GRATEFUL FOR GROWTH
Reflections from cSPACE’s Report to Community 2025: Celebrating Impact and Imagining the Future
May 21, 2025 – cSPACE Projects hosted its annual Report to Community event on May 21, 2025, to celebrate a year full of activity, share a glimpse of future directions, and spark conversation among community-builders and audiences alike.
The afternoon gathering brought together artists, supporters, and civic leaders in cSPACE’s Studio Theatre—a venue that breathes creativity and collaboration.
Year in Review: Highlights from the CEO and Board
Rooted in the belief that vibrant cities thrive on creativity, we remain committed to empowering artists, non-profits, and entrepreneurs through transformative spaces and programs.
Our recap of key milestones and impactful moments reiterates our belief that creative spaces are more than just venues—they are catalysts for community connection, job creation, and entrepreneurship.
➡️ View the Community Highlights Report
The presentation also featured a warm acknowledgment of artists, patrons, and community members by our new Board Chair, John W. Masters, and a sneak peek at the preliminary designs for the Historic Fire Hall No. 1 & North West Travellers Feasibility Project –Learn more here
A Panel of Powerful Voices: Artists, Patrons, and the City’s Future
The heart of the event was a panel discussion built around four powerful questions designed to inspire big thinking:
- How do you define vibrancy?
- What does a heritage building give us?
- What is the relationship between artists and infrastructure?
- How do you want to feel as you walk around Calgary 25 years from now?
Moderated by songwriter and community connector Kenna Burima, the panel explored these questions through the lens of lived experience—as artists, parents, and passionate advocates for Calgary’s dynamic arts scene.
The heartfelt conversation led to several key reflections, inviting the audience to draw their own connections:
The power of arts patronage: The arts don’t just entertain—they challenge, provoke, and inspire. This is a beautiful reminder of why artists create.
The value of heritage spaces: Preserving and repurposing heritage buildings creates spaces for inspiration, research, and sustainable artistic practice.
A city personified: Panelists explored Calgary as a living character—imagining its aspirations, vulnerabilities, and potential.
The need for intuitive support systems: Building a thriving arts community means aligning all levels of government and economic structures to understand and champion the artist’s role.
A generational lens: Viewed through the eyes of parents, the conversation reminded us that the city we build today should be accessible to all those that will inherit it tomorrow.
Thank you to our panelists: Irene and Walt Deboni (Chinook Historical Society), Precious de Leon (Alexandra Writers’ Society, Writer & Community Engagement Director), Deeter Schurig (cSPACE Projects, President & CEO), Thom Mahler (Calgary’s Downtown Strategy Director).
A Musical Moment to Remember
The evening closed with a spark of magic as Kenna Burima took to the piano and began singing the nostalgic “Hello Calgary” jingle, made famous in the 1980s. To everyone’s delight, the room joined in—bridging memory, place, and presence through the joy of collective creativity..
Thank you to everyone who showed up—not just to the event, but to the ongoing work of building a creative, connected, and courageous city.
Event on the Media: ‘cSPACE moving into growth phase with new developments on the horizon‘ – Live Wire – May 22, 2025
