Contemporary Calgary has named Mona Filip as Chief Curator, and Arts Consulting Group (ACG) extends its congratulations on her leadership appointment. She began her tenure on March 3, 2025.
Contemporary Calgary is a non-collecting public art gallery housed in the former Centennial Planetarium at 701 11 St SW, Calgary—a 1967 architectural landmark celebrated for its Brutalist design. With a vision to make Calgary a global city of choice, Contemporary Calgary engages audiences with inclusive, thought-provoking artistic programming.
Mona Filip joins Contemporary Calgary as the institution embarks on a significant period of expansion and reinvention. With the Centennial Planetarium Transformation Project having just secured a $40 million commitment from the Provincial Government, the gallery is on track to become a world-class destination for contemporary art by 2029. Mona’s leadership will be instrumental in shaping the gallery’s curatorial direction, ensuring it remains at the forefront of artistic innovation and public engagement.
Mona Filip’s curatorial career spans two decades of developing critical visual art programs, supporting the production of new works, and introducing national and international artists to Toronto through first local exhibitions. As a former Curator at the Art Museum, University of Toronto, and previously Director/Curator of the Koffler Gallery, Mona has led numerous exhibitions, site-specific projects, public programs, and educational initiatives, focusing on themes of displacement and adaptation. Her projects have explored the intersections of collective memory, place, and belonging, examining artistic strategies that redress sidelined histories, restitution and repair, and storytelling as world-building.
“I am thrilled to be joining the dynamic team at Contemporary Calgary at such a pivotal moment,” said Mona Filip, Chief Curator, Contemporary Calgary. “The vision and aspirations of this vibrant institution deeply resonate with my steadfast belief in the transformative power of art in fostering critical thinking and social change.” Mona added, “I look forward to working with my new colleagues and the artists of the region and beyond to bring to the public engaging programs that honour local history and instill a sense of curiosity and wonder across generations of audiences who will come to Contemporary Calgary to explore new ways of understanding the world, imagining the unknown and articulating the future through artistic creation.”
ACG is the leading provider of hands-on interim management, executive search, revenue enhancement, strategic planning & community engagement, and facilities & program planning and research services for the arts and culture industry. ACG consultants are located in communities across the United States and Canada to best serve the needs of our clients. ACG team members have decades of combined senior leadership experience in every artistic and cultural discipline and area of functional management expertise.