Experience Art & Design IRL on Churchill Square
The Works Art & Design Festival is June 20 – July 1, 2026
Edmonton, Alberta – The Works Art & Design Festival returns from June 20 to July 1, 2026, at Churchill Square and venues across downtown Edmonton, offering FREE daily programming from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
This year’s festival theme began with a simple but layered phrase that isn’t quite a question:
Are You Here
Place is about how our understanding of a thing or concept is influenced by proximity to it or its agents.
The artists in this year's festival are working consciously with ideas of the space they carry with them, and the memories that people share of spaces that have been distanced through space or time. Many of them are Albertans from other countries speaking to the places they have lived. Some are interested in internal worlds, and others in specific local anchors.
“When a person has an experience, it is never contained to that experience alone, our memories, culture, and knowledge layer in to create a unique experience, not entirely shared by the people we are with in that moment.” says Amber Rooke, Artistic Director of The Works Art & Design Festival.
Festival programming features art exhibits, paintings, and installations, showcasing more than 200 artists across 41 exhibits at 18 festival sites and venues. In collaboration with galleries and cultural organizations throughout downtown Edmonton, the festival also offers more than FREE 115 events, workshops, and activations. The main festival site at Churchill Square opens daily at 11:00 AM, with free workshops, guided tours, and interactive art experiences running from 12:00–9:15 PM.
The Works Street Stage (showcases Edmonton’s top musical talent, from JUNO-nominated artists and community choirs to emerging performers) runs daily from 12:00–9:15 PM, followed by a nightly soundscape from 9:20–10:00 PM.
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Contact:
crystal.eyo@theworks.ab.ca
780-721-9111 (text is best!)
About The Works Art & Design Festival:
The Works is Canada’s largest free outdoor art festival. The festival is dedicated to supporting contemporary visual artists and fostering creative connections within the community. Since 1985, The Works has been an integral part of Edmonton’s cultural identity, showcasing the work of emerging and established artists from across Canada and around the world.