Esker Foundation
Discover the eclectic arts scene in Alberta’s largest city
Calgary, Alberta’s largest city, is home to a lively, multifaceted arts scene – whether it’s theatre, music, dance, street art, fine art or everything in-between.
Public art, like sky-high murals and abstract sculptures like Wonderland at the Bow Tower, can be spotted in almost any direction in the city’s downtown core.
By Meaghan Baxter
Public art, like sky-high murals and abstract sculptures like Wonderland at the Bow Tower, can be spotted in almost any direction in the city’s downtown core. Some of the city’s best hubs for visual art can be visited in the span of a day. The walk between each may be ambitious if you want to leave time to peruse the exhibitions fully, but Calgary offers plenty of bike and e-scooter rentals to help cover more ground.
The Esker Foundation
First up is the Esker Foundation in historic Inglewood – one of Calgary’s most eclectic neighbourhoods.
The foundation has been a staple in Calgary’s arts scene since its doors opened in 2012. This privately funded gallery is situated on 9 Avenue SE, the main corridor of Inglewood, and it offers free admission to patrons. The Esker Foundation aims to connect the public to contemporary art through “relevant, accessible and educational exhibitions, programs and publications.” Browse the current exhibitions before grabbing a coffee around the corner at Gravity Espresso & Wine Bar before heading to your next destination. eskerfoundation.com
Installation by Canadian sculptor Katie Ohe, one of the first artists to make abstract sculpture in Alberta | Elyse Bouvier
Exhibition opening at the privately funded gallery | Esker Foundation
Transformation Fine Art
⇨ Travel along the Bow River pathway or beeline through downtown, including historic Stephen Avenue, to get to Transformation Fine Art in the Grain Exchange Building.
The charming vintage building is a hub for local artists and boutique businesses. Transformation Fine Art is open by appointment and has the distinction of being Canada’s first Inuk-owned Inuit art gallery. Owned by Sophia Lebessis, a second-generation art dealer, Transformation Fine Art curates Master Works of Inuit and First Nations art. Lebessis’s family has been immersed in Inuit art for more than 30 years. Sophia, whose father is Greek and mother is Inuit, grew up going between Nunavut and Greece before her family settled in the Lake Louise area and opened a gallery called Northern Art Impressions. transformationfineart.com
Sophia Lebessis, a second-generation art dealer | Mauricio Flores Photography
Master Works of Inuit and First Nations art | Mauricio Flores Photography
Contemporary Calgary
⇨ Continue along Stephen Avenue/8 Avenue SW until you reach Contemporary Calgary, one of the city’s most unique arts venues.
The gallery is situated in the former Centennial Planetarium, which is a work of art in itself. Contemporary Calgary values being welcoming, inclusive, engaging and relevant, and each exhibit that graces its gallery spaces is selected with these attributes in mind. The unparalleled gallery spaces are complemented by the auditorium, which houses film screenings, panels and talks, as well as one of the most unique features – the massive celestial theatre in the building’s dome. “The programming is a powerful way to build community and for people to embrace the value of culture and its capacity for shaping meaningful lives,” says Ryan Doherty, Chief Curator at Contemporary Calgary. “I want people to come to Contemporary Calgary and leave having seen the world through a different lens. That’s something that both informs and challenges our perceptions as much as it pleases and entertains.” contemporarycalgary.com
Luanne Martineau: The Painter (2006), Drulpture (to Joseph Albers) (2010), and Headside (2012) | Gerard Yunker
Chris Millar, Reap (2012-2013) | Gerard Yunker
Catherine Burgess, Things as They Are: October 10, 1994 (1994). Ryan Sluggett, Egg in Cup (2013) | Gerard Yunker
cSPACE King Edward Arts Hub
⇨ Wrap up your art tour at the Arts Hub at cSPACE King Edward, which has been an important addition to the local arts scene since it opened in 2017.
The 50,000-square-foot arts hub took up residence in the century-old King Edward School near the city’s vibrant Marda Loop neighbourhood. Creativity, community, collaboration and change are at the forefront of the Arts Hub philosophy, which strives to “connect creative people and ideas.” Resident artists span disciplines ranging from photography to clothing design to dance. The Arts Hub is open to the public Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., when visitors can browse current exhibits. The venue is also the site of special events throughout the year – including the much-anticipated Alberta Culture Days every September. cspacekingedward.com
Dramatic hourglass art installation in the century-old building | cSpace Projects
Imaginarium - a public art project | cSpace Projects
⇨ Explore everything the Calgary art scene has to offer. Walk from venue-to-venue, gallery-to-gallery or sculpture-to-sculpture; choose your own path and experience the many beautiful pockets of art along the way. ✈
"What art is, in reality, is this missing link, not the links which exist. It's not what you see that is art; art is the gap."
~ Marcel Duchamp
Art is an endless source of inspiration... Are you inspired to travel?
Photos courtesy of the Esker Foundation - Calgary, cSpace Projects, Transformation Fine Art Gallery and Contemporary Calgary.
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