Editing Arts Commons (section)

== Jordan Peterson Controversy ==
After the announcement of the University of Toronto professor [[Jordan Peterson]] giving a lecture at Arts Commons was announced, several Calgarian art groups addressed an open letter<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfpTG-2F9jLUt357wCZ4dXCNTWEl8LqojPk6YVAVqDc5xHJBg/viewform?c=0&w=1|title=Open Letter to Arts Commons re: Jordan Peterson|work=Google Docs|access-date=2018-09-10}}</ref> to the Arts Commons' Board of Directors on July 24, 2018. The letter demanded that the event be canceled, that they provide diversity training for their staff, and issue a public apology to the "LGBT community".<ref>2SLGBTQIA = Two-Spirited, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Asexual & Aromantic, Intersex, and beyond. See, for example: ([https://nsrap.ca/ NSRAP]) A similar acronym 2SLGBTQQIA means Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning,intersex, and asexual.</ref> It expressed the "deep shock and disappointment" that the artists and organizations signing the letter felt over Arts Commons' choice to host the speaker, who in the past has been criticized for his online and public arguments against government mandated speech laws<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/outintheopen/freedom-ltd-1.4505386/i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-i-was-going-to-pay-for-saying-what-i-thought-1.4505538|title='I decided a long time ago that I was going to pay for saying what I thought' {{!}} CBC Radio|work=CBC|access-date=2018-09-10|language=en-US}}</ref> and his opposition to [[Bill C-16]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/11/19/new-words-trigger-an-abstract-clash-on-campus-dimanno.html|title=New words trigger an abstract clash on campus: DiManno {{!}} The Star|work=thestar.com|access-date=2018-09-10|language=en}}</ref> The letter was signed by staff of several small artist run [[Canadian artist-run centres|centres]], including [[Untitled Art Society]], [[TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary]], [[Stride Gallery]], [[The New Gallery]], other organizations such as the M:ST Performance Artist Festival Society and VOICESYYC, and over 1200 individual signatures.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/arts-commons-censorship-1.4818284|title=Arts Commons accused of censorship for removing LGBTQ artist's work|work=CBC|access-date=2018-09-13|language=en-US}}</ref> A responding statement<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/petition-calls-for-arts-commons-to-cancel-speech-by-controversial-professor-jordan-peterson|title='We value diversity': Controversial professor will speak despite petition, says Arts Commons|date=2018-07-26|work=Calgary Herald|access-date=2018-09-10|language=en-US}}</ref> written by the CEO of Arts Commons at the time, Johann Zietsman, expressed Arts Commons' support for free speech which meant, "not censoring someone because we don't agree with what they have to say." The event was not canceled and was held on July 27, 2018.