Free This Week
From light installations to powerful moments of reflection, September is not slowing down as it comes to an end. Wander through Night Light in Victoria Park, take in a cultural showcase, mark National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and more with this week’s free arts roundup!
Mural Unveiling/Celebration
September 25, 2025, 1 – 2pm
Calgary Creekside Shopping Plaza (12600 Symons Valley Rd. NW)
Free to attend
Check out the unveiling of a new mural by local artist Elena Bushan. This large-scale artwork celebrates Calgary’s rich ranching heritage, diverse communities and breathtaking natural landscapes. Hear from the artist and enjoy complimentary ice cream, games and more.
http://cada.at/48kQph0
Night Light
September 25 – 27, 2025, 6 – 11pm
Victoria Park (see website for locations)
Free to attend
Night Light is a three-night celebration that transforms the Victoria Park neighbourhood with dazzling light art, interactive installations, projection mapping and live performances. Visit one location or make your way to all of them at this immersive festival that sparks imagination, community and wonder.
nightlightvicpark.webflow.io
Marda Loop Night Market
September 26, 2025, 5 – 10pm
34 Ave. SW between 18 & 19 St. SW)
Free to explore
Stop by Marda Loop Night Market as it closes out its 2025 run. Visit the trendy neighbourhood to shop the latest in handmade, vintage and one-of-a-kind goods, with food trucks and live music too!
mardaloopnightmarket.ca
Studio Tour with Luis Agudelo
September 26, 2025, 6pm
cSPACE Marda Loop (1721 29 Ave. SW)
Free to attend
Step inside the creative world of artist Luis Agudelo. Presented by the Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation and the Calgary Allied Arts Foundation, this open studio tour invites you to experience Agudelo’s practice up close.
eventbrite.ca
The Integrity of a Story by Jenie Gao — Opening Reception
September 26, 2025, 7 – 9pm
Alberta Printmakers (460 42 Ave. SE)
Free to explore
An exhibition exploring memory, displacement and storytelling through intimate and mythic family narratives — experience Gao’s powerful reflections on personal history and collective understanding.
albertaprintmakers.com
Alberta Culture Days at Genesis Centre
September 26 & 27, 2025, 4 – 5pm (Fri) & 12 – 3pm (Sat)
Genesis Centre (7555 Falconridge Blvd. NE)
Free to attend
Celebrate Alberta Culture Days at Genesis Centre with two days of art and community connection. Enjoy the unveiling of the Weaving Community Project on September 26 and a lively showcase of visual arts, crafts and performances on September 27.
genesis-centre.ca
Sunalta Fall Market
September 27, 2025, 12 – 5pm
Sunalta Community Hall (1627 10 Ave. SW)
Free to explore
Join Easy Days Pop-Up Markets for its last event of 2025. These markets showcase local designers, artists, creators, clothing curators and more — explore local vendors and enjoy live music!
instagram.com
Serious Family Fun
September 27, 2025, 1 – 3pm
Mamdani Opera Centre (1315 7 St. SW)
Free to attend, registration required
Serious Family Fun invites all ages to create opera magic together with storytelling, puppetry, crafts and more. Every event is a one-of-a-kind adventure.
calgaryopera.com
Artist Talk with Mackenzie Kelly-Frère
September 27, 2025, 2 – 3:30pm
Alberta Craft Gallery, cSPACE Marda Loop (1721 29 Ave. SW)
Free to attend
Join Alberta Craft Gallery for an artist talk with fibre artist Mackenzie Kelly-Frère, exploring his creative journey and current exhibition, Drawn. The afternoon also features an introduction to Alberta fibre art by curator Tak Pham and a guided tour of the show.
albertacraft.ab.ca
The Stein Show
September 27, 2025, 5 – 9pm
Village Brewery (5000 12a St. SE)
Free to attend
The Alberta Potters’ Association and Village Brewery present a juried exhibition of handcrafted steins, featuring categories from wheel-thrown to handbuilt. Enjoy a beer, browse stunning ceramics and take home a one-of-a-kind stein.
albertapottersassociation.org
Free Wall YYC Final Jam
September 27, 2025, 6 – 10pm
The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland (750 9 Ave. SE)
Free to attend
Enjoy the final day of this pilot project featuring a drop-in graffiti jam, a hip-hop showcase hosted by Tribe Artist Society, local artisan vendors, and drop-in arts activities hosted by Alcove.
theconfluence.ca
Beyond the Postcard: Cuba’s Untold Stories
September 27, 2025, 7pm
SpanicArts (131 6 Ave. SW)
Free to attend, tickets required
Beyond the Postcard shares Cuba’s untold stories of humour, pain and resilience through the artistry of Afro-Cuban Canadian creator Hebert Poll Gutiérrez. Blending film, puppetry, poetry and animation, this 60-minute live show invites audiences to witness and act on a powerful piece of human history.
eventbrite.com
Culture Connect Festival
September 28, 2025, 12 – 4pm
Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre (197 1 St. SW)
Free to attend
Experience cultural heritage displays, food, arts activities and live performances at this vibrant indoor showcase presented by the Canada International Exchange & Collaboration Association.
facebook.com
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at Werklund Centre
September 30, 2025 (see website for schedule)
Werklund Centre (205 8 Ave. SE)
Free to attend, registration required
Join Werklund Centre (formerly Arts Commons) to reflect, learn and honour survivors of the residential school system. Events include an art tour and talk, Indigenous Makers Market & Pow Wow Showcase, Echoes of the Land performance, and an evening ceremony with the Elders Story Project.
werklundcentre.ca
Orange Shirt Day at The Confluence
September 30, 2025, 10am – 5pm
The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland (750 9 Ave. SE)
Free to attend
This day is intended to honour the children who never returned home and the survivors of residential schools, as well as to recognize the inter-generational impacts of residential schools. Take part through Indigenous storytelling, tours and other programming.
theconfluence.ca
We Are All Treaty People
September 30, 2025, 12:30, 2:30 and 6:30pm
The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland (750 9 Ave. SE)
Free to attend
The Confluence and Quest Theatre present We Are All Treaty People, a play that shares the story of Treaty 7 through song, movement, puppetry and storytelling. Following a Trickster and two young girls, the performance explores friendship, history and reconciliation.
theconfluence.ca
ProArts@Noon: Rob Hunter and friends, Indigenous Opera excerpts
October 1, 2025, 12:10 – 1pm
Cathedral Church of the Redeemer (604 1 St. SE)
Free to attend
Hear new arias and works by Indigenous composer Rob Hunter. Hunter is joined by Ethan Hill and friends, offering a select preview of Hunter’s newest expressions, including those from his opera Sakochitwa.
proartssociety.ca
Documenting the Self: The World of Diary Films with Armando Salazar
October 1, 2025, 7 – 9pm
Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (100, 10 Ave. SW)
Free to attend, registration required
The “Diary Film” is a form of personal cinema that connects us to reality and deepens self-understanding. In this lecture and Q&A, filmmaker Armando Salazar explores the genre’s roots, techniques and his own ongoing archive of footage.
csif.org
New Views
Ongoing
AFA Art House (2nd floor, 150 9 Ave. SW)
Free to explore
This exhibition in the Alberta Foundation for the Arts’ recently opened Calgary gallery space features many pieces on public display for the first time, showcasing the diversity and creativity of Alberta’s artistic identity.
affta.ab.ca
Have a free event that’s not listed? Email us at events@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or fill out this form.
