Updates Regarding COVID-19

**Please be advised that refunds will be offered to ticket holders for all cancelled Arts Commons Presents performances. Additional options are also available, including donating the value of your tickets or converting it to a gift certificate – please see the March 13, 2020 entry below for details.

For all events that have been postponed, please hold onto your ticket, as this will give you entry to the rescheduled performance. Thank you for your patience during this time.**

If you hold tickets to an event or performance presented by one of our resident companies, please visit the individual company websites to learn more about refund, donation, or gift certificate options. Resident companies include: Alberta Theatre Projects, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Downstage, One Yellow Rabbit, and Theatre Calgary.

August 5, 2020

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, as well as capital work being done while our doors are closed, Arts Commons venues will be closed and unavailable for rentals until the end of November, 2020.

June 18, 2020

While Arts Commons is grateful for the opportunity to start thinking about reopening, we are currently still working with our staff and resident companies on developing a timeline for shows and events to resume safely. Although instrumental concerts are being allowed, there is still the risk that respiratory droplets might carry the COVID-19 virus, making vocal performances particularly challenging. As Canada's third largest arts centre, with several venues and companies housed within our complex, we are particularly focused on how to responsibly guide people through our building attending simultaneous cultural events.



We recognize the essential role that the arts will play in rebuilding our community and celebrating Calgary's resilience. Our main priority throughout this process continues to be the health and wellbeing of our audiences, our staff members, and the artists we are privileged to welcome on our stages.



Quoted in a June 12, 2020 Canadian Press article, our President and CEO stated, “The last thing we want, both as an institution and as a sector, is for a second wave to be traced back to an artistic gathering. That would be devastating.”



Additionally, we need to consider how our business model can work with the required social distancing guidelines and gathering restrictions. The world has changed since March 13, and we must change with it. We remain in close contact with all orders of government, health experts, arts and culture leaders from across North America, our resident companies, and--more importantly--our audiences and community partners, to ensure that Arts Commons remains strong enough to contribute to Calgary's reopening.



In the meantime, we are exploring ways to showcase the arts this summer through outdoor and live-streamed events. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, to keep abreast of what’s to come.

May 28, 2020

On May 15, 2020, the federal government announced an extension to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program to August 29, 2020. In light of this great news, Arts Commons took the decision to keep all salaried employees fully employed at least until the CEWS expires. Currently, the senior management team of Arts Commons is working tirelessly to develop a feasible budget for the 2020-21 season. This is obviously a greater challenge than usual, given the amount of uncertainty ahead.

Additionally, although Arts Commons Presents has yet to announce the new season, and the building remains closed, the decision has been made to extend the flexible refund policy for all Arts Commons Presents events throughout the 2020-21 season.

April 17, 2020

As we have received some inquiries about rescheduled performances, we want our patrons to be reassured that we have relaxed our usual refund policy. We appreciate that the current climate is uncertain and that large gatherings may still not be possible or preferable when a show is rescheduled. We are committed to making your return to Arts Commons an experience you can trust, and are therefore offering ticket holders a flexible refund policy for all Arts Commons Presents shows which include BD&P World Stage, Classic Albums Live, National Geographic Live, PCL Blues, and TD Jazz series performances scheduled up to December 31, 2020.

Should you be unable or hesitant to attend a performance, due to COVID health concerns, your options include:

donating the value of your ticket (for which you would receive a tax receipt)

transferring your ticket value to a gift certificate, or

receiving a refund.

These first two options provide you with the opportunity to support Arts Commons and help us safeguard our long-term sustainability. Should these options not suit your needs, however, you may choose the third option of a refund or apply the funds towards your new subscription for the 2020-21 season. Ultimately, you do not need to decide now. You have up until a week before the rescheduled performance to make the decision. You can communicate your decision by contacting our Ticketing Services team at 403-294-9494. In the meantime, please hold onto your tickets. They will be honoured at the rescheduled performance.

April 3, 2020 - 9am

Today, Arts Commons announced a decision to keep all salaried employees fully employed until June 2020, leveraging the Federal Government’s unprecedented 75% Wage Subsidy Program. While the Arts Commons building remains closed to the public, key priorities continue to be: following the protocols required to keep the community safe through the COVID-19 pandemic, finding ways to keep financially stable, and supporting our employees while preparing for eventual recovery. See the full Media Release for more details.

March 27, 2020 - 5pm

The Provincial Government introduced further restrictions limiting gatherings to less than 15 people and closure of all non-essential businesses. The Arts Commons building will therefore remain closed to the public until further notice.

March 22, 2020 - 8:28pm

The City has taken the decision to restrict access to City Hall and is closing the +15’s from City Hall through to the Hyatt. Due to this, the Arts Commons building is now closed to the public for the foreseeable future. The Box Office phone lines remain open with the following hours (subject to change):

Call Centre Hours:

M-F: 9AM - 8PM

Sat: 10AM - 6PM

Sun/Holidays: Closed

March 20, 2020 - 6pm

Arts Commons will be closed for the weekend. The City of Calgary took the decision to close the +15 network for the weekend, and so Arts Commons (one of the main connectors of the +15 network) will follow suit and close as well. The Box Office is still accessible via phone and email on Saturday, but will be closed on Sunday.

March 20, 2020 - 2:25pm

Effective immediately, the Arts Commons Box Office is closed for walk-up service. Our call lines remain open (closed Sundays). Please be reminded that all ticket holders for cancelled shows will be contacted in the coming days. As call volumes remain high, we thank you for your patience. Ticket holders for postponed shows are asked to hold onto their tickets for use when the event is rescheduled.

March 18, 2020 - 11:15am

The Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada have both made announcements with new restrictions on travel and gatherings. Gatherings are now limited to 50 people. Total cases confirmed are now at 569 cases across Canada.

At Arts Commons, our building still remains open with additional hand washing and hand sanitizing stations around the building for our community to use. As the +15 hours have been changed with these pedestrian thoroughfares now closing at 6pm, Arts Commons hours will also change to match. Arts Commons building hours are now 7am - 6pm.

In terms of amenities in the building, Cravings has taken the difficult decision to close for the time being, in order to keep their staff and customers safe.

Arts Commons venues remain closed and all performances have been suspended for the time being.

March 17, 2020 - 4:09pm

The Government of Canada confirmed 424 cases of COVID-19 in the country today, and the Government of Alberta confirmed 23 new cases in Alberta, bringing the total cases in Alberta up to 97.

The City of Calgary declared a state of local emergency yesterday, and today the Government of Alberta declared a provincial state of public emergency under the Public Health Act. Some of the measures include: cancelling events of more than 50 people, including worship gatherings and family events such as weddings and funerals. Students will no longer be attending classes (schools have closed), and all licensed childcare facilities, out-of-school programs, and preschool programs in Alberta have been closed. There can be no attendance at recreation centres, casinos, bingo halls, bars, theatres and other facilities. Sit-down restaurants can remain open at lower capacity.

The Arts Commons building is still open for the time being, with reduced hours of 7am - 7pm. This may change once we learn more from the province. In the meantime, we have added additional hand sanitizing and hand washing stations around the building. All venues in Arts Commons, however, have been closed and all performances and events have been suspended until further notice. We are working through communications with artists and agents to confirm cancellation or postponement and will inform our patrons about specific events as information becomes available.

In order to keep our staff and visitors as safe as possible and limit the spread of the virus, some staff are now working remotely or from home. We have also asked our staff to take all precautions to limit the spread of this virus by avoiding high-risk situations and following the guidance of authorities to avoid gatherings, bars, restaurants, and other public spaces, as well as to avoid contact with anyone in isolation.

This is a difficult time for so many. The response from our community has been amazing and we are so extremely grateful and proud to be part of this community. Many of you have made the decision to donate the value of your tickets to Arts Commons or to put the amount towards a gift certificate for use at a future event. This significantly mitigates the risks we face and allows us to focus on taking care of our patrons, artists, and our staff. Thank you, Calgary!

March 16, 2020 - 9:28am

The City has enacted a State of Local Emergency. The Arts Commons building remains open to the public, with reduced hours from 7am – 7pm. However, all performances have been cancelled or postponed until further notice. See the March 13, 2020 update for ticket options for cancelled shows. Please keep your tickets for performances or events that have been postponed, as this will provide you with entry to the event once it is rescheduled.

March 13, 2020 - 4:30pm

On March 12, 2020, the Provincial Government announced that all events with an expectation of over 250 people in attendance are to be cancelled or postponed until further notice. Arts Commons Presents has made the decision to cancel or postpone ALL of its events through April 16, 2020. Your health and safety is our top priority and we feel this is in the best interest of our patrons, staff, volunteers, and artists.

For events that have been cancelled, ticket holders will be contacted in the coming days and weeks. We ask that you please do not contact our box office at this time, as we are experiencing an extremely high volume of calls. All ticket holders for Arts Commons Presents performances have the following options:

1. Donation – Many of you have graciously asked how you can help during this difficult time and we thank you. As a charitable organization (Charitable Registration Number 11882 3269 RR0001), we rely on the generous support of our community. Your first option is to donate the value of your ticket(s), for which you will receive a tax receipt.

2. Gift Certificate – We know you are disappointed at the cancellation of this performance and we look forward to when we can welcome you back to Arts Commons. A gift certificate provides you with the opportunity to attend another performance in the future, at no additional cost to you, or give the gift of the arts to a loved one. The gift certificate can be emailed to you immediately.

3. Refund – We appreciate that the options above are not suitable for everyone. We would be happy to refund your tickets for the cancelled performance.

For events that have been postponed, please hold onto your ticket as this will provide you with entry once the event has been rescheduled. Once postponed events have been rescheduled, our ticket holders will be the first to hear the great news.

We have been in close communications with our resident companies and can provide you with some information on how they will be moving forward. The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra has made the decision to cancel all events up to and including April 18, 2020. Alberta Theatre Projects has cancelled all remaining performances of Actually. Theatre Calgary has cancelled all remaining performances of Admissions and postponing Million Dollar Quartet, originally scheduled to run from April 21 through May 24. Please visit the individual resident company websites for more detailed information.

Events under 250 people that are produced or presented by some of our resident companies (Downstage, One Yellow Rabbit) may not necessarily be cancelled or postponed. This is in line with the Government of Alberta’s directive. Should you have a ticket to one of their performances, please contact the appropriate resident company directly for more information. Resident companies are determining which events are suitable to move ahead with by using the Government of Canada’s Risk-Informed Decision-Making Matrix.

We thank you for your patience during this time. Your support means the world to us and we look forward to welcoming you back to Arts Commons soon.

March 12, 2020 - 6:00pm



The provincial government made an announcement today asking organizers to cancel any event (aside from places of worship, grocery stores, airports, and shopping centres), where there is an expectation of 250 people or more.

Effective immediately, all events planned in the Jack Singer Concert Hall, Max Bell Theatre, and Martha Cohen Theatre have been postponed. We will continue to follow the recommendations and guidelines from government authorities and keep our patrons, artists, and guests informed as we learn new information.

As you can imagine, our call centre is experiencing an extremely high volume of calls. We will make every effort to contact every ticket holder with further information prior to the date of your event. However, please use our website and social media channels (links below) to keep abreast of the most current information.

We ask for your patience at this time while we manage this ever-evolving situation.

March 11, 2020

Arts Commons and all the Resident Companies are committed to preserving the health and safety of our guests, patrons, and staff. We are closely monitoring the recent outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) and are following the recommendations and guidelines from authorities, including Alberta Health Services, the City of Calgary, and Health Canada.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has assessed the public health risk associated with COVID-19 as low for Canada. This is continually reassessed as new information becomes available.

As a precautionary measure, we have increased the frequency and depth of our cleaning activities. Door handles and other frequently touched surfaces, including arm rests, railings, and counter tops, are cleaned and sanitized daily. Hand sanitizer units are also located throughout the building.

Currently, we are continuing with all concerts and events as originally planned. Our ushers will not take your ticket and/or rip the ticket stub, as per usual. Please present your ticket for scanning and retain your ticket with you until the end of the performance, at which time you may discard in a waste bin. Bars and bar materials are also being sanitized regularly.



The best way to prevent infection is to limit your possible exposure. Here are some prevention measures you can take to keep you and others safe and healthy:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (approximately how long it takes for you to hum “happy birthday twice”!), especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

When soap and water are not available or accessible, frequently use hand sanitizer

Avoid close contact with people who are sick

Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose, and mouth

Stay home when you are sick

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash immediately (if no tissue is available, cough or sneeze into your shirt sleeve)

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in your work area using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe

Your health is important to us. Let’s all do our part to keep each other safe. We will continue to follow the guidance of Alberta Health Services, the City of Calgary, and Health Canada, and keep you updated.



Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact info@artscommons.ca. For ticket or event inquiries, please contact boxoffice@artscommons.ca or call 403-294-9494.