BUMP DRIVE DAY 3: STORYTELLING & CHANGE THROUGH ART

Sunday November 26, 2023

The heart and soul of our festival lies in how we transform public spaces through art. Over the past few years, we have been able to program over 270 public art installations by artists from all over the world. Great cities evolve through the new ideas coming in and out!

We are grateful to have hosted talented artists from the United States, Colombia, Brazil, China, Germany, France, and South Africa to paint public mural works and exchange dialogue every summer with Canadian visual artists, the walls of our city begin to carry new narratives, important ideas from around the globe and shape Calgary into a place that is rich in its capacity to have conversations through art.

In 2023, our stories were vibrant, culturally rich and urgent for our times. Artist Wosnan from Bogota, Colombia, painted ‘The Last Maple Leaf,’ a massive mural about the richness of our forests, the decline of our green areas due to human intervention, and human interconnectedness with nature. 

We used art to bring awareness to the endangered Gray Fox, Grizzly Bear, and Eastern Cougar in ‘Symbiosis’ by Brazilian-born Dinho Bento. Artists La Guita and Emily Chu looked to their histories, creating pieces that told stories of ancestry, family and tradition. From Seeroro, Yasaman and Bruno Canadien, stunning murals brought myth, folklore and cultural symbolism to life. We joined forces with Cirque Du Soleil and CMLC to create ‘Pandora’s Snail,’ a celebration of the circus arts painted by Montreal-based artist MILKBOX. The mural is a testament to our capacity to facilitate joint storytelling and celebrate the historic work of national cultural institutions. 

Please give today to the 2023 BUMP Drive, running till November 30! Your generous gift will help transform our city! 

HOW YOU CAN HELP!

1) DONATE TODAY! Help us reach our fundraising goal of $10,000 so we can continue to make Calgary/Mohkinstsis a greater space for storytelling through public art.

2) Spread the word! Please share the 2023 BUMP Drive with your friends and family! And don’t forget to share what you love about the BUMP Festival, including your favourite artists, murals or events!

To learn more about the past year, you can read our 2023 Community Impact report and watch our 2023 Community Impact Video.