Walking Together: Arts, Allyship, and Truth on Treaty 7

Monday, September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Across Moh’kinsstis/Calgary and beyond, this day invites us to reflect on the histories, cultures, and languages of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, and to reckon with the ongoing impacts of Residential Schools that continue to shape families and communities today.

Orange Shirt Day is also recognized on September 30. This Indigenous-led movement began with Survivor Phyllis Webstad’s story of her orange shirt taken on her first day at St. Joseph Mission Residential School. The orange shirt has since become a powerful symbol of “Every Child Matters,” carrying both remembrance and a shared commitment to a future rooted in justice, respect, and hope.

For cSPACE, as a creative placemaker on Treaty 7 territory, this day is a call to deepen our relationships within Calgary’s arts community, to listen, learn, and act alongside Indigenous partners and artists who guide us toward meaningful reconciliation.

IMAGE: Nathan Meguinis’ We Are All Treaty People – created in partnership with BUMP and muralist Doug Driediger

In Calgary’s arts community, we’re honoured to steward projects where Indigenous voices lead:

  • Nathan Meguinis’ We Are All Treaty People – created in partnership with BUMP and muralist Doug Driediger – reimagines a colonial image into a conversation between Chief Bullhead and King Edward VII. Magpies in flight carry ribbons for the children lost to residential schools, inviting all of us to move from history toward hope. View this mural on the North side of cSPACE Marda Loop
  • Indigenous-led art collective ARTICLE 11’s fireWORKS transformed Historic Fire Hall #1 and the North West Travellers Building with multimedia projections of stampeding buffalo and midway crowds. Accompanied by blessings, spoken word, and live music, the installation proves that vacant heritage spaces can become powerful sites of Indigenous storytelling and community gathering. fireWORKS is viewable until the end of March.
  • Poet’s Walk, featuring Dr. Leroy Little Bear, Kris Demeanor, and Clara Anne Johnson, threads words of land, memory, and renewal through our campus, grounding creativity in place and history. Pass through the Poet’s Walk on the west side of cSPACE Marda Loop.

 

These works aren’t endpoints, they’re invitations. We’ll continue building partnerships that expand inclusion, equity, and access for Indigenous artists and audiences across Moh’kinsstis/Calgary.

 

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Community Events:

Explore and support community-led gatherings across Calgary that honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Attending local events is a meaningful way to listen, learn, and stand alongside Indigenous neighbours. If you can, consider wearing an orange shirt purchased from a local Indigenous vendor to show your support for the Every Child Matters movement.

 

  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at Werklund Centre
      1. Indigenous Makers Market & Pow Wow Showcase
        1. Jack Singer Concert Hall Lobby | September 30, 11 am – 5 pm
      2. Werklund Centre Gallery Talks & Tours
        1. Meet at Centre Court | September 30, hourly starting at 12, 1 & 2 pm (Registration required)
      3. Echoes of the Land
        1. Engineered Air Theatre | September 30, 5:30 – 6:30 pm (Tickets free but required)
      4. Elders Story Project
        1. Jack Singer Concert Hall | September 30, 7:30 – 9:30 pm (Tickets free but required)
  • Calgary Public Library in Partnership with The University of Calgary
      1. Film Screening of Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man
        1. Central Library | September 29, 6:00 pm
      2. Author Talk: Angela Sterritt
        1. Eckhardt-Grammatté Hall, UCalgary Campus | September 30, 12:30 pm 
      3. Indigenous Placemaking 
        1. Explore Indigenous Placemaking installations by artists connected to Treaty 7 at the following Library locations: Central, Crowfoot, Fish Creek, Forest Lawn, Judith Umbach, Saddletowne, Seton, Shawnessy, Signal Hill, and Village Square libraries. | September 30, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
      1. Confluence Historic Site & Parkland | September 30, 9 – 10:30 am
      1. Confluence Historic Site & Parkland | September 30, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm & 6:30 pm
    2. Pokaiks Commemorative Walk
      1. Reconciliation Walk |  begins at 11:00 A.M. MST from the Peace Bridge (Eau Claire Park side) to Contemporary Calgary. 
      2. Reconciliation Event | begins at 12:00 P.M. MST at Contemporary Calgary
    1. Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre | September 30 at 1pm, Free

 

Learning Resources:

Reconciliation is an ongoing practice, and learning is at its heart. There are many powerful resources to deepen your understanding of Indigenous histories, cultures, and the systemic challenges still faced today. As you begin, or continue, this journey, remember that knowledge and perspectives are always evolving. Staying curious, open, and engaged helps ensure our creative community grows toward lasting change.

  1. Read the Calgary Foundation Indigenous Ally Toolkit
  2. Explore the Indigenous Services and Initiatives by Calgary Public Library
  3. Learn with the Territorial acknowledgement pronunciation guide
  4. Discover the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
  5. Access more resources on the Orange Shirt Society Reconciliation Hub
  6. Read the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
  7. Learn more White Goose Flying: A Report to Calgary City Council on the Indian Residential School Truth and Reconciliation

 

We invite Calgary’s arts community, and everyone who engages with our work, to keep showing up: attend Indigenous-led events, support local creators, and carry these conversations beyond September 30. When we gather around art, story, and shared purpose, we build the vibrant, equitable future our city deserves.