As a society, the challenges we face are complex and do not have easy solutions.
Artists have been playing powerful roles in helping us understand and make sense of complexity.
About the Artist as Changemaker Program
We believe artists have a unique role to play in accelerating social change for the betterment of people and the planet. The Artist as Changemaker (AAC) Program looks to illuminate, elevate, and expand the capacity of socially engaged artists to create meaningful social change. This program is designed for and by artists. It exists to reveal the relationship between art, the artistic process, social innovation, and systems thinking in creating pathways for change.
The Residency Program is designed to help both artists and organizations develop a strong knowledge of:
- Tools, resources, and frameworks for social innovation and systems change
- The specifics of the complex issue or ‘wicked problem’ that the organization and artist sets out to address
- The strengths of the socially engaged artist
- Ways in which artists and organizations can collaborate
The Residency Program focuses on developing three main areas.
Expanding Knowledge
Expanding social innovation and systems change learning is a core objective as we try to understand how artists could use this knowledge to inform their artistic process, how the artistic process is interrelated with social change, and how it can advance systems change.
Investing & Deepening Relationships
Investing and deepening the relationships between the cohort of artists and partner organizations is a core objective as we try to understand what it means to work collaboratively in an environment of trust, knowledge sharing, and deep connection.
‘Process as Outcome’
Change often occurs in the ‘how’, not the ‘what’. Social innovation practices place as much (if not more) emphasis on the process of innovation rather than the final product. It is in the process of working together that transformation occurs. Focusing on the process with the artists cohort and partner organizations allows us to gain deeper insight and understanding into the role that artists play in social change and transformation.
How do I apply?
Have Questions?
Learn more about the AAC Residency program here: Program Information Package
Register to attend the information sessions:
- Wednesday Session, June 4, 2025 at 1:00pm - 1:30pm — Register Here
- Tuesday Session, June 10, 2025 at 1:00pm - 1:30pm — Register Here
- Tuesday Session, June 17, 2025 at 10:00am - 10:30am — Register Here
Or contact: Kelaena Maude, Program Lead at kmaude@mtroyal.ca.
Past Waves of Change with Artist as Changemaker
Real Me: Empowering At-Risk Youth
“Portraits of Connection”: Inspiring Intergenerational Queer Connection
Energy Matters: Breaking Barriers to Combat Energy unAffordability in Alberta
“Barriers" film: A World Where the Deaf & Hear are Recognized and Respected
Why Artists?
Because artists have always been paving the way for change.
Artists have the capacity to mobilize people and catalyze action. They expose the underlying conditions that hold problems in place. They inspire new connections and offer people new possibilities for engaging with a challenge.
Combining the artistic process with the tools of social innovation can help socially engaged artists identify leverage points to amplify change. Partnerships with organizations on the front lines of social problems serve as fertile ground for artists to demonstrate these abilities.
For more details and outcomes of the program, read the full reports here
Artist as Changemaker 2024 Program Report
The Artist as Changemaker Program (AAC) is a seasoned initiative spanning 6 years and 3 iterations, aimed to expand the capacity of artists to facilitate meaningful social change in Calgary Alberta. Since inception, the Program has been co-designed with participating artists to meet artists needs in facilitating change in community, and in partnership with community organizations.
Through the Residency, in partnership with local organizations, artists explore the relationship between the artistic process and social innovation as a means to discover unique and creative ways to address complex social challenges. Following the Residency, artists have the opportunity to participate in the AAC Fellowship to deepen their practice, building on outcomes from the Residency.
Read the report here.
Artist as Changemaker 2021 Program Report
The Artist as Changemaker Residency Program is a direct outcome of the Artist as Changemkaer Project. The second pilor of the residenc program launched in January 2021 and ran until June 2021. Artists expressed the importance of leveraging relationships with organizations on the front lines of social problems, which informed the focus of the 2021 residency: How might artiss and organization work together to address complex challenges?
Read the report here.
Artist as Changemaker 2020 Program Report
As a society, the challenges we face are complex and do not have easy solutions, and artists have been playing powerful roles to help us understand and make sense of complexity. Using art, artists invite people to enter into alternative realities in all sorts of ways. Artists use playfulness, dialogue, and even controversy to evoke emotions that have the potential to catalyze action. This is one of the ways that artists contribute to systems thinking and change work. Artists help to clarify patterns and trends in society by challenging mental models, which are founded on layers of beliefs, values, assumptions, and traditions.
Read the report here.
