EdmontonArtsCouncil
What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Take part in a Filipino Parol (Star Lantern) workshop at the Collins Studio Gallery, celebrate the season and the opening of the City Hall skating rink with live music, performances and family-friendly activities at Bright Light Skate Night, treat yourself to a wide variety of music that spans cultures and time at A Very Cosmopolitan Christmas Concert: Around the World, join EPL’s Featured Artist Leila Zolfalipour for Mosaic of Being, an engaging artist talk and hands-on workshop, enjoy a matinee performance of swing era favourites and unique arrangements of modern pop tunes at The Jivin’ Belles Christmas, and so much more!
message from the ceo
To our valued community,
I’m grateful for the opportunity to connect with you and share an update on where we are today, and how we plan to continue serving you in future.
2025 has been a busy and rewarding year for the Edmonton Arts Council (EAC) and our vibrant arts community. Among the highlights of our 30th anniversary year was the installation of the 300th artwork in the City of Edmonton Public Art Collection: Piney’s Playground by AJA Louden. We also celebrated national and local recognition for UGOand A Mischief of Could Be(s) by Red Knot Studio, and we proudly welcomed our new Poet Laureate, the remarkable Medgine Mathurin. I want to take a moment to thank all of the staff at EAC who managed these projects, and many more programs, grant processes, events and relationships in 2025.
This year also brought significant achievements for many Edmonton-based organizations. Ukrainian Shumka Dancers and the Brian Webb Dance Company were inducted into the Dance Collection Danse Hall of Fame—a well-deserved national honour. Local choir Belle Canto earned the highest mark ever awarded at the International Choir Festival in Provence, France, and went on to win the 2025 Grand Prix (catch them at one of our ETS pop-ups at Churchill Station from 5–7 pm this Saturday, December 6!).
While there is much to celebrate, there is also important work ahead to ensure the long-term stability of our artists and organizations. Despite increasing demand, EAC funding has remained static in recent years. As a result, we have been unable to increase support for individuals or organizations, and our success rates have declined. You may have noticed changes to the application process for organizations this year, including requests for additional data. This information will help us make a stronger, evidence-based case for increased arts funding in the next City budget cycle. Our Economic Impact report released this summer is already helping demonstrate the strong return on investment that the arts provide. In 2026, the EAC’s board will be a crucial part of this work, and I thank them for their expertise and volunteer time in 2025. We appreciate your patience and partnership as we continue this critical advocacy.
To all of our local artists, arts and culture organizations, arts professionals, and arts supporters: we appreciate you. Our relationship with you is our top priority, and we look forward to continuing to work on your behalf in 2026.
As always, please feel free to reach out to our staff with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your contributions to Edmonton’s arts and culture landscape in 2025.
— Renée Williams
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What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Browse a selection of art from local artisans at the Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts’ Christmas Night Market, join the Accord Ensemble for a cozy night of music at Silver and Shadow - Winter choral concert, enjoy and evening of original Christmas songs and hidden-gem indie-folk covers at Christmas in the Gingerbread Pines, experience the eclectic lineup of performers at the Collins Studio Gallery 5th Annual benefit for Edmonton’s Food Bank, and so much more!
What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Attend a screening of award-winning film Meadowlarks at Metro Cinema, catch the return of Rapid Fire’s fan-favourite Christmas tradition at The Blank Who Stole Christmas, step into a dreamy late-night art party at SNAP’s Print Affair: The Dream Parlour, embark on a dance and digital art journey at
MOSAÏCO, enjoy an interactive family-friendly twist on the holiday classic at A Kidsmas Carol, spend a magical afternoon at the Festival Singers’ holiday concert Songs of the Season, join Vocal Alchemy for a program inspired by Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, and so much more!
What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Experience a gripping gothic melodrama at The Castle Spectre, join artist Michelle Campos Castillo for a piñata-making workshop at Latitude 53, catch a free screening of three episodes of Telus StoryHive funded docuseries The Only Girl In The Gym, transport yourself to the mid-1950s in David van Belle’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol at the Citadel, support immediate relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Melissa at the Rise for Jamaica – Benefit Concert, join the WindRose Trio for their concert So Happy I Could Dance at the Highlands United Church, and so much more!
What's on in Edmonton this weekend?Embark on a shopping adventure at the Carrot Christmas Arts Bazaar, A Very Indigenous Holiday Market, or the Fall Métis Market,
join Concrete Theatre for their kid-friendly public performances of Celestial Being, attend a special artist talk and reception at Gallery@501 for Dan Xu’s Ink Horizons: East to West, catch a screening of The Edmonton Storyteller - The Life and Times of Tony Cashman at the Broad View International Film Festival, kick off the season with a night of winter celebration at All Is Bright 2025, join Wild Skies Press for the Edmonton launch of Kim Mannix’s debut poetry collection, Confirm Humanity, and so much more!
What's on in Edmonton this weekend?Join the Cadmium Art Collective for a cozy day of creativity at their Winter Art Market at Orange Hall, attend the world première of a holiday musical for the whole family based on Stuart McLean’s beloved Vinyl Café stories at the Citadel, stop by Alberta Craft to see Deanne Underwood’s exhibition A Softer Gaze that celebrates the evocative terrain of Western Canada, join author Erin McDougall at Audreys for the Edmonton launch of the Christmas series Can We Fly Tonight?, attend the reading of EDEN by Fran Kimmel and directed by Mieko Ouchi at November’s Script Salon, and so much more!
What's on in Edmonton this weekend?Celebrate the launch of Cruising the Downtown: Celebrating Edmontons Queer History at EVO on Jasper Ave, experience the heart and soul of Mexico at Eternal Love: A Mariachi Tribute to Día de los Muertos, join the Mill Creek Colliery Band for their first concert of the 2025 – 2026 Season with an evening of all Canadian music, step into a world where the eerie meets the irresistible at Fruit Loop’s Spooky Spectacular, enjoy the timeless tale of Peter and the Wolf at Symphony for Kids featuring the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and so much more!
What's on in Edmonton this weekend?Join Amber Wilton (Sincria) to get your signed copy of her new Manga Spectrum Trigger! Volume 1, come and work on your DIY Halloween costumes and cozy fall projects at Latitude 53’s Crafter-ween, step into the shadows this Halloween season as The Sinner’s Cabaret at the Starlite Room, attend the ultimate Halloween house party packed with 90s nostalgia, fog, bold costumes, and unexpected twists at the AGA’s Refinery: Jumpscare, join Northern Lights Folk Club for their presentation of Russell deCarle, celebrate two major milestones for the Edmonton Winds at Close to Home, enjoy a great night of live music to celebrate the rich legacy of the Blues in Edmonton with the 2025 Blues Hall of Fame Inductees, and so much more!
What's on in Edmonton this weekend?Kick off Ballet Edmonton’s 14th season with their performance of SIREN, explore various mixed media techniques at a workshop with artist Doris Charest, enjoy an unforgettable weekend of indie cinema and red carpet moments at the 2025 Edmonton Short Film Festival, check out the funny and heartfelt memoir of a married comedy duo at the Citadel’s production of Big Stuff, celebrate the release Gail Sidonie Sobat’s book Songs From This and That Country at Audreys Books, and so much more!
What's on in Edmonton this weekend?Check out the Creative Wellness Forum for a weekend devoted to arts, healing, and wellness, enjoy an engaging art exhibition and film screening at the closing celebration of Same, Same but Different: Exploring Our Shared Worth, get into spooky season with Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin live on stage performing their score to Dario Argento’s Giallo classic: SUSPIRIA!, attend the book launch of Understory by Kevin Van Tighem and enjoy the lyricism of and candour of a seasoned storyteller, join | THE EXISTence | for an exclusive album launch party at Festival Place, and so much more!
What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Learn all about the art of stiltwalking at the 3rd Annual Canadian National Stilt Symposium, experience the tradition and brilliance of Viter Ukrainian Dancers and Folk Choir as they mark 30 remarkable years with Threads of Hope, join the Don Berner Big Band and the Dixieland Jazz Society of Alberta for I Remember Louis; The Music of Louis Armstrong featuring Joel Gray, enjoy an evening of music connecting to the earth and our emotional experiences of climate change featuring Amanda Penner, Asiah Holm, Benjamin Longman, Emmet Michael, and Lajla Jean, and so much more!
What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Experience Alberta Culture Days with family-friendly programming at numerous venues including the Citadel, Royal Alberta Museum, Art Gallery of Alberta, and Churchill Square, find your next great read at the Harvest Book Fair, celebrate the diversity and unity of Filipino culture at Sama-sama Kultura, kick off Rodeo
Week with live entertainment at the EDBA Block Party, commemorate 40 years of the Alberta Playwrights’ Network with play readings from award winning Alberta playwrights, enjoy an evening of music under the stars with David Jay The Spaniard and the Edmonton Pops Orchestra, check out the Play the Fool Festival for a weekend full of clown theatre and physical comedy, and so much more!
