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CHEERS TO 40 YEARS

We’re turning 40 and we have big things in store! Not only have we broken ground on the largest cultural campus in Canada, but we’ve become Werklund Centre – a new name for a new era. Looking back on 1970, Martha Cohen, Vera Swanson, and Sandra LeBlanc sat around a kitchen table—the most intimate of gathering spaces—to dream of the future of Calgary’s arts scene.

When we opened our doors, our city was one-third the size it is today, and already we were bursting at the seams. Over the decades, we added three new venues (for a total of six) to keep up with Calgary’s growing demand for the arts, creating a beautiful ecosystem where artists and audiences would come together for cultural experiences that would further define our city.

Today, as we celebrate the spirit of our three founding women, we’re also taking bold steps into the future, celebrating the people who make Calgary one of the greatest cities in the world. We invite you to build the future with us. 

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A LITTLE BIT OF US, A WHOLE LOT OF YOU

Hundreds of thousands of people walk through our doors every year—and honestly, we’re all looking for something completely different. Some of us are here for a laugh, others for a good cry. But no matter what brings us here, we find something special in simply being together.

MEET DAVE WERKLUND AND HIS FAMILY


“Integrity, building trust and being a force for positive change is at the core of who I am. Those are the values that my family aspires to and that inspired us to make this contribution. It is my sincere hope that Werklund Centre will be run with these principles in mind and through its innovative programs be a force for positive change, bringing families across all sectors of our communities together.” - Dave Werklund.

We are proud to carry the Werklund family name as we enter a new chapter for our cultural community. A family that shares our passion for community wellbeing and our commitment to providing equitable access to artistic, cultural, and educational opportunities.

“At Werklund Centre, the moments we remember most are the ones that make us feel something. Again and again and again.” 

~ Alex Sarian, President and CEO, Werklund Centre
 
 

“Werklund Centre is a home for bold ideas. A gathering place for new voices. And a space where creators and audiences will meet in moments of shared joy, heartbreak, humour, and truth. That is the power of the arts.”

~ Mayor Jyoti Gondek

Answers to Curious Questions

In recognition of the transformational gift of $75 million by Dave Werklund and his family, Arts Commons is renaming to Werklund Centre for generations to come.
Why the name Werklund Centre?
Born and raised on a farm near Valleyview, Alberta, Dave Werklund’s modest upbringing taught him the value of teamwork, innovation, and caring for both his community and the land. Those values remained strong as his career in Alberta oil and gas grew. For instance, recognizing an urgent need to resolve the industry’s environmental and waste management issues, Dave’s businesses have operated under the mantra “Protecting the air we breathe, the water we drink and the ground we walk on.” Dave Werklund is also a Calgary Business Hall of Fame inductee, a Member of the Alberta Order of Excellence, a Member of the Order of Canada, and recipient of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Medal. Through the Werklund Family Office, Dave owns and manages a vast portfolio of companies and investments which allow him to engage in his favourite passion, philanthropy.
Who is Dave Werklund?
As an organization, we are excited to uplift Dave Werklund’s aspiration that this new cultural campus be in service to Calgary’s wellbeing. While still unapologetically a destination that revolves around the power of the arts, we seek to define a new role for modern, civic-minded arts centres: one that places the work of artists in greater dialogue with the world around us by blending arts, education, community engagement, social enterprise, and city-building.
Why did you remove performing arts from your name?
Absolutely, yes! At our core, Werklund Centre (formerly Arts Commons) is a vibrant home for all genres of arts, especially the performing arts. We remain committed to serving as a home to world class performances from all over the world as well as those created right here at home by resident companies Alberta Theatre Projects, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Downstage, One Yellow Rabbit, and Theatre Calgary.
Are you still going to do performing arts?
With immense gratitude and pride for a historic donation of $75 million, the largest philanthropic gift to the performing arts in Canadian history, Arts Commons will celebrate the legacy of the Werklund family by renaming itself to Werklund Centre. The $75 million gift will go towards the cost of construction, create the Dave Werklund Education Wing, as well as establish four funds to support the sustainability of the following institutional priorities: education, accessibility, operations, and ongoing care of the campus. More than a gift, we are thrilled to be carrying the Werklund name as an embodiment of our shared values.
Why change your name at all?
Starting September 1, 2025, Arts Commons officially became Werklund Centre. 
When will you officially be Werklund Centre?
Werklund Centre is expanding on the vision and mandate of Arts Commons to better serve our ever-growing and ever-evolving community. When completed, the Werklund Centre will serve as the country’s largest performing arts campus, consisting of three elements: 1) a brand new three-level building containing a 1,000-seat theatre, a 200-seat studio theatre, and publicly accessible gathering spaces (scheduled for completion in late 2028); 2) a fully re-imagined Olympic Plaza that will honour and update our city’s Olympic legacy, while serving as a cultural playground for all Calgarians (scheduled for completion in late 2028); and 3) a bold modernization of our current facilities (scheduled completion TBD). 
What more does the future hold for Werklund Centre?