2026 BUMP Festival
2026-08-16, 2026-08-17 | Beltline, Calgary
BUMP 2026 HAS LANDED
Of Simmering, and the Surge
What began in 2017 as a mural festival has grown into one of Canada’s most ambitious public art organizations, transforming Calgary into an open-air gallery while expanding into sculpture, music, film, education, conferences, and year-round cultural programming. As we celebrate this milestone year, we remain committed to a simple belief: BUMP is for the people.
This year’s theme, Of Simmering, and the Surge, asks us to consider how change takes form, both slowly and explosively. How do we respond to the forces that shape our world, at both the intimate and systemic level? What are the ideas, noise, gestures, and resistances that gather in the margins, in undergrounds, in small rooms, in fleeting conversations? And how do these moments accumulate, building pressure until they break through into the larger public sphere?
Throughout August and beyond, you’ll encounter an extraordinary collection of local, national, and international artists creating new public works across Calgary. From large-scale murals to the inaugural BUMP Public Sculpture Program, this year’s festival asks how public art can become more than something we simply look at. How can it become a portal into new ways of thinking, gathering, and imagining our shared future?
For the first time in BUMP’s history, we’ve invited guest curators to help shape the artistic direction of the festival. We are honoured to welcome Ken Lum, one of Canada’s most influential voices in contemporary public art, Marigold Santos, whose multidisciplinary practice has profoundly shaped artistic conversations in Calgary and beyond, and Said Dokins, an internationally celebrated artist from Mexico City whose work examines language, memory, and public space. They have assembled a remarkable group of artists whose practices reflect the diversity, complexity, and ambition of contemporary public art today.
This year also marks the third BUMP Urban Art Conference, taking place August 13-15 at Contemporary Calgary. Over three days, artists, writers, musicians, journalists, architects, curators, and cultural leaders from around the world will come together to explore the ideas shaping public life today. Through keynote talks, panel discussions, and conversations, the conference extends the questions raised on our walls into broader discussions about cities, culture, identity, ecology, technology, and the future of public space.
Whether you’re discovering BUMP for the first time or have been with us since the beginning, we invite you to experience the city differently this August.
We’ll be announcing details for our 2026 Festival Finale in the coming weeks, along with additional public programming and events taking place throughout the festival.
Thank you for being part of BUMP’s first ten years. We can’t wait to show you what’s next.

Ada | Solo Exhibition
2026-08-21 18:00 - 22:00, 2026-08-22 10:00 - 20:00, 2026-08-23 10:00 - 20:00 (America/Edmonton) | nvrlnd. arts foundation, 1048 21 Ave Se, Calgary, T2G 1N2
As a Nigerian-born, Canadian-raised, only daughter of four, Chidera Uzoka captures her journey of rediscovering her Nigerian roots in this exhbition. Many of the pieces are not only a celebration of the culture that she is slowly uncovering, but a juxtaposition of her experiences here versus her cultural heritage back home.
The exhibition will create a welcoming space for all attendees to enjoy and engage with the community. It will feature performances from other artists, interactive activities, as well as Nigerian cuisine!
This new body of work celebrates culture, belonging, and the beautiful tension between home and heritage. Expect an intimate, visually striking experience that invites you to reflect, connect, and feel the hype as this story comes to life.

Home Residency - Artist Talk with Jona Redwood and Yu Chen
2026-08-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Sparrow Artspace, 36 4 Street Northeast, Calgary, Ab, T2E 5A8
FREE, please register
Join HOME Residency artists Jona Redwood and Yu Chen for an artist talk exploring identity, belonging, cultural memory, and the personal meanings carried through handcrafted objects and portraiture. Jona will share their practice creating dreamcatchers, jewelry, and interactive craft experiences as intentional forms of grounding, self-expression, mindfulness, and connection. Yu Chen will speak about her oil painting practice, which uses portraiture and traditional attire to explore immigrant identity, cultural exchange, and collaboration. Together, the artists will reflect on how art can hold personal stories, honour cultural meaning, and create space for connection across lived experiences.
This is part of the HOME residency in July/August 2026 and gratefully funded by Calgary Arts Development.

Beyond the History Books: Exploring Stories of the Land
2026-08-27 11:00 - 12:45, 2026-09-10 11:00 - 12:45, 2026-09-24 11:00 - 12:45 | The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland, 750 9 Avenue Southeast, Calgary, Ab, T2G 5E1
Explore stories carried by the rivers, rooted in the plants, and uncovered through archaeology. Learn how Indigenous Peoples, the original stewards of the land, lived and prospered at this important gathering place, and how the arrival of the North-West Mounted Police in 1875 changed everything.
Through a guided storytelling tour, teachings with an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper and an exclusive tour of The Confluence archaeological collection, you’ll discover the complex and many histories of the site that became known to many as Fort Calgary. You’ll also gain insight into Indigenous ways of knowing and how The Confluence is working to tell a more complete story of the past, present, and future of the land.

Samantha Walrod: Off The Beaten Path
2026-09-01 10:30 - 17:00, 2026-09-02 10:30 - 17:00, 2026-09-03 10:30 - 17:00, 2026-09-04 10:30 - 17:00, 2026-09-05 12:00 - 2026-10-10 16:00, 2026-09-08 10:30 - 17:00, 2026-09-09 10:30 - 17:00, 2026-09-10 10:30 - 17:00 and 10 more dates | Newzones Gallery Of Contemporary Art, 730 11 Ave Sw, Calgary, T2R 0E4
Newzones is thrilled to present Off the Beaten Path, an upcoming solo exhibition of new work by Albertan contemporary artist Samantha Walrod.
Off the Beaten Path considers how humans view and interact with wildlife in the Canadian wilderness from a “close” distance. Motorists and hikers observe animals from cars and trails while the animals watch in return. Bears, elk, and wolves are depicted on the edge of the wilderness, adjacent to roads and thoroughfares, visible to humans before disappearing onto paths less accessible to human transportation. Walrod’s artwork represents a fleeting moment of human/animal interaction while observing the essential but shrinking distance between human/animal habitats.
Samantha Walrod’s work is influenced by similarities and differences between imagined and reconstructed environments. She uses many layers of paint, collage, photography and inks, as tactility is a very important element of her practice. Images are incorporated with collage and digital technologies, while maintaining the exploration of paint. In reconstructing disparate images from various sources including art history, popular culture and her own photos, Walrod addresses the cultural construction of nature.

East Village Public Art Experience
2026-09-01 11:00 - 13:00 | The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland, 750 9 Avenue Southeast, Calgary, Ab, T2G 5E1
Discover the artistic gems of the East Village through a guided walking experience that brings public art to life. Explore a curated selection of vibrant works while uncovering the stories, meaning, and local context behind each piece. The experience concludes with a hands-on opportunity to create your own public art on The Confluence’s free graffiti wall, with all supplies provided.
The walking tour covers approximately 3 to 4 km and takes 1.5 hours. Please wear comfortable, closed-toe footwear. Following the walk, guests will have the opportunity to contribute to public art.

Deadly Alberta True Crime Tour - The Confluence After Hours
2026-09-04 17:00 - 2026-09-11 21:00 | The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland, 750 9 Avenue Southeast, Calgary, T2G 5E1
Experience The Confluence in a new light — the evening light, that is! For a limited number of evenings this summer, we’re extending the cultural centre opening hours beyond happy hour, giving you the rare chance to enjoy the site and exhibits after hours.
Take advantage of the extended hours to explore the White Box space full of limited-time travelling exhibitions, learn about Blackfoot culture in the Kípaitápiiyssinnooni (Our Way of Life) exhibit, or embark on a special guided walking tour during golden hour. These nights are the perfect opportunity to learn a new side of Calgary’s history while enjoying the warm summer evenings.
Visiting the Inglewood Night Market? Stop in before or after your shopping to make the most of your evening out in Calgary’s oldest neighbourhood (plus, we’ve got parking!)
Admission can be purchased at the door, find prices and plan your visit here. We’re also offering our Deadly Alberta True Crime Tour this evening. Guided tour tickets include After Hours cultural centre admission!

Forever Young: Instrument Petting Zoo
2026-09-09 11:00 - 14:00 | Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, 850 4 Street Southeast, Calgary, T2G 1R1
Join us for a special edition of Forever Young: Seniors’ Wednesdays at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, featuring interactive experiences for all ages that spark memories, inspire creativity, and create connections across generations.
Instrument Petting Zoo invites participants of all ages to feel like a kid again and explore a wide variety of musical instruments.
Approach instruments with curiosity and playfulness as you try strings, percussion, winds, and more. No experience required.
About Forever Young: Seniors’ WednesdaysForever Young celebrates lifelong connections to music, offering free Studio Bell admission for music lovers aged 65 and up every Wednesday. This engaging program invites seniors and their families to explore Canada’s musical heritage across five floors of exhibitions, bringing to life the stories — and soundtrack — of their generation through rare memorabilia and hands-on activities. Part of the National Music Centre’s commitment to using music as a tool for wellbeing, Forever Young creates welcoming spaces for seniors to gather and connect with music, community, and each other. Monthly drop-in programs will feature a variety of interactive experiences for all ages that spark memories, inspire creativity, and create connections across generations.
Studio Bell admission is free for seniors every Wednesday thanks to the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.
