

ARTS ELEVATED: CONFERENCE 2026
October 16-17, 2026 | Calgary, AB
The Fine Arts Council proudly presents the Arts Elevated Conference 2026, a two‑day Fall Conference focused on inspiring connection and elevating arts education across Alberta.
Keynote speaker Nina Meehan brings deep expertise in creativity, leadership, and arts innovation, grounding the conference in thoughtful, responsive practice for today’s arts educators.

Registration opens April 15, 2026.


Nina Meehan is a Brilliant Communication™ specialist, speaker, and coach who helps leaders, teams, and organizations communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact. As the founder and CEO of an award-winning, multi-million-dollar entertainment company, she honed her expertise in breakthrough thinking, innovation, and audience engagement—creating immersive experiences for over a million people worldwide. A recognized director, playwright, and producer, Nina has brought stories to life on some of the most respected stages, including a trailblazing musical based on a book by Chelsea Clinton, adaptations of multiple New Yorks Times Bestsellers. She has worked with Tony-Award Winning companies and artists and collaborated with EGOT winners. Beyond the stage, she empowers CEOs, venture capitalists, tech innovators, and educators to refine their communication, elevate their leadership, and move beyond any limit. Whether she’s coaching a founder to secure millions in funding, leading a startup through strategic storytelling, or guiding an organization to build a culture of collaboration, her approach is dynamic, creative, and results-driven. A two-time TEDx speaker, Nina has spoken at Chicago Women in Tech, Wonder Women in Tech, Conscious Leadership Group, EO, the University of Utah, Northwestern University, the National Endowment for the Arts. She has worked internationally in Australia, Italy, Canada, China and Korea. Her insights have been featured in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, ABC, NBC, and CBS News. She holds a B.S. in Theatre from Northwestern University, a Master’s in Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Creativity, Innovation, and Leadership. She is also a certified yoga instructor. When she’s not consulting, speaking, or training, Nina can be found hiking in the mountains, doing stand-up paddleboard yoga, or cross-country skiing with her three kids.