Arts Roundup
Oct. 8, 2026
A contraction in the games industry that especially affects heavy hitters has helped spur a boom of indie studios led by top talent, attendees of an Edmonton Startup Week event heard. A panel on Edmonton's chance to lead the games industry featured Ronnie Villanueva of Edmonton Screen and Digital Alberta; Nathaniel Rossol of vrCAVE; Mark Darrah from Triage Games and formerly BioWare and parent company Electronic Arts; and Kris Schoneberg of Studio Reset. The latter's studio has a paranormal investigation game called The Eventide available to wishlist on Steam. Finishing the game, which has a distinctive visual style, will take a few years; the studio is seeking production funding right now, Schoneberg told Taproot after the Oct. 7 panel at Edmonton Unlimited.
She, Kaelin Lavallee, and Francis Lacuna launched Studio Reset after a series of layoffs, including at BioWare and Inflexion Games. "All three of us looked at each other and were like, 'Do we want to go apply to a AAA studio right now? Or do we want to take the talent that we developed over the last 20 years, and try to found our own thing?" she said. Fellow panellist Darrah, whose Triage Games consults on game development, said that because BioWare doesn't suck up all of Edmonton's junior talent anymore, newbies in the industry have been pushed to make their own stuff. "Edmonton is in a sad-but-good position right now," he said. Given the US$55-billion acquisition of Electronic Arts, it's hard to know what will happen to BioWare, but regardless, Darrah said, the ecosystem needs to demonstrate Edmonton's ease of use and cost-effectiveness compared to other markets.
Edmonton Startup Week features another event about building games in Alberta on Oct. 8, with NAIT instructors who are also founders, as well as Lavallee of Studio Reset and other industry reps. Starting on Oct. 18 comes the first Edmonton Games Week from Interactive Arts Alberta, which includes IAA's long-running Game Discovery Exhibition conference on Oct. 23 to 25. Further out are the industry-facing North American Games Industry Summit and consumer-facing Game Con Canada in June.
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Music
- The Edmonton Oilers have chosen a new home goal song by Royal Tusk for this season. "If you want a song that sounds like the Oilers and sounds like Edmonton, get an Edmonton rock band to write it," band member Quinn Cyrankiewicz said of the song, which is called Striking Oil.
- Canada will make its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2027, and Edmonton alternative-pop musician margø has thrown her pink rhinestone cowboy hat in the ring to represent the country. She told CBC Edmonton's Radio Active that her weirdness will give her an edge in competing. "A really important part of my music is to encourage and empower others to embrace their uniqueness," she said.
- Leduc accordionist Jordan Rody is carrying on a three-generation musical tradition through The Western Senators, a band his grandfather founded. The band will play at Saskatoon Oktoberfest.
- The show Generations at Northern Lights Folk Club and New Moon Folk Club brought together songwriting families. Father and son Peter and Joe Nolan discussed how they share music on CBC's Edmonton AM. "I was influenced by the music that was played in our house growing up, and it's had a big impact on the songs I write," Joe said.
- Gedfest will bring its Tragically Hip tribute tour to Edmonton on Oct. 17, as part of a 12-city series raising money for local cancer charities. Organizers Neil Brown and Tyson Brown, along with Kyle Noon of Edmonton-based Hip tribute band Hipnautical, spoke to the Reluctantly Podcast about how the event grew from a single Calgary event to a series spanning 12 cities.
- Carly Rae Jepsen will launch her 2027 North American tour in Edmonton on April 15, with a show at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. The tour supports her double album Day and Night.
- Canadian pop-punk band Simple Plan will play a show at Rogers Place on Jan. 19.
- Nu metal group Staind will visit Rogers Place on April 1.
- Greta Van Fleet will bring its Into the Beginning Tour to Edmonton on July 7, with a show at Rogers Place.
Visual arts
- The Beaver Hills Bridge between Edmonton and Strathcona County now features two granite sculptures by Saddle Lake Cree Nation artist Stewart Steinhauer. The Edmonton Arts Council commissioned the works to mark 150 years since Treaty 6 was signed.
- Maskwacis designer Justin Jacob Louis of Section 35 saw his $350 cardigan sell out after Heated Rivalry actor Hudson Williams wore one to the Kate Spade New York Global Summit on Women's Mental Health. Williams also wore an orange ribbon on his chest marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. "There was intention and genuine interest in supporting us behind it, so that made it more meaningful for me," Louis said.
- CBC's Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud took a look at outdoor installations by Indigenous artists popping up around the country, including Cheyenne Rain LeGrande's Misi-mîkisak, a giant beaded earring sculpture in Hawrelak Park.
Edmonton's premier jazz and music venue since 1957
Yardbird Suite is Edmonton's best home for live jazz, an iconic venue with an international reputation for offering the best in sophisticated live music. Located in the cultural hub of Old Strathcona, Yardbird Suite is an intimate and favoured destination for lovers of all music.
Theatre and dance
- The Common Ground Arts Prairie Mainstage Series opened its second season with I Don't Even Miss You from Tiny Bear Jaws. The show, which runs until Oct. 11 at the Fringe's Studio Theatre, premiered in Edmonton through the RISER program in 2022 before touring the country and returning home, which is "the dream of what RISER could be," said managing producer Rainier Pearl-Styles.
- Shadow Theatre's production of Yaga by Kat Sandler has serendipitous timing, artistic director Lana Michelle Hughes said. When she secured the rights for the play in 2024, she had no idea that Crave would also pick it up and turn it into a mystery thriller series starring Hudson Williams of Heated Rivalry fame. "It's a fun, exciting, fast-paced story with a lot of twists and turns and I think audiences will be really surprised by it," Hughes told Postmedia. The play runs from Oct. 14 to Nov. 1.
- Edmonton twin brothers Ethan and Ayden Valdriz performed with Swedish rapper Yung Lean at the Video Music Awards. The dancers and choreographers run F.I. Company at Kore Dance Studio in Edmonton.
- Wen Wei Wang, who served as artistic director of Ballet Edmonton from 2018 to 2024, will perform Last Solo in Vancouver on Oct. 23 and 24. As the name suggests, it is described as his final solo performance.
Books and publishing
- Duckweed 浮萍 by Kathryn Gwun-Yeen Lennon 君妍 was the top-selling poetry book on the latest Edmonton bestsellers list from the Book Publishers Association of Alberta.
- Tim Bowling will help select the longlist for the 2027 CBC Short Story Prize. A separate jury will choose the shortlist and winner.
- Agatha Press is soliciting creative nonfiction and poetry for Gathering – An Anthology of Grief, Ritual and Remembrance. Edited by Rayanne Haines, it has a Nov. 1 submission deadline and offers selected contributors $250 each.
- The Manifesto of Hope, a new release from Satya Das, examines climate change and sustainability while proposing a new social contract. Das spoke to CBC Edmonton's Radio Active about the tools in the book that aim to help people remain hopeful.
- St. Albert author Perry Kinkaide has released two books and a humorous pamphlet. The Lost Commons explores open dialogue, Sasha and the Caregiver's Journey is based on his experience caring for his wife, and Goldilocks and the United States of North America takes a satirical look at Canada becoming a U.S. state.
BWDC presents Rachel Meyer
Brian Webb Dance Company opens its 48th season with Rachel Meyer on Oct. 15 and 16 at the Freemasons Hall of Edmonton. "Mama, do we die when we sleep?" explores the emotion of wonder, imagination and dream-space…
Be Bold. Take the Leap. It's Art.
Screen industries
- NorthwestFEARFest will screen horror films and shorts at Metro Cinema from Oct. 14 to 18. Director and programmer Guy Lavallee said there's something special about seeing a horror movie with an audience. "People can laugh and scream and clap together, or they might shout, 'Don't go into that basement!'"
- Nemesis, a slasher short directed by Sylvia Douglas and written by Andrew Foley, will make its festival debut at NorthwestFEARFest. The film was shot at Edmonton's Orange Hub with equipment from the Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta. Director and producer Sylvia Douglas said Edmonton is a good place for filmmaking due to a wealth of actors and skilled craftspeople, a range of weather conditions, and proximity to a variety of landscapes.
- Score G Productions' documentary Dolph: Unbreakable is set for its Canadian premiere on Super Channel on Oct. 16. The film explores action star Dolph Lundgren's career, family, and health challenges.
More headlines
- The City of Edmonton funded 43 community-led downtown projects through its $3-million Downtown Action Plan Fund, including the Purple City Music Festival. The festival said the funding let it add 30 bands and stage five free showcases at its September event. Other recipients include the Alberta Craft Council, the Art Gallery of Alberta, the Citadel Theatre, Firefly Theatre & Circus, the Grindstone Theatre, Oilers Entertainment Group, and The Common.
- The Canada Council for the Arts shared more information on how the Alberta Focus Fund will dole out $5 million annually over five years. Artists and arts groups can seek project support through existing grant programs; no separate application is required. Project funding will go to applications recommended through existing grant programs. There will be information sessions on Nov. 12 and 13.
Happenings
Here are some events coming up soon:
- Oct. 8: Resonance: Ukrainian Roots. New Sound. starting at 7pm at Festival Place
- Oct. 8: Duckweed 浮萍 Book Launch starting at 7pm at Paper Birch Books
- Oct. 9: After the Credits: A Film Screening of John Ware Reclaimed starting at 7pm at Citadel Theatre
- Oct. 9: Julie Dexter starting at 8pm at Yardbird Suite
- Oct. 10: The Wonderful Worlds in Edmonton starting at 1pm at City of Edmonton Archives
- Oct. 11: Rubaboo Arts Festival: That's a Wrap Party starting at 8pm at CKUA
- Oct. 12: Gaurav Kapoor Live starting at 6pm at Horowitz Theatre
- Oct. 13: Jeremy Appel 'Dark Phoenix' Book Launch starting at 7pm at The Aviary
- Oct. 13: Edmonton Design Week at various locations
- Oct. 13: Friday the 13th at the Capitol starting at 7:30pm at Capitol Theatre
- Oct. 14-18: NorthwestFEARFest at Garneau Theatre
- Oct. 14-18: LitFest at various locations
And here are more to keep in mind:
- Oct. 23: The Bootlegger's Ball at Edmonton Hotel & Convention Centre
- Oct. 24: Indie Rebellion Bonfire Night at Victoria Park
- Oct. 25: Edmonton Blues Hall of Fame Annual Induction Ceremony and Celebration at Yardbird Suite
Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.
This roundup was sponsored by ATB.
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