Free This Week
Start off your May with an arts outing you’ll love! From a celebration of artists and creatives currently featured at Arts Commons, to a FascinAsian Film Festival screening, to a self-guided tour of artist studios around Calgary, there’s an array of free happenings to choose from!
Lorna MacLachlan Jazz Trio
May 1, 2024, 12:10 – 1pm
Cathedral Church of the Redeemer (604 1 St. SE)
Free to attend
Lorna MacLachlan, Richard Harding and Johnny Summers come together once again. Featuring piano/vocals, sax and trumpet, the trio paints beautiful pictures of Lorna’s original music in a style somewhere between jazz, folk and classical.
proartssociety.ca
Arts Commons Galleries Art Party
May 2, 2024, 5:30 – 9:30pm
Centre Court, Arts Commons (205 8 Ave. SE)
Free to attend, RSVP required
Shop, eat, drink and meet the artists and creatives featured on the walls and public spaces of Arts Commons at their next Art Party! Tour the Arts Commons Galleries and hear the artists speak about their work, shop an Art Market with local artist vendors, and vibe with music provided by DJ sidd.x0x.
artscommons.ca
Exhibition Opening x Free First Thursday
May 2, 2024, 5 – 9pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St. SW)
Free to explore
Join Contemporary Calgary for the exhibition opening of LOOK: The Dada Ball Art Auction, presented in collaboration with Free First Thursdays. Spanning painting, sculpture and photography, the exhibition offers a diverse array of pieces covering decades of artistic practice.
contemporarycalgary.com
FascinAsian Film Festival
May 2 – 5, 2024
Various venues
Select events are free to attend, tickets required
The annual FascinAsian Film Festival premieres during Asian Heritage Month, showcasing Asian contributions to film and media. Join them for some free offerings, including CBC Asian Changemakers Presentation, a screening of Past Lives and industry sessions.
fff2024yyc.eventive.org
Open Studio for 55+
May 3, 2024, 1 – 4pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St. SW)
Free to attend, registration required
Contemporary Calgary’s Open Studio for 55+ on Fridays in May invites participants to bring projects they are currently engaged in, or ideas and materials for projects, for an opportunity to work with the support of peers and a facilitator with a background in visual art.
contemporarycalgary.com
Blooming Diversity Opening Reception
May 3, 2024, 6 – 8pm
Sparrow Artspace (36 4 St. NE)
Free to attend
Join Sparrow Artspace for the grand opening of Maya Corona & Milena Vasquez art residency. They’ll showcase their unique and diverse creative work and introduce their project, Blooming Diversity, celebrating women, nature, and creativity. Milena and Maya are preparing a canvas for the community to paint. Come and leave your mark, explore stunning artwork, and meet the talented artists!
sparrowartspace.com
Artist as Changemaker Final Showcase
May 3 & 4, 2024
Alexandra Centre Society (922 9 Ave. SE)
Free to attend, RSVP required
Join Trico Changemakers Studio for the final showcase of their Artist as Changemaker Residents and Fellows! Over the past two years they’ve been hard at work using their artistic talents and systems-change knowledge to creatively tackle complex social issues. Celebrate their incredible work!
tricochangemakersstudio.ca
Calgary Artists Studio Tour
May 3 – 5, 2024
Various venues
Free to explore
This year, the Calgary Artists Studio Tour has expanded to over 80 local artists participating across our city and surrounding areas. This is a self-guided tour where you get to meet each artist in their home or shared studio space, and you can plan your visit at your own pace.
calgaryartistsstudiotour.com
Jane’s Walk
May 3 – 5, 2024
Various venues
Free to participate
Jane’s Walk is a global event of free walking tours held each May. Jane’s Walk encourages Calgarians of all ages to come and enjoy the festivities. Whether it’s taking in colourful murals, finding poetic inspiration or enjoying the high-flying feats of stilt-walkers. There’s something for everyone!
janeswalk.calgarycommunities.com
Celebrating a Canadian Landscape Legend — Opening Reception
May 4, 2024, 2 – 5pm
Wallace Galleries (500 5 Ave. SW)
Free to explore
This exhibition focuses on the diversity and beauty that late artist Dorothy Knowles was able to capture of the prairies of Saskatchewan and beyond. Her works transcend time and she remained true to her calling through a time where landscape painting wasn’t “cool.”
wallacegalleries.com
Fairview Studios Spring Pottery Sale
May 5, 2024, 10am – 4pm
Acadia Recreation Complex (240 90 Ave. SE)
Free to explore
More than 50 studio potters will be on hand to welcome you to Farview Studio’s famous annual spring sale. With gifts for every occasion and surprising ceramic treats of all kinds, gather your friends and neighbours for a wondrous day out!
fairviewstudios.com
Mount Pleasant Potters’ Guild Spring Pottery Sale
May 5, 2024, 10am – 4pm
Triwood Community Hall (2244 Chicoutimi Dr. NW)
Free to explore
Check out the Mount Pleasant Potters’ Guild Spring Pottery Sale! Join them for a day filled with beautiful handmade pottery creations. Browse through a wide selection of unique pieces crafted by talented local artists. Don’t miss this opportunity to support local artisans!
calgarypottery.com
Spring Bliss Mini-Mental Wellness Festival
May 5, 2024, 10am – 2:30pm
Carya Village Commons (2nd Floor, 610 8 Ave. SE)
Free to attend, registration required
In recognition of mental health awareness month, The Perlin Foundation for Wellbeing is hosting its third annual Spring Bliss mini-mental wellness festival. Check out performances that celebrate community and wellbeing, displays showing how our brain works, Elders sharing wisdom and more!
perlinfoundation.com
Contemporary Kids: Forest, Creature and Fairytale
May 5 & 12, 2024, 1 – 2:30pm or 3 – 4:30pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St. SW)
Free to attend, registration required
Inspired by the trees weep, the mountain still, the bodies rust by Derek Liddington, this workshop invites kids to dive into the fairytale forest envisioned by Liddington and unleash creativity through hands-on activities with clay sculpting and planting.
contemporarycalgary.com
Online Book Club with Francine Cunningham
May 6, 2024, 7:30pm
Online event
Free to participate, registration required
Join Francine Cunningham, the 2023–2024 Canadian Writer-in-Residence, for her monthly online bookclub. This month’s selection is Man Made Monsters, a novel by Andrea L. Rogers (illustrated by Jeff Edwards) Everyone is welcome!
events.ucalgary.ca
Building Black Civilizations: Journey of 2,000 Ships
Until May 12, 2024
Glenbow at The Edison (2nd Floor, 150 9 Ave. SW)
Free to explore
In this exhibition, artist Ekow Nimako explores what might have been when ruler Abu Bakr II chose to abdicate his throne and set out across the Atlantic. Using LEGO® to recreate epic possibilities, Nimako creates a narrative of Black civilizations and imagines liberated futures.
glenbow.org
Antyx Youth Programming
Ongoing
Various venues
Free to participate
Antyx Community Arts invites youth ages 12 – 18 to participate in a number of their programs focused on providing safe spaces for creative expression including their mural projects, Youth Arts Action, The Film Lab and more!
antyx.ca
Have a free event that’s not listed? Email us at events@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or fill out this form.
