Latest news with #ArtsCommons
CTV News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Calgary's newest performance space gets a name
Calgary's newest performing arts space will be the Osten-Victor Playhouse. It's part of the Arts Commons Transformation Project, and expected to open in late 2028. The name of Calgary's new 1,000-seat performance space was revealed Friday. President and CEO Alex Sarnian announced that it will be known as the Osten-Victor Playhouse. The venue is being built across the street from the current Arts Commons location, on Olympic Plaza. It's part of the Arts Commons Transformation Project, which includes developing a three-level, 170,000 square foot building to house the 1,000 seat theatre as well as a 200-seat studio theatre. Sarnian said the new venue will fill a gap in Calgary's current theatre market. 'What we are missing, even from within our own ecosystem, is that 1,000 to 1,200 seat theatre,' he said. 'And when we zoom out and we look at Calgary, we realize that's also missing within the city. 'And so as Calgary continues to grow, so too will our cultural aspirations,' he added, 'and having a space that can accommodate that sort of gap right now, I think is pivotal for any creative artist wanting to develop new work.' He said the venue will be for shows too big for the Max Bell Theatre but too small for the Jubilee. The Osten-Victor Playhouse is expected to open by late 2028. Arts Commons has a new name too -- the Werklund Centre.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
From doo-wop to downtown legacy: Arts Commons theatre honours philanthropic couple
The next act in Calgary's theatre scene will bear the names of Al Osten and Buddy Victor — a couple known for their doo-wop career in the United States before settling down in Calgary and beginning their philanthrophic journey. Currently under construction, the 1,000-seat performing arts theatre will be named the Osten-Victor Playhouse, which will be part of the $660 million expansion of Arts Commons in downtown Calgary. Osten, 94, donated $12 million to the Arts Commons transformation, on behalf of himself and his late partner Victor. A special performance was held at the Martha Cohen Theatre in Arts Commons on Friday, to honour Osten and Victor's musical career, before Osten was shown a rendering of the playhouse on a big screen for the first time. He said it brought him to tears. "It was unbelievable…. We have a legacy that we've built and we're still going strong," Osten said. "I want to make Calgary beautiful. That's part of it all, too." Osten and Victor met in the United States in the 1950s as part of the doo-wop group called the Rover Boys, known for their one hit record, Graduation Day. But they made their money through a lucrative investment in Weight Watchers in the 1960s, which they sold in 2013. Since then, they've dedicated their fortune to helping others. Now, their names are on a number of buildings across Canada including the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre in Calgary, the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton and soon, the upcoming 150-seat Osten Victor Theatre at the Glenbow Museum. The Osten-Victor Playhouse is currently under construction, along with the rest of the Arts Commons expansion. It's expected to be completed in time for the 2028-29 season. Alex Sarian, CEO and president of Arts Commons, said it will fill an important gap for Calgary's creative community. "There are shows that are too big for the Max Bell Theatre, but perhaps too small for the Jubilee Auditorium that would fit perfectly here," said Sarian. "It really is about creating a space that is flexible and innovative, that is a celebration of all art forms where Calgarians come and have cultural experiences that they can't have today." Sarian said while the infrastructure is important, he's looking forward to what Calgarians do with it. Mayor Jyoti Gondek said it's very encouraging to know that philanthropists are also backing arts projects such as this one. "It's important to make sure that you are sending a very clear signal to the public that you believe in something, and the City of Calgary and council has sent a very clear signal that the arts are valued here, that the creative sector is absolutely something that makes us whole in this city," said Gondek. Moving forward, Osten said he has his eyes on at least three other projects — including ones helping amputee children and kids with Down syndrome.
CBC
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
From doo-wop to downtown legacy: Arts Commons theatre honours philanthropic couple
Social Sharing The next act in Calgary's theatre scene will bear the names of Al Osten and Buddy Victor — a couple known for their doo-wop career in the United States before settling down in Calgary and beginning their philanthrophic journey. Currently under construction, the 1,000-seat performing arts theatre will be named the Osten-Victor Playhouse, which will be part of the $660 million expansion of Arts Commons in downtown Calgary. Osten, 94, donated $12 million to the Arts Commons transformation, on behalf of himself and his late partner Victor. A special performance was held at the Martha Cohen Theatre in Arts Commons on Friday, to honour Osten and Victor's musical career, before Osten was shown a rendering of the playhouse on a big screen for the first time. He said it brought him to tears. "It was unbelievable…. We have a legacy that we've built and we're still going strong," Osten said. "I want to make Calgary beautiful. That's part of it all, too." Osten and Victor met in the United States in the 1950s as part of the doo-wop group called the Rover Boys, known for their one hit record, Graduation Day. But they made their money through a lucrative investment in Weight Watchers in the 1960s, which they sold in 2013. Since then, they've dedicated their fortune to helping others. Now, their names are on a number of buildings across Canada including the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre in Calgary, the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton and soon, the upcoming 150-seat Osten Victor Theatre at the Glenbow Museum. The Osten-Victor Playhouse is currently under construction, along with the rest of the Arts Commons expansion. It's expected to be completed in time for the 2028-29 season. Alex Sarian, CEO and president of Arts Commons, said it will fill an important gap for Calgary's creative community. "There are shows that are too big for the Max Bell Theatre, but perhaps too small for the Jubilee Auditorium that would fit perfectly here," said Sarian. "It really is about creating a space that is flexible and innovative, that is a celebration of all art forms where Calgarians come and have cultural experiences that they can't have today." Sarian said while the infrastructure is important, he's looking forward to what Calgarians do with it. Mayor Jyoti Gondek said it's very encouraging to know that philanthropists are also backing arts projects such as this one. "It's important to make sure that you are sending a very clear signal to the public that you believe in something, and the City of Calgary and council has sent a very clear signal that the arts are valued here, that the creative sector is absolutely something that makes us whole in this city," said Gondek.
Calgary Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
State-of-the-art, 1,000-seat theatre at Arts Commons to be named after philanthropists Al Osten and Buddy Victor
Arts Commons revealed plans and the name for a new state-of-the-art theatre at the heart of its $660-million transformation on Friday. Article content Set to open in 2028, the Osten-Victor Playhouse will be a 1,000-seat theatre and a central part of The Arts Commons Transformation and Olympic Plaza Transformation projects. It is named after Calgary philanthropists Al Osten and the late Buddy Victor, who donated $12 million to the expansion. Article content Article content Article content 'They feel limited,' said Sarian. 'You can only build shows for venues that currently exist. If you are a theatre company, a dance company or a performing arts organization and the only thing you can prepare a show for is 750 seats or 2,000-plus, that's a big swing. So, being able to provide a community with a 1,000-seat theatre doesn't feel like rocket science, but it's a huge contribution to the diversity of venue size within our city. That is going to make a lot of local arts organizations very excited.' Article content Article content State-of-the-art technology will allow the new venue to transform into various configurations, from a traditional proscenium setup to a flat-floor dynamic space with no seats. Article content Article content 'While you can arguably do that with a venue like the Martha Cohen Theatre, we will have the technology at the Osten-Victor Playhouse to do that with a push of a button because of the technology, as opposed to having to shut down the venue for a multi-day turnover. So not only will the arts community in Calgary have a new venue size, they will have a more flexible venue.' Article content The theatre will be 'the centrepiece' of the Arts Commons expansion, which will be officially renamed The Werklund Centre in September to honour the $75 million donated to the project by philanthropist Dave Werklund and his family. Article content Al Osten and Buddy Victor were together for 67 years after both became members of the New York-based doo-wop group The Rover Boys in the 1950s. In 1967, the couple invested in Weight Watchers and brought the program to Alberta and Saskatchewan. They sold the business in 2013 and became known for their philanthropy, making sizable donations to hospices in Calgary and Edmonton, the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton, the Osten-Victor Alberta Tennis Centre in Calgary and the Glenbow Museum. Osten was born in Saskatoon and raised in Edmonton. He now lives in Calgary.
Calgary Herald
25-07-2025
- Calgary Herald
Calgary crime stats dropped by 15 per cent in 2024: report
Calgary is becoming a safer city to live in, according to the latest crime statistics. Article content According to data published on Tuesday, the city's crime severity index decreased by 14.9 per cent between 2023 and 2024, reflecting fewer homicides, sex offences, youth-related offences and robberies. Article content Article content 'What the data is telling us is that our efforts to increase our policing presence across the city, combined with our early-integration and intervention programs are making a difference,' Calgary police chief Katie McLellan was quoted in a release shared on Thursday. 'The key moving forward will be to continue bolstering our presence to ensure Calgarians feel safe everywhere in our city.' Article content Article content The index shows a 9.96 per cent decline in violent crimes committed across the city and a 16.48 per cent decline in non-violent crimes committed. Article content Article content In 2024, the city earmarked $1.9 million to go towards improving public safety in the building, prompted by mounting concerns over social disorder and crime in the city's downtown core and along its LRT lines. The one-time funding was portioned into grants supplied to downtown civic partners such as the Calgary Public Library, Arts Commons, Contemporary Calgary Arts Society, Fort Calgary Preservation Society, MNP Community Sports Centre, Telus Convention Centre and Vecova Centre for Disability Services and Research. Article content Article content 'By collaborating with our partners, we are able to address the complex challenges in our downtown with compassion,' Jyoti Gondek, Calgary mayor, said in 2024. Article content The release however noted that hate crimes are up by 42 per cent, an increase official stress is due to more reporting, not higher incidence. Article content 'It's encouraging that more people are stepping forward. Silence is no longer acceptable,' said Kay Choi, who leads The City's Community Safety & Wellbeing Priority. 'Reporting these crimes is essential if we want to address them head-on. It shows that people trust the system and expect better.' Article content The city and the police also opened a downtown community counter and expanded safety hub in November 2024 as a walk-in option for Calgarians to report non-emergency concerns or ask for safety guidance in person. Article content On Friday, 23 Calgary police officers and 29 peace officers will graduate, the release adds, adding to more boots on the city streets. The city has added 50 new police officers and 65 new transit peace officers since January 2024. Article content The added officer presence has resulted in 12 per cent fewer downtown safety response calls, 60 per cent fewer overdose responses by the Calgary fire crew. According to recent public surveys, 75 per cent of Calgarians now say they feel safe, the release stated.
