All in Elevating Your Experience

All That (Canadian) Jazz!

On April 28, 2022, something very special will happen in the Jack Singer Concert Hall. For the first time ever, Arts Commons and JazzYYC come together to form the Canadian National Jazz Orchestra, welcoming members from across the country to represent the best in live jazz orchestral performance.

With original compositions reflecting the theme Stories of Canada, we wanted to hear directly from a few of the performers about why they're excited to be involved in the project and how they feel it will influence the future of jazz music in Canada. Their answers are filled with excitement, hope, and inspiration for the next generation of Canadian jazz musicians.

A Canadian Milestone: Inside the Creation of the Canadian National Jazz Orchestra from Arts Commons Presents

April 28th, the Canadian National Jazz Orchestra will bring together musicians from across the country for their first performance, uniting leading Canadian talent for the first-ever collaboration of this scope and scale. To make it happen, Arts Commons Presents and JazzYYC teamed up and brought the long-time dream of Kodi Hutchinson, Artistic Producer of JazzYYC, to life.

Top 5 Places to Grab a Bite at Arts Commons

We’ve all been there. You’ve got your tickets booked, your car is parked, but you don’t know where to eat before the show!

Fortunately for you, there are five excellent eateries right on the doorstep of Arts Commons ranging from comfortably casual to high-end luxury cuisine. Looking for pizza and pasta? We got you covered. What about post-show dessert? We have that too! Read on to discover your new favourite pre-show dinner spot.

Bringing Back bliss (the birthday party play)

On October 28, One Yellow Rabbit will welcome back bliss (the birthday party play) for its second run, returning live performance to the Big Secret Theatre stage at Arts Commons. Written and acted by Verb Theatre director Jamie Dunsdon, critically acclaimed bliss approaches the inopportune moments in life when, like an errant balloon, our ignorance is popped. Perhaps it’s the dawning horror that Santa’s handwriting looks an awful lot like moms, or the burgeoning weight of climate change and environmental action­­––whatever the catalyst, bliss embarks on an exploration of our vulnerability, our curiosity, and our limitless capacity to ignore that which we shouldn’t.

How Arts Commons is making our building safe for you!

We’re excited to share that September 7, 2021 will mark Art Commons’ official reopening to the public a year and a half after it closed its doors on March 22, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Art has been crucial in getting us through the pandemic and lifting our spirits during these difficult times. Recognizing the importance of the arts and governmental mandates around reopening, Arts Commons is set to safely welcome back audiences to our facilities this month.

Nurgül Rodriguez and the Art of Landing

The Ledge Gallery at Arts Commons is the current home of Nurgül Rodriguez’ exhibition In the Vessel of my Skin, which delves into the coexistence of body and soul and the conflict that can arise from both sharing space––a concept born and exemplified to her during the pandemic. Immigration, gender disparity, and the desire to belong in a new country are all touched upon in a multitude of ways, each expressed using carefully molded porcelain.