Welcome to Calgary Performing Arts Festival (CPAF)

TAKE THE STAGE. BE HEARD.

Registrations will open Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023

A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

Calgary preforming arts sponsor logos, Calgary Foundation, St.John's Music, Yamaha, Calgary arts, Calgary Musicians association, cadme, Long & McQuade, Canadian College of Preforming Arts and Optimist International.

We’re excited to announce our 2025 Festival dates! Live performances will begin on April 12 and continue until May 9, 2025.

We welcome the performing arts community and their supporters to join us! At CPAF, our mission is to enrich our community by cultivating and celebrating aspiring performers. We’ve been passionate about this for the past 94 years.

Our premier event has allowed young Alberta artists to experience the richest musical experience at the early stages of their performing careers.

Solo, Ensemble, and Chamber performances across multi-disciplinary performing arts are eligible to participate in our music festival.

WHY GET INVOLVED?

The reasons you participate might be different than others

IF YOU’RE A PERFORMER

If you love to perform, being in front of an audience improves your confidence and comfort in front of a large group of people.

The training you receive is about more than just performing on a stage. It is also about a focus on work ethic, discipline, kindness, being positive, collaboration, community, and being confident in who you are. These are all transferable skills which will be useful wherever you go in life.

Receive empowering, in-person, impartial feedback from reputable adjudicators. These important recommendations allow you to play and compete at the next level.

Have the prestigious CPAF on your resumé.

Relationship-building: Meet others in the Alberta youth arts community and industry, and build your network.

IF YOU’RE A MUSIC TEACHER

This gives your students the critical experience of performing in front of other performers and receiving impartial feedback from reputable, international adjudicators.

This is a rare opportunity for your students to perform in a professional space, on a large stage. Taking this stage can inspire them to go further than even they imagined.

If your students plan to take exams to further their musical journey, this is a perfect opportunity to practice and receive feedback.

IF YOU’RE A PARENT

CPAF is a prestigious event with the opportunity to win up to $40,000 worth of scholarships.

It helps with goal-setting. With a performance date in mind, there is something to work towards. It’s not just more practice.

This isn’t just about playing an instrument; it’s about developing life skills: leadership, confidence, time management, etc.

Participants get critical, impartial feedback from reputable, international adjudicators.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

In 1931, a small group of eager musicians decided to take their love of music to the next level by creating an event called The Calgary Music Festival.

The Festival began as a small competition but quickly grew so large the organizers approached the Kiwanis Clubs of Calgary to take ownership of it, giving it the new title: The Calgary Kiwanis Festival.

Since then, the Festival has become one of Calgary’s greatest performing arts events and one of North America’s largest amateur competitive festivals. In 2014, the Calgary Kiwanis Festival underwent another name change and became The Calgary Performing Arts Festival.

814

Performances in 2024

$215,000

Scholarships disbursed
since 2017

10,000+

Performance time
(in minutes) in 2024

HELP BUILD
THE NEXT
GENERATION
OF OUR
PERFORMING
ARTS
COMMUNITY

Your generous support will help us nurture a strong and vibrant performing arts scene. Art gives us meaning and helps us understand our world. Art appreciation improves our quality of life and makes us feel good. We elevate our mood, improve our ability to problem solve and open our minds to new ideas.

Funds raised each year allow opportunities for aspiring young performers through reputable, international adjudication, quality programming, and experiences that build performing arts in our community. For years to come.

As well, your donation helps young performers who may not otherwise be able to participate.

SCHOLARSHIPS

CPAF continues to develop our scholarship program to help Alberta’s most outstanding young artists achieve their performance goals. The festival is pleased to offer up to $40,000 in individual scholarships.

SCHOLARSHIP DONATIONS & CHARITABLE TAX RECEIPTS

Do you want to establish a scholarship in your name? Newly named scholarships require a minimum donation of $20,000.

CPAF is a registered charitable organization and official income tax receipts are issued for donations over $25.

CRA #129539235RR0001