Al Chapman – Executive Director, Arts Habitat Edmonton (AHE)
Moderator

Over the past 30 years, Al has built a career as an innovative leader in arts funding,program development, governance, and project management. He began his professional journey as a music educator in a small rural school division and then moved to the Alberta public sector, where he worked on many rewarding initiatives within the Government of Alberta, the Legislative Assembly Office, and the University of Alberta.

Al is currently the Executive Director of Arts Habitat Edmonton (AHE). AHE is a social purpose enterprise engaged in identifying, managing, and building appropriate and accessible spaces for the arts in Edmonton and area.

David Leinster is the Chief Executive Officer of Contemporary Calgary, where he leads the organization with a focus on community, collaboration, and accessibility. Since joining the gallery in 2018, he has played a central role in establishing Contemporary Calgary as a major cultural destination and advancing its mission to make contemporary art accessible to all.

David’s connection to Contemporary Calgary spans nearly two decades, beginning with volunteer involvement with the Institute for Modern and Contemporary Art (IMCA) in 2005. Most notably, he led the project management for the successful 2013 Expression of Interest submission to the City of Calgary—developed with IMCA, the Art Gallery of Calgary, and MOCA Calgary, alongside a dedicated group of community leaders—to transform the vacant Centennial Planetarium into a major destination for contemporary art.

Under David’s leadership, Contemporary Calgary has achieved key milestones, including securing a 35-year lease for the Centennial Planetarium and achieving Civic Partner status, cementing its place among Calgary’s funded and supported cultural and tourism institutions. He is currently leading the $170 million Centennial Planetarium Transformation Project to renovate and expand the facility, through which more than $100 million has already been invested or committed, in addition to millions of dollars raised in private philanthropy supporting gallery operations and infrastructure.

David’s professional background is in strategic marketing and creative leadership, and his passion for art was inspired by his grandmother, an artist who fostered his lifelong appreciation for art and culture. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from St. Francis Xavier University and leads a dedicated team who share the belief that art is essential and work together to ensure it is accessible for all. A recognized community leader, David was named one of Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2022.

David lives in Okotoks, Alberta, with his wife, Colleen, and their four children.

Brian McBay – Executive Director, 221A

Brian McBay (he/him) is a leader in the non-profit arts and culture infrastructure. Over the last 20 years he has made a unique contribution to British Columbia’s cultural security through developing and advocating for community-controlled infrastructure. As the founder and Executive Director of 221A, a Vancouver-based artistic research and cultural space organization, he leads a growing network of over 140,000ft2 across nine properties that provide space for artists working in research, public art, artist housing, and artist studios.

Brian is part of a new generation of leaders in the cultural sector aiming to advance the public appreciation of the arts while also reversing inequality, xenophobia and colonialism in Canada. He is known as an active and outspoken collaborator, critic and advisor, championing social sustainability and inter-cultural anti-racism in government policy and cultural development. Brian was an honoree of the Power50 by Vancouver Magazine, recipient of the 2025 Emily Award, and named a Fellow at the Salzburg Global Forum. He has been invited to speak and write on art, policy and urban development at a variety of institutions and public forums.

In addition to his role at 221A, Brian has served on a variety of non-profit and public sector boards including the BC Arts Council, Chinese-Canadian Museum, Vancouver International Film Festival, and the National Gallery of Canada.

Alex Sarian – President & CEO, Werklund Centre

Alex Sarian is President & CEO of Werklund Centre (formerly Arts Commons) in Calgary, where he is leading one of Canada’s most ambitious cultural and civic transformations, anchored by the country’s largest cultural infrastructure project and record-breaking public and philanthropic investment. Previously, he spent two decades in New York City, including seven years as a senior executive at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, where he oversaw its international consulting practice, arts education, and the Lincoln Center Cultural Innovation Fund in partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation.

He is the bestselling author of The Audacity of Relevance (2024), hailed by Forbes as “a manifesto for the arts in times of crisis,” and widely adopted by boards and civic leaders as a blueprint for institutional renewal. Recognized by The Globe and Mail as one of the most influential arts leaders of 2024 for advancing transformational philanthropy in the arts, Alex serves as a board member and advisor to Tessitura, Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires, Tourism Calgary, and the University of Alberta.