fireWORKS
A Spark Ignited: fireWORKS Launches at Historic Fire Hall No. 1
Community spirit, artistic energy, and a shared vision for the future.
The streets of downtown Calgary lit up with creative energy on April 5th, as we celebrated the public launch of fireWORKS —a debuting multimedia artwork by Indigenous arts duo ARTICLE 11 (Tara Beagan and Andy Moro).
Set against the backdrop of Historic Fire Hall No. 1 and the North-West Travellers Building, this installation marks a bold first step in reimagining these iconic sites as future spaces for creativity, culture, and community. fireWORKS invited everyone to look up, gather together, honour the land, and imagine what’s next.
From the blessing by Elder Ruth Scalplock, to the powerful words of Calgary Poet Laureate Shone Thistle, the evening honoured both history and possibility. While live music and dance performances by One Big JAM’s open-stage format brought infectious energy to the night.
But beyond the art and festivities, this event marks something even more meaningful—it is the first activation of the site by cSPACE. With continued community engagement and support from the City of Calgary, cSPACE Projects plans to transform these heritage buildings into a permanent arts and culture campus in the heart of downtown.
“This partnership goes beyond a one-time event — It’s about honouring and conserving our built history while expanding the role of arts and culture in daily downtown life. The City and cSPACE are working together to bring these incredible buildings back to life in a permanent way so Calgarians and visitors will experience these spaces in new ways that tell our stories while enriching and entertaining us.”
– Thom Mahler, Director of City of Calgary Downtown Revitalization
The fireWORKS installation will remain on view nightly until July 2025, offering Calgarians and visitors a chance to experience public art in a truly unique way—and to imagine what’s possible when we reawaken historic spaces with creativity and collaboration.
“We’re so excited to be part of being part of the beginning of this exciting project. This piece was inspired by the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth – its energy and a sense of belonging – a true representation of the city. The building is kind of new, but the land isn’t new. Everything we do as ARTICLE 11 centres around Indigeneity, Indigenous stories, and it’s Indigenous led. That’s what we’re bringing here. We are celebrating resilience, showing the power of buffalo and of the people that belong to this land and how we all share it today.
– Tara Beagan, ARTICLE 11
We’re just getting started. Stay tuned, stay inspired, and help us shape a creative future for Calgary.
With your voices, ideas, and support, cSPACE Projects is working to transform these historic spaces into a permanent arts and culture campus—a home for artists, storytellers, dreamers, and all who believe in the power of imagination to shape our city.
We are at a profound moment of imagining a new beginning and it’s going to take a village of support to bring this vision to life.”
– Deeter Schurig, President & CEO of cSPACE Projects
Fill out this community questionnaire and share your memories of these historic buildings and ideas for this new arts & culture hub.
Special thanks to the incredible volunteers, enthusiastic attendees, and the teams at City of Calgary’s Downtown Strategy, Capital Priorities and Investments, Real Estate Development Services, and Arts & Culture for making this event possible.
Event on the Media:
Check out a video story by CTV