Letter from CGAS Board President

November 12, 2026

UPDATE FROM COMMON GROUND ARTS SOCIETY BOARD PRESIDENT, AINSLEY HILLYARD

As we prepare for a new year at Common Ground Arts, I wanted to share a message on behalf of our board of directors with an update about the last year, where it’s left us, and where we’re headed.

WHAT’S HAPPENED?

There is no doubt that this was one of the most difficult years in Common Ground’s history. This summer, Found Festival faced unprecedented, record-breaking weather events that cost thousands of dollars in damages and lost revenue. CG recognized our precarious financial position and instituted a handful of programming and operational changes for 2026-27 to work towards a surplus budget in 2027.

Our 2026-27 season also began with major challenges: After beginning their permanent role as Managing Producer in August, Rainier Pearl-Styles left to pursue an exciting opportunity in Vancouver in October. While we wish Rainier all the best in their new adventures, we are continuing to assess our next steps for the organization’s leadership.

We have received requests for further information about Tiny Bear Jaws’ cancellation of the final performances of I Don’t Even Miss You in October. Due to the sensitive nature of the process and Alberta privacy laws as they pertain to consent and information disclosure, we are not able to share any details about a third-party event that occurred outside of the scope of the organization.

What we can tell you, is that the CG board of directors was in constant conversation with staff, artists, and community members over the days leading up to Tiny Bear Jaws’ decision and in the week that followed. We deeply care about our community and the way we conduct ourselves, and as such we are responding to the calls to action linked to procedural review. We will be engaging a qualified organization to conduct a third party review, assessing and improving our policies, procedures, and curatorial practices. We will share more detail on these actions as they come to fruition.

While this year has presented no shortage of challenges to the organization, there have been many extraordinary successes to celebrate. Another stellar RISER Festival showcased three new works by brilliant local theatre-makers, Found Festival 2026 presented nearly 100 artists’ work in venues across the city, and we laid the groundwork for many exciting developments still to come. We had a successful (first-ever!) casino event after years of board and staff work, which will now sustain Found Festival for years to come.

We welcomed Season Producer Hayley Moorhouse and Found Festival Producer Salem Zurch who have already made truly astounding contributions to our work. We also said farewell to Whittyn Jason and Sarah Emslie who provided a combined nearly 10 years of service to CG programming.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Today, I want to express my deep, profound gratitude to Common Ground Arts Society’s staff and board of directors, who have put in countless hours and an extraordinary amount of love and labour navigating the year’s many challenges. 

The CG board of directors is currently assuming temporary working leadership of the organization as we review options for future staff positions. We have an incredible make up of committed, talented, and capable individuals on our board of directors right now and I am truly grateful for the care and expertise offered by the people working alongside me.

Found Festival Producer Salem Zurch, Season Producer Hayley Moorhouse, and Administrator Shannon Lin all continue to do excellent work in their roles and have begun looking ahead to 2027 and beyond. We can’t wait to share more!

In the current absence of a Managing Producer, former Managing Producer Mac Brock has returned to the organization as Interim Operations Manager. Mac will be in this role until February 2027. Mac will be responsible for upkeep of the organization’s day-to-day operations while the board of directors assumes responsibility for planning and steering.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The past year has placed the organization in a much more challenging financial position than anticipated. Currently, staff and board are working diligently to focus our resources on delivering our programmed artists through 2027, providing them the same meaningful experiences our artistic community has come to expect of Common Ground. We anticipate no major changes to any programmed presentations. We will be preparing asks to our community, funders, and partners to help sustain our work for the months and years to come.

We are also reviewing all possible steps for the next generation of Common Ground Arts’ leadership and programming. Shortly, we’ll enter a strategic planning process for 2027-2030 with an intent to focus and deepen our impacts and relationships with our community. We will have more details to share in the months ahead about opportunities to get involved and help shape that future with us.

Stay tuned soon for Found Festival 2027 artist calls (coming later in November), further updates, and ways to support Common Ground Arts Society. Thank you, sincerely, for reading. If you have any questions or want to share with us, we can be reached at board@commongroundarts.ca.

-Ainsley Hillyard, on behalf of the Common Ground Arts Society Board of Directors