CMLC and Werklund Centre announce new McCann Family Studio Theatre

September 23, 2026

Led by the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) with the City of Calgary and Werklund Centre, the Werklund Centre Transformation (WCT) Expansion’s future 200-seat studio theatre will be named the McCann Family Studio Theatre, following a $4 million gift from Rodney (Rod) J. McCann, Karen McCann, and their family.

On schedule for completion in 2028, the McCann Family Studio Theatre will complement the campus’s larger performing halls and address the need for professionally equipped and flexible performance venues. The space will cater to emerging local artists, arts education, and experimental work, with a design capable of hosting culturally diverse and community-based programming.

“Cities need spaces where creativity at every scale can take root and thrive, places that make room for experimentation, connection, and the full breadth of artistic expression,” said Alex Sarian, president and CEO of Werklund Centre. “The McCann Family Studio Theatre will be one of those places: an intimate, flexible venue designed to open doors for artists and welcome communities more deeply into the creative process. This space will help broaden who gets to make art, who gets to gather around it, and whose stories are seen, heard, and valued in our city.”

The McCann family’s contribution builds on funding from the Government of Alberta, the City of Calgary, Dave Werklund and the Werklund family, and others. Construction of the WCT Expansion is progressing steadily, along with the neighbouring Olympic Plaza Transformation.

“The transformation of important civic spaces like Olympic Plaza and Werklund Centre is a critical component of The City’s strategy to revitalize downtown,” said Thom Mahler, director at the City of Calgary. “Investments in cultural and public infrastructure play a key role in creating a dynamic downtown where residents, visitors, businesses and community organizations can thrive.”

Read more about the McCann Family Studio Theatre and construction progress.

(Header image courtesy of CMLC.)