The National accessArts Centre (NaAC) is proud to announce that The Joseph Chung Centre for Creativity has been selected as one of a small number of new global Design for Freedom Pilot Projects, an initiative led by US-based Grace Farms Foundation advancing a more ethical and humane built environment. Announced this March, the 2026 cohort includes four newly selected projects from across sectors and geographies — spanning community, cultural, and institutional developments — each committed to addressing forced and child labour within building materials supply chains and embedding human rights into the design and construction process. The Chung Centre is believed to be among the first Canadian projects — and the first cultural infrastructure project in Canada — selected to participate in this global initiative.

For the NaAC, this represents a significant moment of international recognition for The Chung Centre, a cornerstone of our forthcoming accessible arts learning campus in Calgary. As one of only a handful of projects selected globally, The Chung Centre is now positioned alongside leading-edge developments helping to redefine how buildings are conceived — not only in terms of accessibility, but in how they are ethically sourced and realized. This acknowledgment reinforces the global relevance of our work and signals that disability-led, inclusive design can set new standards for the future of the built environment.

Participation in Design for Freedom further strengthens the NaAC’s leadership at the intersection of arts, accessibility, and social impact, aligning our Artists First® philosophy with a global movement that challenges the sector to build with dignity, transparency, and purpose.

Read the full release here.