Located in the heart of Calgary’s Cultural District in the downtown core, Arts Commons occupies a full city block and is home to six resident companies: Arts Commons Presents, Alberta Theatre Projects, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Downstage, One Yellow Rabbit, and Theatre Calgary. Arts Commons also houses rehearsal spaces, a costume and set construction shop, administrative offices, meeting rooms, a café, and the centralized Arts Commons Box Office. Each year, the center hosts more than 1,800 performances and events.

The Arts Commons Transformation (ACT) project will both expand capacity in an adjoining new building and renew the existing facility, bringing it up to today’s standards and creating a more sustainable future for the resident companies. The project is one of many collaborative efforts between The City of Calgary and other organizations within the East Village, Rivers District, and downtown Calgary intended to bring entertainment, education, community gathering, celebration, vibrancy and economic benefit to the downtown core.

Phase 1 of the Arts Commons Transformation project comprises an expansion of the existing facility to include a new 1,200 seat theater, two smaller theaters, rehearsal space, an elevated corridor to the existing building, and related amenities. Phase 2 comprises further renovation efforts to the existing facilities, including significant lifecycle and operational upgrades.