Multi-purpose theatre at Calgary’s Arts Commons to be named after local benefactors

The theatre at the heart of our Arts Commons Transformation project in Calgary officially has a new name: the Osten-Victor Playhouse.

The 1,000-seat theatre was recently named after local philanthropists Al Osten and Buddy Victor, who gifted $12 million toward the arts centre’s expansion in downtown Calgary. The pair met in 1957 as members of doo-wop group The Rover Boys, who even performed on The Tonight Show and iconic venues such as Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan.

The Osten-Victor Playhouse, intended to host medium-sized productions, will fill an existing hole in Calgary’s roster of performing arts venues when it opens in 2028. Prioritizing flexibility, inclusivity, and accessibility, the theatre’s automated lift system will allow for the easy reconfiguration of seating to host a broader variety of performances and productions.

A similar retractable seating system was employed at the 100-seat Allied Music Centre Theatre in Toronto, part of our addition to the city’s revered Massey Hall.

Beginning in Fall 2025, Arts Commons will officially be renamed Werklund Centre in recognition of entrepreneur Dave Werklund’s own $75 million contribution to the project.

Read more about the project, designed in collaboration HINDLE Architects and TAWAW Architecture Collective, here.