Presented as a gift to the people of Alberta, construction of the Northern and Southern Jubilee Auditoria began in the summer of 1955 and was completed in the spring of 1957. In announcing the decision to provide these auditoria, Premier E.C. Manning said, "The need for such centres has long been apparent. The government believes that they will be both appropriate and practical memorials to the fifty years of development and to those pioneers whose foresight and fortitude made that progress possible."

Dedication Week Ceremonies were held in April, 1957 as a celebration of Arts in Alberta. Performances included the Symphony, the Opera and many other civic groups. The Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium has provided a home to its resident companies – the Alberta Ballet since 1966, the Edmonton Opera since 1963 and the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers since 2009.

A Few Fun Facts

• The original site chosen was MacDougall Hill, east of 101 Street.
• The final site, at 114 Street and 87 Avenue was chosen August 10, 1954.
• No cornerstone laying or groundbreaking ceremonies marked the beginning of construction.
• The building materials originally chosen were not tested for Alberta’s extreme climate. As a result, construction slowed down considerably when materials not durable enough needed to be replaced!
• Once completed, the buildings were compared with six other outstanding international concert halls.
• The testing and tuning concert included a 120-piece orchestra, a 180-voice choir and a conductor. The audience was by invitation only.
• A playwriting contest was held to find a performance piece for opening week ceremonies.
• In May 1957, CFRN Television shot its first live feed to Alberta networks, covering the opening of Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.
• There were religious dedication ceremonies for both buildings on April 21, 1957.

Other dates of note in our history include:

1978 – A new wing was added to the building, which included the escalator and the elevator.
1982-1983 – The lobbies were refurbished.
1983 – The Banquet Room and the Meeting Room were built.
1986 - 1987 – The Rehearsal Room was renovated and won the Alberta Architects Award.
2004 - 2005 – Extensive renovations took place as part of the Provincial Centennial in 2005.

The Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium continues to play a vital role in the arts in Alberta.