Can't make it to the party? The exhibition is on until April 19. Admission to the AGA is free on Feb. 16 for Family Day, a "tours for tots" event takes place on Feb. 18, a tour for parents of infants is on Feb. 25, and a seniors' tour is scheduled on Feb. 27. Plus, 5 Artists 1 Love organizers have events planned for outside the AGA to celebrate their 20th anniversary.
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Music
The Edmonton Blues Festival has been permanently cancelled after running for 25 years. "Escalating production costs, weather uncertainties, changing of venues and declining attendance have all conspired to make it impossible to host another event," the festival posted.
Edmonton Opera has announced its 2026/27 season, featuring The Barber of Seville on Nov. 5 and 7, and The Magic Flute on Feb. 4 and 6, 2027. The season will also see the return of the Rumbold Vocal Prize, Canada's premier award for rising opera stars, which will present a grand finale on Nov. 20.
The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra will present Love Letters to Alberta on Feb. 20 at the Winspear Centre, featuring world premieres by first-year Young Composer Project participant Annika Schoenhardt and Cris Derksen, whose new piece is called Amiskkwacîwâskahikan. The concert also includes works by Zosha Di Castri, John Estacio, and Vivian Fung.
CBC Edmonton's Radio Active highlighted Ukrainian War Requiem, a 2026 JUNO Award nominee for Classical Album of the Year: Large Ensemble, composed by Benedict Sheehan and performed by Axios Men's Ensemble and the tenors and basses of Pro Coro Canada. Steven Brese of Axios and Michael Zaugg of Pro Coro appeared on the show to discuss the work.
The Downtown Defrost festival announced its 2026 lineup for April 3 and 4 at Churchill Square. Headliners include Moontricks, The Funk Hunters, and PARTIBOI69. The spring dance party will also include pop-up markets, food trucks, interactive art installations, and off-site after-parties.
Musician and Edmonton poet laureate emeritus Cadence Weapon announced Forager, an album inspired by the history of fashion that will come out on April 24. Now based in Ontario, Cadence Weapon will return to Edmonton with a pop-up vintage clothing market at Strathcona Lodge's Orange Hall on May 9, with an exclusive vinyl edition of the record available for purchase.
Punjabi singer and Bollywood star Diljit Dosanjh will return to Rogers Place on May 2 on his Aura World Tour, nearly two years after his last sold-out show in Edmonton.
The Strathearn Art Walk teased that it will launch a Patreon on Feb. 14. Membership tiers span $5 to $100 per month, with perks ranging from name recognition at the festival's beer garden for all tiers to access to exclusive digital content and in-person events for the top two tiers. The arts and music festival returns from Sept. 11 to 13.
The Edmonton Arts Council announced two calls for artists. One is to create canopy artwork for six Valley Line West LRT stops, with a budget of $110,000 per location. Submissions are due Feb. 25. The other is to create a small sculpture series or installation in the 105 Avenue NW plaza area between 113 and 112 Streets, with a budget of $115,000. Submissions are due March 31.
Strathcona County invites artists to submit works for its permanent collection, to be displayed in civic spaces. Submissions are open until April 26.
Bleeding Heart Art Space's ninth annual Open Walls community art exhibition runs through March 7, with a "rolling submission" process to hang new works as space allows. The non-juried show features local artists of all backgrounds and experience levels.
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Lucy Haines also reviewed One Night With Roy Orbison, which runs at Mayfield Dinner Theatre through April 5. Haines praised the vocal work of star Matt Cage and the dexterity of the backing band, reminding readers that "a night, any night, at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre is a good one."
Indigenous artist Matricia Bauer spoke to CFWE about her play I Am Eagle, which comes to the Walterdale Theatre as part of SkirtsAfire on March 6 and 7. The show explores her journey of self-acceptance, shaped by the Sixties Scoop, foster care, and reconnecting with her culture. "It's been a vision that I've had for close to 20 years," Bauer said. "Seeing my life story come to life on the stage, it's really a dream come true."
Chancy Blackwater, Indigenous relations consultant for the City of Edmonton, told CFWE about the Nîcimos (Sweetheart) Round Dance in honour of missing and murdered Indigenous relatives. "We're very honoured to be able to have resources and community connection to host a Nîcimos round dance," Blackwater said. The event takes place on Feb. 13 at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
Books and publishing
Chyana Marie Sage, a Cree, Métis, and Salish writer based in Edmonton, is among the 12 readers for the 2026 CBC Nonfiction Prize. Sage is the author of Soft as Bones, a memoir about overcoming generational trauma rooted in residential schools and the Sixties Scoop.
Lindsay Morey introduced herself as the new managing editor of the St. Albert Gazette and Town and Country Today. "Much of community reporting comes down to showing up, putting in the work, and proving that you care — that's how trust and community is built," she wrote. "I'm passionate about hyper-localized community reporting, following projects and initiatives that have a real impact on local residents and non-profit organizations, and having meaningful, working relationships with the who's-who."
The Sitkovetsky Trio comes to Edmonton
See one of today's most acclaimed piano trios, known for their thoughtful musicianship and passionate performances. Don't miss the Sitkovetsky Trio at Robertson-Wesley United Church on Feb. 20, brought to you by the Edmonton Chamber Music Society.
Sheena Rossiter, an assistant professor in the department of communications and head of media production at MacEwan University, discussed making a documentary called The Perfect Match on the Research Recast(ed) podcast. The documentary follows a father's quest to find a matching stem cell donor for his toddler.
Purple City Music Festival will co-present a showcase with Calgary's Reverie Magazine at the Treefort Music Festival in Boise, ID, on March 28. Verttigo is among the performers at the event. Purple City returns to Edmonton from Sept. 11 to 13.
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