REGINA — A night of live music in Regina is about to do much more than fill a room. On Friday, Jan. 9, the Art For Change fundraising concert will turn sound into support, with every dollar raised going toward rebuilding and sustaining the North Central Community Fridge.
The concert takes place at The Artesian, with doors opening at 7 p.m. and music starting at 8 p.m. Admission is pay what you can, making the event as accessible as the cause it supports.
Art For Change was founded by Amber Fink, who says the idea has been growing with her for most of her life.
“I’ve loved live music for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always been passionate about activism,” Fink explains. “Even when I was really young, it just felt natural to bring those two things together.”
That idea became reality when Fink was 15. Her first Art For Change event launched in 2022 as a small collaboration with a local charity. Since then, it has grown into a community-driven platform that gives young artists space to perform and young activists a way to make a tangible impact.
This year’s cause is urgent.
Regina has seen its community fridge network nearly collapse. Fires destroyed both the Cathedral Community Fridge and the North Central Community Fridge within months of each other. What was once five fridges across the city has been reduced to barely one functioning option.
“Anyone who has ever donated to a community fridge knows how much need there is,” Fink says. “You can stock it full, and by the time you’re done, it’s almost empty again. Losing two fridges put our most vulnerable neighbours in a really difficult position.”
All proceeds from Friday’s concert will go directly to rebuilding and sustaining the North Central Community Fridge. That includes ticket donations and merchandise sales, with all merch donated so every dollar raised goes back into the community.
“Rebuilding is important, but sustaining it long term is just as critical,” Fink says. “This is about making sure people have access to food, not just once, but consistently.”
The show features what Fink calls one of the strongest lineups Art For Change has ever assembled, highlighting Regina’s local music scene and the power of young creatives. A close collaborator, Skylar Yu, has helped coordinate artists, drawing on deep ties within the music community.
“It’s a stacked lineup,” Fink says. “Some of the best talent in the city. It’s going to be a really good night.”
Beyond the music, the event is designed to be welcoming and safe. The Artesian is wheelchair accessible, all-ages, and operates with a zero-tolerance policy toward hate or harassment.
For Fink, Art For Change has always been about more than fundraising.
“This is a love letter to our community,” she says. “It’s about connection. It’s about showing up for each other in a really real way.”
On Friday night, Regina is invited to do exactly that.
Give what you can. Listen to local voices. Help rebuild something the city desperately needs.
Because when music becomes a movement, everyone feels it.
