Arts Roundup
Oct. 22, 2026
Edmonton games pioneer BioWare is shuttering and laying off around 50 employees as part of a 3% workforce reduction by its parent company. The studio, founded in 1995 by Greg and Marcel Zeschuk, Ray Muzyka, Augustine Yip, and Trent and Brent Oster, is known for its work on Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Anthem, and more. "For more than 30 years, BioWare has been more than a studio. It has been a home for storytellers, developers, and the players who brought our worlds to life," the company posted. "What generations of BioWare built together is something to celebrate and remember. These games became so much more because you played them, debated your choices, fell in love with the characters, and made these worlds your own." The shutdown means BioWare is ending development on the next installment of Mass Effect.
Trent Oster, a co-founder of Beamdog, said the end is sad, but the accomplishments live on. "I'm exceptionally proud of what we built from nothing in the lonely north when everyone knew game development was only done in California and Japan," he commented. "As the only person still standing in the game industry from the founders, this saddens me greatly." Unfortunately, some say the writing was on the wall. BioWare's ownership has shifted over the years, notably sold as a package with Pandemic Studios in 2007 to Electronic Arts for US$860 million. Layoffs ensued, including around 50 people in 2023. The Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund acquired EA (in conjunction with Silver Lake and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners) in 2025 for US$55 billion. Mark Darrah, who worked at BioWare from 1997 to 2021, said on Oct. 7 that major cuts were inevitable as part of the new deal. "(EA CEO) Andrew Wilson said he was going to have $700 million of additional savings after the acquisition closed," Darrah told an Edmonton Startup Week panel. "There is no way to get to $700 million of savings without further layoffs." Variety has the full memo from EA on the layoffs.
The major leagues of the games industry have contracted following a spending rush during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, Casey Hudson shuttered Humanoid Origin and Aaryn Flynn's Inflexion Games laid off at least 66 people (both founders are BioWare alumni who sold their respective studios). At the time, Inflexion's Scott Nye told Taproot the studio's debut, Nightingale, didn't hit the numbers it needed to; Dorian Rowe from Edmonton Screen cautioned studios not to bet on making hits to survive. It's not all bad news, however, because people who used to work at top game studios are now betting on themselves, panellists at the Oct. 7 event said. Studio Reset, whose three founders worked at BioWare well before the latest news, is taking a steady path towards its first game. The games community is gathered for the inaugural Edmonton Games Week from Interactive Arts Alberta through Oct. 25.
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Music
- Boodang's massively successful Scream dance-music event is sold out for 2026, marking another milestone for a one-time introvert whose love of music brought him from chat rooms to the big tent. "I went to my first event when I was 16 years old at the New City Lounge in Edmonton," said Viet Nguyen, partner and talent buyer for Boodang. "I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I went there with a bunch of friends and had the best night of my life."
- Kaeley Jade is nominated three times in the new folk music video category at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. Other local acts that are nominated across various categories include Cikwes, Jed and the Valentine, Maria Dunn, The McDades, Cynthia Hamar, Joe Nolan, Jordan Hart and Eddie Wiens.
- Jed and the Valentine have released Scavenger's Instinct, the band's third album in three years. The duo of Maria Khaner and Jonah Morris will perform in Edmonton on Oct. 25.
- Jordan Hart and Emily Schultz told the Reluctantly podcast about their plans for a full-length duet album and a 2027 international tour. Their fall Canadian tour will end at Edmonton's Rooster Cafe and Kitchen before Christmas.
- Hip-hop artist Jr. Rhodes was featured on CBC Edmonton AM's provincial playlist. He released the EP A Waiting King earlier this year and was nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award.
- Ruby Waters will play Midway Music Hall on April 5, as part of her SUPPRE$$IONS tour.
Visual arts
- Latitude 53 announced Schmoozy will take place on Nov. 13, and it will be an "extra special" event as the gallery celebrates its 53rd anniversary. The organization is also looking to fill up to four positions on its board.
- The Town of Stony Plain recognized the Parkland Potters' Guild with its Award of Creative Excellence. "For five decades, the Parkland Potters' Guild has demonstrated what can be accomplished through a shared passion for the arts and a commitment to giving back," Mayor William Choy said. "Their dedication has helped make Stony Plain a more vibrant and welcoming place, and we are proud to recognize their achievements with this well-deserved honour."
- St. Albert artist Al Anderson is showcasing oil paintings based on nearly 50 years of his Canadian landscape photography. The Canadian Scenes exhibition runs until Oct. 31 at the St. Albert's Visual Arts Studio Association.
- St. Albert artist Lorraine Shulba completed a commissioned artwork in memory of a donor's son for Sturgeon Community Hospital. She told the St. Albert Gazette that learning about his life helped guide the work. "It was probably the most impactful thing ever, to just see the family's reaction when they saw the piece," Shulba said. "The room was decorated in his honour as well, so it was quite emotional. It was nice to know that I could touch people with my work."
- The Leduc Arts Foundry is asking veterans, serving members, and first responders to submit art, memories, or memorabilia for its November Remembrance gallery.
Holiday magic in motion
Let the holidays move you! Winterval brings 104 Street to life with roving performers, colourful art installations and plenty of festive flair from local businesses. Bundle up and come see what's in store.
Visit edmontondowntown.com/winterval to find out more!
Theatre and dance
- Northern Light Theatre's Iron Matron premieres on Oct. 23. The new play from Trevor Schmidt tells the story of Alice, a divorced woman in her 60s who is forced to move in with her adult son and his family and starts a heavy metal band to reinvent herself.
- Shadow Theatre's Yaga is running until Nov. 1 at the Varscona Theatre. Justin Bell's review highlighted its "creepy energy and October fun." Reviewer Lucy Haines praised the cast's multi-character performances.
- Noam Tomaschoff earned praise for his performance in Our Little Secret from reviewer Justin Bell. The production, which Tomaschoff wrote, runs until Oct. 25 at the Citadel Theatre.
- Indoor lottery applications for the 2027 Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival are open until Nov. 23. Fringe will hold the draw on Nov. 30.
- Deviani Andrea's FRACTURA explored the experiences of Mexican families searching for missing loved ones in its Edmonton premiere. Salena Kitteringham praised the piece's portrayal of grief and absence. Andrea received her first Canada Council for the Arts grant and completed a two-week residency at Mile Zero Dance Society's ZERO lab.
Books and publishing
- On Treason by Patrick Lennox was among the top-selling non-fiction books on the Edmonton bestseller list from the Book Publishers Association of Alberta. David Climenhaga praised the book's research into Alberta separatism and foreign interference, though he did not agree with every argument.
- Second Shelf Books has opened in Edmonton's French Quarter, selling new and used books.
- Edmonton educator Tyson Mastel's picture book The Girls: The Wild and Wondrous Lives of Jean Wallbridge and Mary Imrie explores the Edmonton architects' careers and their relationship, which historians have identified as romantic. "These ladies were so awesome," Mastel told the St. Albert Gazette. "I'm gay, and I'm a history buff, and I had no idea that they were Edmontonians." Mastel will host a reading and signing at Bailey Books in St. Albert on Oct. 24.
- Cadence Weapon's essay collection Ways of Listening explores our relationship with music in the streaming era. On CBC Edmonton's Radio Active, he offered tips on finding music without relying on algorithms.
- Author Alisha Williams has opened The Romance Hideaway in Barrhead, a bookstore specializing in independent romance authors. Williams began writing while living in Edmonton before moving to Barrhead with her family.
Screen industries
- Games writer Stephen Lenz highlighted vrCAVE's growth into an international entertainment company with more than 200 locations. "Looking back through my own headset sessions, three central pillars explain how vrCAVE pulled off this coup: resource optimization, operational convenience, and an effortless capacity for expansion," Lenz wrote. The company's new Heroes Together VR — which Taproot tried in February — is now in early access on Meta Quest.
- Métis filmmaker Tim Riedel's Ancestral Beasts had its Edmonton premiere as NorthwestFEARFest's closing film at Metro Cinema. The psychological horror feature, which explores intergenerational trauma and mental illness, was shaped by his relationship with his mother, a Sixties Scoop survivor, he told Alberta Native News.
- Nemesis, directed by Sylvia Douglas, was named the best Alberta film at NorthwestFEARFest. The audience favourite and best Canadian feature was Behind the Castle Doors: The Origin of The Hilarious House of Frightenstein; the best international feature was Breeder, and the best short film was The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much.
- A documentary called Origin explores Transcend Coffee's relationships with independent farmers in Costa Rica. Founder Poul Mark discussed the film on CBC's Edmonton AM as the company marked its 20th year in business.
More headlines
- Philanthropist Irving Kipnes, who died earlier this week, was remembered as a patron of the arts as well as a great contributor to other charitable causes. He and his wife Dianne, who died in 2024, donated millions to organizations such as Edmonton Opera, the Art Gallery of Alberta, the Citadel Theatre, and Ballet Edmonton.
- Edmonton's Linda Hoang shared what it was like to compete on Season 8 of Family Feud Canada. "We met some amazing families and had a lot of fun with host Gerry Dee while filming in downtown Toronto over the summer!" she wrote. Episodes are available on CBC Gem.
- Renée Williams, executive director of the Edmonton Arts Council, was a guest on CBC's Edmonton AM to urge residents to email their city councillor about why the arts matter ahead of budget deliberations.
- The McKay Avenue School Archives and Museum features First Nations medical trailblazer Jane Flett MacKay in a new permanent exhibit. MacKay worked with her husband, William Morrison MacKay, to treat patients in Edmonton and beyond. Her great-great-grandchild Geordie Hungerford told CBC's Edmonton AM more about her legacy.
- The Prix Versailles Selection Committee named Edmonton's Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre as one of the world's most beautiful arenas for 2026. The centre, which opened on Jan. 27, is also nominated for one of the program's three world titles.
Happenings
Here are some events coming up soon:
- Oct. 22-23: Catalyst Film Festival at Citadel Theatre
- Oct. 24: Shakers and Makers Market starting at 9:30am at Southminster-Steinhauer United Church
- Oct. 24: Beppie starting at 10am at Horizon Stage
- Oct. 24: Journey to the Past starting at 4pm at Robertson-Wesley United Church
- Oct. 24: Indie Rebellion Bonfire Night starting at 6pm at Victoria Park
- Oct. 24: Group Photography Exhibition Opening starting at 6pm at The Parks
- Oct. 25: 18th Century Music from Central Europe starting at 3pm at Robertson-Wesley United Church
- Oct. 25: Edmonton Blues Hall of Fame Annual Induction Ceremony and Celebration starting at 7pm at Yardbird Suite
- Oct. 25: Madonna: The Immaculate Collection starting at 7:30pm at Winspear Centre
- Oct. 26: Audreys Book Club starting at 7pm at Audreys Books
- Oct. 28: Inclusive Transportation Book Launch starting at 7pm at University of Alberta (Science Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science)
- Oct. 28: Brain Reset Tour starting at 7pm at Winspear Centre
And here are more to keep in mind:
- Nov. 7: Discovering the Galápagos: National Geographic Live! at Winspear Centre
- Nov. 8: New Rhythms, Timeless Spirit starting at 2pm at Fringe Theatre Arts Barns
- Nov. 12-14: Broadview International Film Festival at Garneau Theatre
Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.