Arts and Culture Spaces
Each year Calgary Arts Development Operating Grant recipients provide information about the hundreds of spaces used to present cultural programming in Calgary. These spaces range from indoor purpose-built spaces like art galleries and theatres, to community spaces such as libraries and schools, as well as outdoor spaces like parks. In 2023, Calgary Arts Development undertook a mapping exercise to visualize where spaces being used for programming are found across Calgary and beyond.
The following map highlights where cultural activity provided by operating grant clients takes place, as well as how it relates to key resources like transportation, and how land use is defined across Calgary.
Map Details
Expand any of the sections below to read more about how to use the interactive features of this map. Double click on each title to review the details.
Legend: Each colour represents a different discipline.
Layers: Turn on and off layers to see more and less information. Use the down arrow beside layer names to see all layer options.
Current layers available include:
Calgary Transit: LRT, BRT and MAX routes
Event Map: This layer includes the arts and culture events produced by Calgary Arts Development Operating Grant recipients
Ward Boundaries: The ward boundaries for The City of Calgary
Community Zones: Types of land use in the City of Calgary
Note: Using this layer it’s easy to see that the largest areas where cultural programming appears to be lacking are actually zoned industrial areas.
Basemap Gallery: Design your own cultural spaces map by changing the underlying map. Remove streets and just see topography, remove underlying information entirely, and more.
Zoom: Zoom in and out to see all the locations Calgary-based arts organizations are sharing their work across the globe!
Filter: Filter by discipline or date to more easily see where specific types of arts activity is taking place.
Home: If you’re zoomed too far out or gotten lost in the map, select home to zoom back in to Calgary.
Beyond These Spaces
The spaces above are only those being used by Operating Grant clients. Many more spaces, both purpose built and those adapted for arts and culture use, are not included here.
In the past, Calgary Arts Development used data from Spacefinder Alberta to identify as many spaces available for arts and culture use as possible. On October 1, 2020, Spacefinder ceased being supported by service provider Fractured Atlas. As a result, Spacefinder Alberta was no longer able to collect data regarding creative spaces in Calgary and across the province. We are working on new ways of sharing data on cultural spaces and look forward to publishing additional space maps soon.
Spaces Resources
For resources on finding, renting and creating arts spaces, visit calgaryartsdevelopment.com/spaces.
Cultural Spaces Infrastructure Report: Strategic Update 2025
Note: This section was updated on June 26, 2025 to reflect the information found on our most recent report.
In 2024, Calgary Arts Development hired AEA Consulting to update its strategic report on cultural spaces in Calgary. The purpose is to help ensure that the needs and preferences of Calgarians for cultural space are addressed over the next 10 years through development of a more responsive, coordinated and effective ‘infrastructure’ of partnerships, policies, granting and other space-related program
The objectives included updating information on the challenges facing existing venues, planned capital projects, trends and opportunities for supporting a diversity of arts and culture spaces, critically reviewing progress since the 2017 plan (Building on our Momentum: Arts and Culture Infrastructure), and providing actionable recommendations. Overall, this strategic update aims to support both the sustainability of existing venues and the development of a new generation of Calgary’s arts and culture spaces over the next 10 years.
The Cultural Spaces Infrastructure report and framework for action will inform Calgary Arts Development’s next strategic plan. Calgary Arts Development will work with the City of Calgary and other key partners to identify which priority areas and recommendations from this third-party report will be actioned through policy advocacy, funding requests, and strategic planning.
You can find an executive summary of the report as well as a more detailed look at the major findings during this study and the proposed framework for action, here.