How often do you sit down to ponder what you love about culture in Calgary? Well most people never dwell on the subject at all, but on Oct. 3 and 4, 2010, 100 Calgarians gathered to do just that.
The group of panelists itself was very diverse, ranging from authors, poets, singers, playwrights, filmmakers and artists to businessmen, lawyers, art/heritage enthusiasts, seniors and youth; just to name a few. What was very exciting to see was that the group was from a diverse and pluralistic background; very much a representation of a Canadian culture and society. They all gathered in the Boyce Theatre at Stampede Park to talk about themes surrounding “Calgary 2012.” Although no one in this very diverse group knew each other, they all shared a love for Calgary’s spirit and a passion for the arts.
So what’s so special about 2012? No, these esteemed people didn’t spend two days talking about the world ending. Calgary is entering a bid between others cities to become the Culture Capital of Canada in 2012. This coincides with the fact that 2012 is a key year in Calgary’s Cultural history as some of the city’s cornerstones including the Calgary Stampede, City of Calgary Recreation, the Calgary Public Library, the Pumphouse and GRAND Theatre all celebrate their one hundredth year anniversaries. The idea of the symposium was to generate ideas about what culture in Calgary should look like in 2012, which proved to be no small feat. After all, everyone’s idea of culture was different and no one wasted any time expressing their ideas concerning art, music, sports, education, technology and a plethora of other subjects.
The weekend started out with some the opportunity to listen to a few amazing guest speakers including the Honourable Lindsay Blackett, Minister of Culture and Community Spirit, David Pierce, recent Emmy Award winner, and a performance by the Calgary artist Michael Bernard Fitzgerald. The rest of the weekend was spent sitting in small groups and discussing “World Café Style” the main goals of the weekend. The questions discussed included: “What do we want to achieve as a city for Calgary in 2012,” “What does the spirit of Calgary in 2012 look and feel like” and “What is Calgary’s story in 2012 – themes and ideas to define Calgary”. Everyone headed on home, minds buzzing with thoughts of the weekend conference, and already looking forward to changes they might see to Calgary in 2012.
On April 18 2011, the Calgary City Council, after much deliberation, announced an increase in funding to Calgary’s 2012 Cultural Capital of Canada bid – municipal support has now been brought to $2 million. Calgary hopes to receive additional funding by winning the Cultural Capital award (the winner is announced in October and will receive up to $2 million dollars in matching federal funds). The bid has already been sent in. Regardless of whether Calgary is coined the winning city; expect to see energy and excitement in 2012 when the celebrations begin!
Please visit www.Calgary2012.com for more information and to stay updated!