CALGARY, AB, March 11, 2025 /CNW/ – Calgary’s art scene will be more vibrant and inclusive with a new space for the National accessArts Centre (NaAC). The Multidisciplinary Disability and Community Arts Hub (MDCAH) will provide a sustainable space for artists living with disabilities to shine.
Announced by MP George Chahal, this project is benefitting from a federal investment of over $8.2 million from the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program.
The National accessArts Centre is in need of a new building since their current location is slated for demolition due to the collapse of the Fairview Arena in 2018. The MDCAH will fulfill a need in Calgary for an accessible arts space. The net-zero carbon facility – the first of its kind in North America – will feature a multi-purpose presentation and training venue, a visual arts gallery, a social enterprise café, and outdoor gathering spaces. Furthermore, MDCAH will include spaces that can be used by the broader community.
The National accessArts Centre provides training, creation, and exhibition opportunities for artists, creators, producers, performers with developmental, physical, and acquired disabilities. The Centre was founded in 1975 and provides support to more than 350 artists in Calgary, and southern Alberta, and recently opened the NaAC Won Lee Community Arts Hub in Toronto.
Quotes
“The new net-zero Multidisciplinary Disability and Community Arts Hub will create a barrier-free facility that will enable Calgarians and visitors to witness the creativity of artists living with disabilities. This space will enhance the arts and culture scene in Calgary while providing new creative opportunities unlike anywhere else in Canada. The federal government will continue to invest in projects that support a greener, more inclusive, and accessible future for Calgarians and all Canadians.”
George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, on behalf of the Honourable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
“This investment from the Government of Canada is not only a game-changer for the National accessArts Centre (NaAC), but for the disability arts and the broader arts ecosystem across Canada. Through the support of NaAC’s multidisciplinary programs, Canadian artists with disabilities have demonstrated on the national and international stage that they have extraordinary creativity and deserve their rightful place in our arts and culture sector. With this federal funding, we can now build a home that meets our artists’ needs – and their ambitions.”
Dr. Stephanie Chipeur, Chair, NaAC Board of Directors
“Today’s announcement marks the single largest investment being made towards the advancement of the disability arts sector in Canadian history. Once completed, our multidisciplinary disability arts hub will become the first dedicated, purpose-built arts facility for the disability community in North America, and will cement the National accessArts Centre – and Canada – as a global leader in arts training and presentation for artists living with disabilities. The ripple effect of this funding will be truly global in scale.”
Jung-Suk (JS) Ryu, President and CEO, NaAC
Quick Facts
The federal government is investing $8,266,163 in this project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program.The GICB program was created in support of Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. It is supporting the Plan’s first pillar by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency, and helping develop higher resilience to climate change.The program launched in 2021 with an initial investment of $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades.Budget 2024 announced an additional $500 million to support more projects through GICB until 2029.At least 10% of funding is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous populations in urban centres.For more information, please visit the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada website at: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada – Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program.As the world moves towards a net-zero economy, people living and working on the Prairies are taking action and are leading to take advantage of growing economic development opportunities.On December 18, 2023, the federal government launched the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, which highlights the need for a collaborative, region-specific approach to sustainability, focusing on strengthening the coordination of federal programs, and initiatives with significant investments. This Framework is a first step in a journey that will bring together multiple stakeholders. PrairiesCan, the federal department that diversifies the economy across the Canadian prairies, has dedicated $100 million over three years to support projects aligned with priority areas identified by Prairie stakeholders to build a stronger, more sustainable, and inclusive economy for the Prairie provinces and Canada.Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada is supporting the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy to encourage greater collaboration on investment opportunities, leverage additional funding, and attract new investments across the Prairies that better meet their needs. Federal funding is conditional on the signing of the contribution agreement.
Associated Links
Green and Inclusive Community Buildings
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gicb-bcvi/index-eng.html
Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html
Housing and Infrastructure Project Map
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/gmap-gcarte/index-eng.html
Building a Green Prairie Economy Act
https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/B-9.88/page-1.html
Building a Green Prairie Economy
https://www.canada.ca/en/prairies-economic-development/programs/green-prairie-economy.html
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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
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