Investment builds new home for Calgary’s accessArts Centre

After struggling to find a new home for years, the National Access Arts Centre will move to the old Scouts Hall in West Hillhurst.

A new sponsorship is set to help Canadian artists with disabilities achieve their potential and establish a new home for an essential organization in Calgary.

The National accessArts Centre has secured a multi-year sponsorship that will fund the transformation of Scouts Hall in West Hillhurst into a state-of-the-art centre for Canadian artists with disabilities.

The sponsorship from Trico Communities, valued at $500,000, will help redevelop the abandoned Scouts’ Hall into the Trico Communities Accessible Arts Centre.

The funding marks a big step forward for the organization, which has been looking for a permanent home since the roof of the Fairview Arena collapsed more than seven years ago.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

Jung-Suk Ryu, president and CEO of the National accessArts Centre, called the investment a “huge boost” in realizing that vision.

“This is a huge deal for not just our organization, but for the disability community in Calgary,” Ryu said. “The last major development built specifically to support Calgarians living with disabilities – I can’t even think of when that was.

“This is an incredible first step in changing that.”

Owned by the City of Calgary, Scouts’ Hall was built in 1967 and vacated by the Scouts Canada in 2021. The city has committed a multi-million-dollar investment toward base building and accessibility upgrades.

Jody Lynn Roll, a local artist and National accessArts Centre board member, said the new facility will provide stability for artists who have faced uncertainty in previous locations.

“Having a home that is ours is important,” Roll said.

“Belonging is a huge thing for a lot of us artists, especially in a world where mental health and physical accessibility are challenges. This place will help us express ourselves more through art.”

Patrick Chiu, president of Trico Communities, said the company saw the partnership as a way to align with its core values.

“Trico has always believed in the connection between ‘doing well’ and ‘doing good’ – a belief that has shaped our culture and purpose,” Chiu said.

“We do well when we create value for our customers, and we do good when we build stronger, healthier, thriving communities. We’re proud to showcase these values through our contribution to the National accessArts Centre’s vision.”

Stephanie Chipeur, chair of the board of the National accessArts Centre, said the new facility will provide an opportunity for both disabled and non-disabled artists to connect.

“We really envision this place as something like Contemporary Calgary or the Glenbow, with public-facing exhibitions and events that bring artists of all abilities together,” Chipeur said.

“But the most important thing is that we’re also a training campus, a place where people can get skills and learn. If we’re a community that hasn’t been given a lot of chances in the mainstream arts world, this is a space to build those skills while showing off the work.”

Chipeur also emphasized the importance of visibility for artists with disabilities.

“The space we are in currently just isn’t doing that,” she said.

“When you put our artists in spaces that look inviting, that bring people in, people will realize they may have been discounting this community without really understanding the unique perspectives and art-making that comes from it.”

The full redevelopment of the facility is part of a $20 million plan that includes an adjacent performing arts venue.

Ryu said about 80 per cent of the funding for both projects has been secured, and the organization will now turn to public fundraising efforts.

“This announcement with Trico Communities has sort of brought us to the point to unveil these exciting plans,” Ryu said.

“We are confident we will be able to secure support from across Calgary and Canada, because we are the country’s most significant and largest disability-focused arts organization.”

The National accessArts Centre supports more than 300 artists with developmental or physical disabilities through studio programs, workshops and online programming.

The new facility, expected to open in late 2026 or early 2027, will be the first dedicated arts learning campus in the world designed specifically for artists with disabilities.

“We had to fit in at our old space – it was not designed for us,” Ryu said.

“This time, it’s the complete reverse. This facility will set a new standard for the kind of space the disability community can access.

“We hope it will inspire others across Canada and beyond.”