Conference Registration is officially open!

Thursday July 9, 2026

Registration is officially open, tap innnnn to the THE 2026 BUMP URBAN ART CONFERENCE!

Taking place August 13–15 at Contemporary Calgary, this free, three day gathering brings together artists, thinkers, musicians, writers, curators, and cultural leaders from across Canada and around the world to explore this year’s theme: Of Simmering, and the Surge.

As a festival we are interested in meditating on how Ideas rarely transform the world overnight. They begin in underground scenes, artist studios, neighbourhoods, newsrooms, online communities, and conversations before building enough momentum to reshape public life. This year’s conference asks: How do ideas form? Who carries them forward? And what happens when they finally burst into the mainstream?

Swipe to our third slide to see this amazing line up!! Our guests include heavyweights in the art world like Faye HeavyShield, Sook-Yin Lee, Marigold Santos, Ken Lum, Cadence Weapon, Said Dokins, and many more.

We will explore how underground ideas become cultural movements, who gets to shape our cities through public art, and how artists, journalists, musicians, and cultural workers influence public consciousness. From conversations on housing affordability, extraction, and the future of urban life to a provocative discussion on AI, authorship, and what it means to create in an increasingly automated world, the conference brings together local, national, and international voices to examine the forces reshaping culture and where public art is headed next.

Important RSVP Information

• Please RSVP for each keynote, panel, and featured talk individually.
• Registering for one session does not reserve your place in another.
• Capacity is limited for many sessions, so we encourage you to reserve your spots as soon as possible.

Special thanks to our incredible partners: Contemporary Calgary, Calgary Economic Development, Calgary Downtown Association, Carvel Creative, and our festival presented parter TD Ready Commitment.