I was recently asked to write a blog post about Calgary’s bid to be the 2012 cultural capital of Canada.

Wait. Calgary? The cultural capital of Canada?! What about our big three – Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver?

There are plenty of reasons why Calgary is poised to become Canada’s cultural capital – and why 2012 is the perfect year for us to make a bid. Let me share a few that excite me.

Firstly, there will be several Centennial celebrations in 2012. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that 2012 will be the Centennial year of the Calgary Public Library! It’s only 2010 and already we’re planning exciting events to get the whole city celebrating. The Calgary Stampede will also celebrate its Centennial in 2012. The Stampede is unarguably the biggest party of the year, and its hundredth anniversary is sure to draw both locals, and visitors from all over the world!

Calgary has a young, well educated populous. It’s also experiencing growth because of the many newcomers who choose to “put down roots” here. This combination of higher education and cultural diversity is sure to foment culture! And with a civic election looming, we can vote for the candidates who are just as enthusiastic about arts and culture as we are!

I’m excited to shake off our “cowboy” reputation and show Canada (and the world!) that Calgary is a hotbed of intellectual pursuit, artistic accomplishment, and all-things-cultural.

Bring on the food, dance, theatre, performance, music, lectures, exhibits, festivals, costumes and gatherings!

For more information, please visit calgary2012.com