About
Creative Praxis is a learning cohort for artists and creative practitioners curious about the intersections of artistic practice, social change, and systems thinking.
Offered by the Institute for Community Prosperity at Mount Royal University, this four-session cohort brings together a small group of socially engaged artists to examine the systems their work is already part of, consider what it means to engage meaningfully with community, and explore how artistic practice can contribute to systems change.
Participants come away with new language and frameworks for understanding their practice, deepened relationships with other artists wrestling with similar questions, and a clearer sense of where their work has leverage in the world.
What is creative praxis?
Creative praxis is the integration of reflection and action in artistic practice. It is the space where theory meets lived experience, where what we know shapes what we do, and where what we do deepens what we know. For socially engaged artists, creative praxis is the ongoing work of understanding the systems you are part of, the communities you are in relationship with, and the change your practice is already contributing to.
Who is this for?
Creative Praxis is designed for artists and creative practitioners who are curious about the relationship between their practice, community, and social change. This includes artists working across disciplines who are already engaging with communities or who are interested in doing so, and those who want to explore how systems thinking can deepen and inform their work.
Program Details
Session Key Dates
- October 30: Seeing the System
- November 6: Entering the Field
- November 13: Being in Relation
- November 20: Creative Praxis
Sessions run in-person on Fridays at Mount Royal University. Participants should plan to attend all four sessions.
Application Details
What will we explore?
Seeing the System
What systems am I already a part of, and how are they shaping my work?
Your practice is already in relationship with systems, whether or not that's the language you use for it. We begin by slowing down to name what's already there, using creative and embodied activities to surface the forces, histories, and relationships shaping your work.
Entering the Field
What does it mean to practise at the intersection of art and social change?
There is a field of practice you are likely already part of. We explore the landscape of socially engaged arts, its history, its ethical demands, and its many forms, and we ask where your work sits within it and what that means for how you move forward.
Being in Relation
Who am I in relationship with through my practice?
You already know that how you enter community matters as much as what you make there. We sit with the harder questions of self-knowledge, positionality, power, and care, and deepen what it means to show up with integrity in the spaces you work in.
Creative Praxis
How can art disrupt systmes, and what am I carrying forward?
Change is slow, nonlinear, and rarely where you expect it. In our final gathering we look at shifting patterns and systems, where your artistic practice has leverage, and what you want to carry forward from here.
Registration
Please submit via the expression of interest form and we will be in touch in September 2026 once applications open.
Questions
If you have questions, please contact Kelaena Maude at kmaude@mtroyal.ca
FAQ
Do I need to attend all four sessions?
Yes. Because relationships and continuity are central to the learning experience, participants are expected to attend all four gatherings. If you are unsure whether you can commit to all four dates, we encourage you to apply for a future offering.
What disciplines or backgrounds are welcome?
Creative Praxis welcomes artists and creative practitioners from any discipline including visual art, performance, music, writing, film, community arts, and interdisciplinary practice. You do not need to have prior experience with systems thinking or social change work to apply.
Is there a cost to participate?
There is no cost to participate. Acceptance is by application and space is limited. We are looking for participants who are ready to show up fully for themselves and for the group.
Where will sessions be held?
Sessions will be held in person at Mount Royal University in Calgary.
What is the time commitment?
Each session runs on a Friday. Participants should expect to be available for a full day. Specific session times will be shared with accepted participants.
This program is made possible by the support of Calgary Arts Development and the Institute for Community Prosperity.