Arts & Culture plan and budget
Arts & Culture leads and invests in the development of vibrant and creative communities. We are champions of a revitalized downtown, encouraging economic development and diversification. Through investment in creative industries, we position Calgary as a global city. We provide equitable arts and culture access to Calgarians, visitors and the artists who create the work. We support the production and delivery of festivals and events; provide grants to local artists and organizations; commission, acquire and maintain public art with Calgary Arts Development; plan publicly accessible art and cultural spaces; and support visual, cultural and performing arts programming.
Our customers
- residents
- tourists
- festival attendees, organizers and industry
- community and cultural groups
- arts organizations
- cultural development fund recipients
- sector and industry customers (film)
Our partners
- Festival and event organizers
- Civic partners
- Short-term project partners
- Community contributors
- Business Improvement Areas
- Grant recipients
- Other City of Calgary business units
Value to Calgarians
- draws talent, tourism and diverse industries to our city
- festivals, events, visual arts and cultural experiences
- individuals and communities can express themselves through artistic creation and representation
What we deliver
- Development of the arts and culture sector through strategy creation, and program development and implementation.
- Funding and guidance to organizations for programs, initiatives and infrastructure.
- Produce and support festivals and events.
- Offer visual and performing arts programming.
Budget breakdown
Operating and capital budgets explained
The City develops two budgets to create impact aligned with Council’s Strategic Direction:
- The four-year (2023-2026) operating plans and budgets
- The five-year (2023-2027+) capital plans and budgets
The operating budget includes revenues, recoveries and spending related to ongoing operations. These include:
- Salaries, wages and benefits.
- Day to day programs, maintenance and services.
- Administration costs (e.g., insurance).
- Fuel
- Utilities
- Capital financing costs.
The City's total net operating budget is zero. This means we budget to collect the revenue needed to deliver services to Calgarians — no more, no less. We collect this revenue through property taxes and other sources.
The capital budget pays for long-lived assets. These provide the foundation for the services Calgarians rely on. They include:
- Maintenance of current infrastructure (e.g., bridges, buildings and playgrounds).
- Upgrades to existing community infrastructure.
- New infrastructure to provide services in areas that are underserved (e.g., Green Line).
- New infrastructure for growing areas of the city.
Learn more about our 2023-2026 Service Plans and Budgets.
See how the budget has been adjusted since November 2022
Measuring performance
We are measuring our performance in five areas. Each value is the goal we expect to reach by 2026.
What we've heard
The 2022 Spring Pulse Survey indicates Arts & Culture, including festivals, are important to Calgarians. Eight in ten (81 per cent) say that support for arts and culture is important, and 81 per cent are satisfied with arts and culture support. Three-quarters (76 per cent) of Calgarians note enjoying arts and culture is a main reason to visit the downtown. Most Calgarians (63 per cent) think a strong arts and culture sector is key to creating a vibrant city, and 58 per cent believe public art helps create a sense of belonging. The arts are becoming more accessible, but there is room for improvement; 56 per cent of Calgarians rate the availability of arts programs and events as good or excellent, up from 50 per cent in 2020.
Participate and view results of City researchWhat we're watching
- Economic trends - Financial hardships and insolvencies, due to reduced revenues, create a long-term impairment in Calgary's cultural sector. Supporting economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic is needed to restore and grow participation and attendance at festivals, events, and arts and culture activities.
- Global City - Calgary’s economy needs to diversify. To attract new business, new talent, and retain young people, Calgary must position itself as a desirable place to live and invest.
- Equity and Truth and Reconciliation - There is a global cultural shift centering equity, diversity, and inclusion. Arts and culture is a conduit to reflect, respond and drive these changes.
Our initiatives
What we plan to do
We will focus on developing vibrant and creative communities, supporting a diverse, thriving economy and revitalizing downtown through investment in creative industries that will provide Calgarians with equitable access to arts and culture experiences.
How we're going to get there
- Support year-round meaningful cultural experiences by progressing the promotion of the Winter City and Eventful City strategies.
- Support our partners in the film and creative industries by progressing the film friendly strategy.
- Support economic, social and cultural opportunities downtown through Arts & Culture initiatives by investing in partners.
- Invest in Calgary’s cultural future through supporting Calgary and Chinatown Cultural Plans.
- Increase equitable access to festivals and events by delivering low-cost and no-cost festivals, events, and programming directly and with our partners.