Presenter: Kelly Brownlee, Kelsey McMahonAudience: 10-12In this interactive session, participants will explore the powerful local history of Charles Daniels, a Black Calgarian whose 1914 civil rights case remains one of the earliest known legal challenges to racial segregation in Western Canada. Using Cheryl Foggo's "Kicking Up a Fuss", a comprehensive arts‑based resource featuring documentary film, poetry, movement, and primary archival materials, we will guide attendees through strategies for engaging with sensitive historical content, and facilitate discussions around primary sources that contain harmful or outdated language. Educators will have the opportunity to move through lesson plans designed for Visual Arts, Drama, Music, English Language Arts, and Dance, experiencing first‑hand how arts disciplines can act as catalysts for representation, empathy, and social justice learning. By the end of the session, teachers will leave with practical, adaptable tools to embed culturally responsible storytelling into their classrooms, ensuring that students not only learn history, but see themselves reflected within it, feel empowered to advocate for equity, and understand the transformative power of the arts in shaping a more inclusive society.

Presenter: Danielle BookerAudience: K–12This session provides an immersive exploration of the Red River Jig and the music of Métis people. Participants will move beyond passive listening to examine the intricate fusion of Indigenous drum rhythms and European fiddle traditions. By blending physical movement, rhythmic accompaniment, and traditional regalia, educators will learn how to bring the vibrant history of the Métis into their classrooms through kinesthetic learning.

Presenter: Nina MeehanAudience: GeneralTime: Friday, October 16, 7:30–8:30 PMArts teachers are experts in the creative process, yet rarely are invited to apply that expertise to the systems they work within. This interactive keynote reframes creativity as a tool for strengthening programs, supporting mental health, and sustaining energy in the face of constraint.Participants will engage in reflective and collaborative moments that connect artistic practice to leadership, advocacy, and care for themselves, their students, and their communities. By drawing on shared creative language across disciplines, the session affirms creativity as a superpower that helps arts programs not just survive, but evolve with intention and hope.