Registrations Open to the 2025 Urban Art Conference: “Monuments and Memory”
Monday July 7, 2025
BUMP Festival is excited to announce that registrations are now open for the second annual Urban Art Conference, this year we dive deep into the idea of “Monuments and Memory.” From August 5th to 6th, artists, curators, and city-builders will gather at Contemporary Calgary to discuss how cities remember, who gets to be seen, and what it means to build together. Join us at this iconic building for two days of boundary-pushing conversations and visionary ideas.
This year’s conference focuses on the tensions in public art: the push and pull of commercial interests, artistic integrity, and community desire. At “Soft Power, Hard Shapes,” panelists explore public art in the age of the branded-city and discuss how they navigate the fine line between spectacle and substance. The conversation continues on Day 2 at “Ghost Town or Gathering Place,” where the panelists will discuss what it takes to truly revitalize Calgary’s core.
The Conference also explores how we can assert our presence and claim space in the culture. At “Welcome to Where,” Indigenous artists, curators, and land-based thinkers wrestle over the politics of “place” and tourism in a country built on land dispossession. At “The Age of the Editorial,” panelists discuss the challenges of storytelling in an era that encourages simplicity and flattening. Finally, the Conference wraps up with “The Sonic Underground,” where panelists dive deep into the Calgary underground to explore how the scene forms a vital part of our cities.
In addition to the panels, visitors can join each day’s workshop. On Day 1, Mao Projects will give insights on their recent project transforming unusable ceramic pieces into public art. On Day 2, Calgary Arts Development will lead a workshop on tools for artists to conduct effective community engagement.
Our speaker lineup features some of the most compelling voices working across public art, design, architecture, and underground culture today, including internationally recognized sculptors, Indigenous land-based thinkers, grassroots organizers, experimental curators, and the cultural architects behind the country’s most exciting art scenes. Each panel is curated to spark dialogue, debate, and discovery.
We believe it’s essential to emphasize that this conference is completely free to attend. We’ve brought together an incredible lineup of speakers to explore topics that are often locked behind paywalls or institutional barriers. At the heart of our festival is a commitment to making art and the conversations that surround it accessible to all. By removing cost as a barrier, we aim to foster dialogue that is open, inclusive, and genuinely boundary-pushing.
Although this event is free, seating is limited and pre-registrations are required. Click the link to RSVP and learn more about our panels and workshops:
https://yycbump.ca/festival/conference.
Please note that all events must be individually registered for, including the keynote speech.
We can’t wait to see you there!
