Calgary is becoming an increasingly important destination for public art and contemporary mural culture as the 2026 BUMP Festival expands across the city.

Originally launched in 2017 as the Beltline Urban Murals Project, BUMP has developed into a broader public-art organization featuring murals, sculpture, music, film, education and conferences. The 2026 festival runs through August and features local, national and international artists.

The festival's current theme, “Of Simmering, and the Surge,” examines how social and cultural change can build gradually before becoming visible in public spaces.

More than 110 murals are now part of Calgary's urban art landscape, giving residents and visitors an opportunity to experience artwork throughout the city rather than only inside traditional galleries.

BUMP's expansion also reflects a wider shift in the Canadian arts sector toward accessible public art, where buildings, streets and neighbourhoods become platforms for artistic expression.

The festival's programming goes beyond painting, with artist talks, panels, outdoor activities and discussions examining topics including culture, identity, ecology, technology and the future of public space.

For Calgary, the festival is becoming part of the city's cultural identity while creating opportunities for artists to reach audiences outside conventional gallery spaces.