Arts Roundup
Aug. 20, 2026
Smudge the Blades will open the 40th edition of the Edmonton International Film Festival on Sept. 24, after its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The locally made hockey comedy is directed by Cody Lightning and stars Ed Helms, whose resumé includes big hits such as The Office and The Hangover, as well as Rutherford Falls, a satire he co-created that explores the tense Indigenous-settler relations in municipal politics.
Lightning's previous film, Hey, Viktor!, opened the 2023 edition of EIFF, won awards, and acted as both an offshoot of the beloved Smoke Signals and a way for film pros to earn income during Hollywood strikes. "All my friends are out of work," Samuel Miller, the Los Angeles-based co-writer of Hey, Viktor! told Taproot in late 2023. "Every contract I have down here is on pause and hopefully coming back. But everybody else is trying to figure out what they're gonna do with their time, and I get to fly to these film festivals for this film." Lightning went on to act in the FX series The Lowdown starring Ethan Hawke in 2025, and there's a good chance he'll return for the second season.
EIFF, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, runs from Sept. 24 to Oct. 3. It has been running a film series called The Road to 40 in the lead-up to the festival; the final screening is for Parasite on Aug. 27 at Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre. Programmer Vincent Brulotte spoke to Moving Radio about the film and the series. This year's festival will also be accompanied by a Creative Screen Business Summit on Sept. 25 and 26, exploring the business behind film, TV, and digital media.
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Music
- Alt Yeg Music Magazine published an interview with Famous Strangers ahead of a two-night self-titled album release. Vocalist Amanda Kiernan described the band's sound as heavy hard rock mixed with bluesy and emotional elements. The shows will take place at The Rec Room on Aug. 21 and The Starlite Room on Aug. 22.
- Beth Dart of Music Yukon spoke to CBC's Edmonton AM about the organization's partnership with the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, which brings northern artists to free outdoor stages.
- Violinist Broderyck Olson, who has retired after 65 years with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, spoke to CBC's Edmonton AM about being the longest-serving orchestra musician in North America. Olson joined the ESO's first violin section at age 17 and retired at 82.
- Post-hardcore bands Quicksand and Fucked Up have announced a co-headlining Canadian tour this fall, visiting 10 cities across six provinces in September and October. Edmonton's show is set for Sept. 26 at Pawn Shop Live.
Visual arts
- Métis artist Carmen Miller has been named Edmonton's new Indigenous Artist-in-Residence. Miller specializes in caribou hair tufting and beadwork. During the year-long residency, Miller will work from Ferrier Garage, an Edmonton Transit Service facility in southeast Edmonton.
- Former Paralympic champion Viviane Forest has mounted her first solo exhibition at the Visual Arts Studio Association in St. Albert. Forest, who is visually impaired, won seven medals at three Paralympic Games before taking up painting in 2021. Her exhibit, Emergence, runs until Aug. 29.
- The Alberta Craft Council has an exhibit from Camryn Carnell called A Scrappy Sensibility that runs until Sept. 12. It explores how old fabric can be transformed into new art through sculptures, patchwork, and playground-inspired architecture.
Two nights at the opera, one smart bundle
Set yourself up for a couple of spectacular date nights with Edmonton Opera! The Opera Duo bundles tickets to both mainstage productions in the 2026-27 season: Rossini's The Barber of Seville in November and Mozart's The Magic Flute in February. You'll save 20% compared to single ticket prices, secure your seats early, and have two unforgettable nights of live opera to look forward to.
Theatre and dance
- Thou Art Here Theatre released a promo trailer for Other Duties As Required, a new play by Louise Casemore. It was workshopped in June through the Write Here Immersive Theatre Creation program.
- Heading into the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival's final weekend, reviews can be found at 12th Night, the Fringe's own review hub, Troy Pavlek's blog, the Edmonton Journal, Lucy Haines's blog, and Dance Seen by Salena.
- Lion dance and warrior drumming at Hong De Cultural & Athletic Association are explored in Behind the Roar, a new documentary produced and directed by Hadi Zounji for the CBC Creator Network.
Books and publishing
- Kylie Doyle and Veronica Talliss hosted the Bound By Books Book Crawl, taking Edmonton readers by bus to five indie bookstores, including Audreys Books, Daisy Chain Book Co., and Wee Book Inn. The first crawl earlier this summer sold out, and the event is expected to return next year.
- Ron Sheppard, director of the Parkland Regional Library System, spoke to CBC about how difficult he expects it will be to comply with provincial restrictions under Bill 28. "There is a legal definition for pornography, and nothing, to my understanding, in any Alberta library meets that legal definition of pornography," said Sheppard. "So then it becomes subjective." Libraries have until Jan. 1 to identify which materials to keep away from patrons 15 and under without parental consent; provincial guidelines are expected this month.
- Sherwood Park author RM Briggs has launched Science Fiction Tales Volume III, a collection exploring artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other emerging technologies through fiction. Briggs said science fiction should edify its readers and help them engage with the implications of scientific change.
- Talk Treaty to Me by Crystal Gail Fraser and Sara Komarnisky is at the top of the nonfiction books on the latest Edmonton bestseller list from the Book Publishers Association of Alberta.
- Sports media company The Nation Network, which started with Oilersnation in Edmonton, is rebranding its team-specific sites under Daily Faceoff to reduce confusion and better position the network as a national hockey platform. Oilersnation will become Daily Faceoff Edmonton. A celebratory send-off event for the old brand is planned for September.
Edmonton Chamber Music Society presents James Ehnes & Andrew Armstrong
Internationally celebrated violinist James Ehnes joins acclaimed pianist Andrew Armstrong for an evening of exceptional artistry and musical partnership on Sept. 10. Season subscriptions are on sale now. Experience all six concerts this season, including Sir András Schiff.
More headlines
- Arts on the Ave has secured $3.3 million in city funding alongside the land needed to move ahead with ArtsCommon 118, a planned arts and housing complex at 92 Street and 118 Avenue NW. The project would include a 200-seat theatre and 26 below-market housing units for artists, with move-in anticipated for 2029. About $7.1 million of the estimated $10.4 million development cost still needs to be secured.
- The Edmonton Arts Council shared a video about the artist-in-residence program at Boyle Street Community Services, which embeds artists in social service settings to increase arts access for vulnerable populations. Kaz Curtis has served as Boyle Street's artist-in-residence since fall 2025.
- CBC profiled Studio Reset, an independent video game studio founded by three Bioware alumni — Kaelin Lavallee, Kris Schoneberg, and Francis Lacuna. The studio's first game, The Eventide, will be a supernatural mystery game set in a "neon-noir" Canadian setting.
- TELUS World of Science - Edmonton will remain closed until early 2027 instead of reopening in November, as flood damage from a July 10 storm has proven worse than expected. President and CEO Constance Scarlett said restoration work is now expected to finish in December. About 70% of the centre's staff remain temporarily laid off.
Happenings
Here are some events coming up soon:
- Aug. 20: Treaty No. 6 150-Year Commemoration Pow Wow starting at 12pm at Enoch Cree Nation Pow Wow and Cultural Grounds Arbour
- Aug. 20: Reception + Artist Talk: Peony Room starting at 6pm at Art Gallery of St. Albert
- Aug. 20: Plaza Series — Up Jumped The Blues: Erin Ross and The Du-Rite Aces starting at 7pm at Arden Theatre
- Aug. 21: Arts, Storytelling & Public Imagination Lab — Artivist Roundtable starting at 6pm at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
- Aug. 21: Divas Sing-Along starting at 7pm at Fan Park
- Aug. 21: Outdoor Film Screening: Shaolin Soccer starting at 7pm at Kinistinâw Park
- Aug. 22: Edmonton Pride Parade and Trans March starting at 1pm at various locations downtown
- Aug. 22: PrideFest starting at 3pm at Fan Park
- Aug. 23: Indigenous Pride starting at 12pm at Fan Park
- Aug. 24: Alberta Craft Council AGM starting at 6pm online
- Aug. 25: Writer Gatherings starting at 7pm at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
- Aug. 26: Opera al Fresco starting at 6:30pm at University of Alberta Botanic Garden
And here are more to keep in mind:
- Sept. 11-13: Books2Buy Sale at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
- Sept. 17: Alberta Book Publishing Awards at Matrix Hotel
- Sept. 19-20: Edmonton Gallery Walk at 124 Street and Area
Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.
This roundup was sponsored by ATB.
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