to a total of $1,280,000. For information about how this program was assessed, please see the Terms of Reference for the 2020 Resiliency Fund.
| Organization Name | Grant Amount |
| Alberta Association of Artist Run Centres | $10,000 |
| Alberta Ballet | $30,000 |
| Alberta Printmakers’ Society | $15,000 |
| Alberta Theatre Projects | $50,000 |
| Anubhav | $10,000 |
| AUArts Students’ Association | $25,000 |
| Beltline Neighbourhoods Association | $10,000 |
| Binhi ng Lahi Philippine Folk Dance Troupe | $15,000 |
| BuckingJam Music Foundation | $10,000 |
| Calgary Animated Objects Society | $25,000 |
| Calgary Blues Music Association | $10,000 |
| Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre | $25,000 |
| Calgary Fiddlers | $10,000 |
| Calgary Music Academy Centre | $10,000 |
| Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra | $10,000 |
| Calgary Pro Musica | $25,000 |
| Calgary Renaissance Singers & Players | $13,500 |
| Calgary Suzuki Strings Association | $3,300 |
| Calgary Young Peoples’s Theatre | $15,000 |
| CJSW 90.9 FM | $23,500 |
| Corps Bara Dance Theatre | $20,000 |
| Decidedly Jazz Danceworks | $15,000 |
| Design Talks Institute | $20,000 |
| Downstage Performance Society | $20,000 |
| Edmonton Movie Club | $8,000 |
| Elephant Artist Relief | $20,000 |
| Evergreen Theatre & Community Spaces | $20,000 |
| Folk Festival Society of Calgary | $10,000 |
| Ghost River Theatre | $50,000 |
| Glenbow Museum | $50,000 |
| Green Fools Theatre | $30,000 |
| Handsome Alice Theatre | $9,000 |
| Heritage Weavers and Spinners Guild of Calgary | $6,000 |
| Honens | $10,000 |
| Iiniistsi Treaty Arts Society | $15,000 |
| Indefinite Arts Centre | $28,000 |
| Indigenous Resilience in Music | $25,000 |
| Inside Out Theatre | $18,000 |
| International Festival of Song and Chamber Music Society | $7,500 |
| JazzYYC | $30,000 |
| KO Arts Centre | $10,000 |
| Mountain Standard Time Performative Arts Festival | $25,000 |
| New Works of Art Calgary | $12,000 |
| nvrlnd. | $30,000 |
| One Voice Chorus | $10,000 |
| Pro Arts Society | $5,000 |
| Prospect Human Services | $20,000 |
| Pumphouse Theatre | $20,000 |
| Quickdraw Animation Society | $12,000 |
| Rhythm of the Rockies | $4,000 |
| Rocky Mountain Symphony | $20,000 |
| Sled Island Arts | $45,000 |
| Springboard Performance | $13,500 |
| Storybook Theatre | $25,000 |
| Stride Art Gallery | $15,000 |
| The New Gallery | $45,000 |
| Theatre Calgary | $7,700 |
| THIRD ACTion Film Festival | $15,000 |
| Trickster Theatre | $45,000 |
| Vertigo Theatre | $20,000 |
| Wandering Spirit | $10,000 |
| Woezo Africa Music & Dance Theatre | $20,000 |
| Wordfest | $50,000 |
| Writers’ Guild of Alberta | $14,000 |
| Youth Singers of Calgary | $30,000 |
Calgary Arts Development allocated $1.5 million towards providing immediate relief to arts organizations, artists, and cultural workers in urgent need due to COVID-19 impacts.
Arts organizations were identified using data collected through a survey in March and April 2020, and grant amounts were determined through conversation with Calgary Arts Development staff. 48 organizations received short-term relief funding to a total of $917,700.
Relief grants to individual artists and cultural workers were made through a public application process assessed by Calgary Arts Development staff and community members. Due to the personal nature and volume of these grants, we will not be publishing individual names. 133 individuals were funded to a total of $170,547.17.
In addition to direct relief funding, a portion of the pool was allocated towards arts service organizations to assist in the delivery of artist relief programs, and to Elephant Artist Relief for their own relief program. For information about these programs, please see the COVID-19 Short-Term Relief Funding page.
| Organization | Grant Amount |
| Adult Recreational Choir | $ 7,500 |
| Alberta Playwrights Network | $ 10,000 |
| Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society | $ 10,000 |
| Alliance Française | $ 10,000 |
| Brazilian Community Association | $ 5,000 |
| Calgary Blues Music Association | $ 20,000 |
| Calgary Fiddlers | $ 15,000 |
| Calgary Folk Music Festival | $ 50,000 |
| Calgary International Fringe Festival | $ 8,000 |
| Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra | $ 30,000 |
| Calgary Queer Arts Society | $ 10,000 |
| Calgary Round Up Band | $ 10,000 |
| Calgary Society for Independent Filmmakers | $ 25,000 |
| Calgary Young People’s Theatre | $ 20,000 |
| Chromatic Theatre | $ 5,000 |
| Contemporary Calgary | $ 20,000 |
| cSPACE | $ 50,000 |
| Dancers’ Studio West | $ 15,000 |
| Elephant Artist Relief Society | $ 5,000 |
| Evergreen Theatre & Community Spaces | $ 50,000 |
| Forte Musical Theatre | $ 5,000 |
| Glenbow Museum | $ 30,000 |
| GlobalFest | $ 20,000 |
| Green Fools Theatre | $ 50,000 |
| Handsome Alice Theatre | $ 10,000 |
| Hispanic Arts Society | $ 5,000 |
| Instrumental Society of Calgary | $ 5,000 |
| International Festival of Song and Chamber Music | $ 5,000 |
| La Caravan Dance Theatre | $ 9,500 |
| Leighton Art Centre | $ 10,000 |
| Lougheed House | $ 44,000 |
| Luminous Voices | $ 5,000 |
| Lunchbox Theatre | $ 8,700 |
| National Music Centre | $ 30,000 |
| One Yellow Rabbit | $ 20,000 |
| Pumphouse Theatres | $ 10,000 |
| Quickdraw Animation Society | $ 5,000 |
| Sarb Akal Music Society of Calgary | $ 30,000 |
| Sled Island | $ 50,000 |
| Spiritus Chamber Choir | $ 5,000 |
| Studio C, Prospect Human Services Society | $ 15,000 |
| The Festival Chorus | $ 5,000 |
| The GRAND | $ 7,500 |
| Tryzub Ukrainian Dance Society | $ 20,000 |
| Untitled Art Society | $ 30,000 |
| Woezo Africa Music & Dance Theatre | $ 7,500 |
| WordFest | $ 50,000 |
| Youth Singers of Calgary | $ 50,000 |
Other Programs
This program supports projects by artists and arts organizations who self-identify as equity-seeking, or which are led by and serve equity-seeking communities. Calgary Arts Development staff work one on one with applicants to develop grant proposals and funding amounts.
In 2020, 32 artists and organizations were funded its community working group and other stakeholders to evaluate and co-design the ArtShare program to better address the unique needs and contexts of equity-seeking artists, organizations, and communities.
| Artist, Collective, or Organization | Project | Grant Amount |
| Action Dignity | Our Canada, Our Story Part 2 and Artistic Facilitator | $35,000 |
| Adejumoke Olatunde | Reverse – Short Film | $6,560 |
| Alia Aluma | Womxn of Colour Art Exhibition | $1,500 |
| ANUBHAV | 2021 Production | $10,000 |
| Asian Heritage Foundation | Artist Liaison Contract | $10,000 |
| Asmaa Al-Issa | Between Four Rivers – Workshop Pilot | $4,559.23 |
| Association of Mexicans in Calgary | Migrant Rights Film Fest | $5,000 |
| Bamboo Bridge Artists Association | Ink Connections – Creation of work | $3,215 |
| Black Leadership Alliance Council | BLAC Youth Empowerment Program | $15,000 |
| Calgary Black Film Festival | Calgary Black Film Festival | $20,000 |
| Calgary Scope Society/Basic Income YYC | Basic Income YYC Arts Collective Project | $6,000 |
| Canadian Artists Against Poverty | Feasibility Study – Living Water Social Enterprise | $10,000 |
| Ebony Gooden | Mentorship for young black artists via Black Kid Joy Project | $5,880 |
| Ethnik Festival | Ethnik Festival 2021 | $35,000 |
| University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine | Indigenous Mural Project Phase 1 – Development of Advisory Committee | $5,000 |
| Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation | Black History Month Activation Event | $5,800 |
| Jenny Li | Research and Engagement Project | $2,500 |
| Jessica McMann | Indigenous Classical Music CD Tour | $10,000 |
| Jillian Sudayan | Sing With Nanay Filipino Children’s Music Videos and Educational Resources | $2,500 |
| Kadra Yusuf | Research and writing for philosophy/comedy sketch | $2,500 |
| Michele Decottignies | The 4 R’s Project | $10,000 |
| Migrante Alberta Association | Integrated Theatre Workshop | $2,800 |
| Mini Thnî Dancers | Rehearsals and Performances | $10,000 |
| Nurgul Rodriquez Del Ojo | Urban Potter: Out of Place as part of the 2020 Biennial of Contemporary Art | $3,500 |
| Pink Flamingo | Chinatown Mural – Engagement | $30,000 |
| Potential Place | Arts Program – Pilot Project | $10,000 |
| Scholastica Makanjuola | Album Recording | $6,000 |
| Senior’s Acting Lab | More Than a Number Tour | $5,122 |
| Sikolohiyang Pilipino Collective | Diaspora Dialogues with the Filipinx Community in Alberta: Documenting our History, Presence and Future in Alberta and Canada. | $2,500 |
| Tarrence Evans (aka DJ Stagez) | Mosaic of Black Identity – Album and Music Video Creation | $10,000 |
| Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth | New Tribe Magazine: Special Edition | $40,000 |
| Woezo Africa Music & Dance Theatre | Woezo Cultural Festival and Black Arts Development Workshops | $26,000 |
The Cultural Activation Fund emerged from City Council’s November 2018 motion with the intent to connect to economic and tourism indicators and outcomes.
In 2019, Calgary Arts Development experimented with the Cultural Activation Fund to be as adaptive and experimental as possible to learn how best to invest these funds. Learning from the first year, we focused our 2020 investments on opportunities aligned with Calgary’s Music City Strategy, Downtown Strategy, Winter Strategy, and the Creative Economy Strategy by funding 38 organizations and artists through a combination of grants and sponsorships.
| Organization or Artist | Opportunity | Grant Amount |
| Business/Arts | artsvest | $37,500 |
| National Music Centre | Rock the Nation | $33,500 |
| cSPACE | $200,000 | |
| Energy Future Labs | Artists Scenario Retreat | $2,500 |
| Sally Trush | Joyce Doolittle Memorial Project | $5,000 |
| Indefinite Arts | Merger Support | $44,000 |
| Music Mile | Friday Nights Live | $26,250 |
| Springboard Performance | containR Support | $14,500 |
| GLOWyyc | $35,000 | |
| Vertigo Theatre | COVID Adaptation | $50,000 |
| Three Left Feet | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $6,000 |
| Exposure Photography Festival | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $2,500 |
| Stagehand/Lumin Arts | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $13,500 |
| Promoting Artists Redefining Kulture Foundation | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $37,875 |
| MAUD | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $15,000 |
| Kris Demeanor | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $3,750 |
| Curbside Concerts | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $4,500 |
| Music Mile | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $4,500 |
| Luminous Voices | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $2,700 |
| Michèle Moss | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $9,000 |
| Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $11,250 |
| Quest Theatre | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $7,500 |
| Yama no Oto | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $2,250 |
| Lougheed House | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $11,250 |
| WP Puppet Theatre | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $1,050 |
| Calgary Animated Objects Society | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $6,300 |
| project projekt | Chinook Blast Arts Grants | $26,250 |
| Carol Thornton | Energy Futures Lab Artist | $750 |
| Heather Osborne | Energy Futures Lab Artist | $750 |
| Ireke Amoji | Energy Futures Lab Artist | $750 |
| Jaclyn Adomeit | Energy Futures Lab Artist | $750 |
| Jason Rothery | Energy Futures Lab Artist | $750 |
| Lee Cookson | Energy Futures Lab Artist | $750 |
| Paulo Da Costa | Energy Futures Lab Artist | $750 |
| Sarah Graham | Energy Futures Lab Artist | $750 |
The Changemaker Grant invests in artists and organizations who are using their art to make change in their community. Our Cultural Instigator Program and our Trico Changemaker partnership are funded from the program.
The intention of this program is to partner with the community to use art to create conversation and solutions to our communities most challenging problems. The grants fund both the artists as well as the projects that emerge from these initiatives.
| Organization or Artist | Opportunity | Grant Amount |
| Jacqueline Aquines | Anti-Rasicm Town Hall | $150 |
| Jessica McMann | Anti-Rasicm Town Hall | $150 |
| Toyin Lafenwa Oladele | Anti-Rasicm Town Hall | $150 |
| Trico Changemakers Studio | $20,000 | |
| Adora Nwofor | YYC on Purpose | $10,000 |
| Dave Kelly | YYC on Purpose | $10,000 |
| Jenna Rodgers | YYC on Purpose | $10,000 |
| Jacqueline Aquines | Cultural Instigator Program | $5,000 |
| Priscille Bukasa | Cultural Instigator Program | $5,000 |
| Kelli Rae Morningbull | Cultural Instigator Program | $5,000 |
| Jamar Akeem Sterling | Cultural Instigator Program | $5,000 |
| Pamela Tzeng | Cultural Instigator Program | $5,000 |
| Jarret Quentin Twoyoungmen | Cultural Instigator Program | $5,000 |
| Elijah Wells | Cultural Instigator Program | $5,000 |
| Omatta Udalor | Cultural Instigator Program | $5,000 |
| Wunmi Idowu | Cultural Instigator Program | $5,000 |
| Jared Darcy Tailfeathers | Cultural Instigator Program | $5,000 |
Calgary Arts Development partnered with the Rozsa Foundation to provide one-time online programming grants to individual artists, artist collectives, and registered non-profit arts organizations.
In 2020, 29 projects were funded to a total of $151,270.73 through Calgary Arts Development’s contribution. For more information about this program, visit the Rozsa Foundation COVID-19 Programs announcement page.
| Artist, Collective or Organization | Type | Grant Amount |
| Autumn Whiteway | Artist | $4,000 |
| Calgary Chinese Orchestra | Organization | $4,440 |
| Calgary Clown Society | Collective | $4,000 |
| Calgary Underground Film Festival | Organization | $15,000 |
| Casa Mexico | Organization | $5,000 |
| Chromatic Theatre | Organization | $4,945 |
| Cindy Calderon | Artist | $500 |
| CJSW 90.9 FM | Organization | $15,000 |
| Drum Beat – Richard Sparvier | Collective | $4,000 |
| Exposure Photography Festival | Organization | $5,000 |
| Geraldine Fuenmayor & Cecilia Barboza | Collective | $3,995 |
| Greet the Day Collective | Collective | $4,000 |
| Janey Luc-German | Artist | $4,000 |
| Javier Vilalta | Artist | $4,000 |
| Jupiter Theatre | Organization | $13,500 |
| Karen Johnson-Diamond | Artist | $3,500 |
| Katie Green | Artist | $4,000 |
| Kunji Mark Ikeda | Artist | $2,750 |
| Lindsay Bowman | Artist | $3,884.73 |
| Louise Casemore | Artist | $4,000 |
| Mike Czuba, Tim Nguyen & Wil Knoll | Collective | $4,000 |
| Seities Studio | Organization | $3,700 |
| Seniors’ Acting Lab | Collective | $2,451 |
| Sharon Stevens | Artist | $4,000 |
| Skye Louis | Artist | $1,905 |
| The Field Work Collective | Collective | $4,000 |
| Theatre BSMT | Organization | $4,500 |
| THIRD ACTion Film Festival | Organization | $13,200 |
| Vicki Van Chau | Artist | $4,000 |
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