August Exhibitions

Cap off your summer with Calgary’s visual arts programming

  • Location: Various Venues

Get to know Calgary’s awesome visual arts community this summer as August brings the heat. With a mix of ongoing exhibitions, pop-up gatherings, and special events, there’s plenty to see and do.

You can even grab a newly released contemporary art map and get exploring! Celebrating the important contributions that artist-run centres, commercial galleries, creative spaces, and institutions are making to the cultural life of Calgary, this self-guided tour provides a comprehensive overview of Calgary’s diverse and vibrant contemporary art community.

We can’t wait to get out there!

Mini Masters

August 1, 2019, 11:00 – 11:45am
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration required

Calling Calgary’s newest contemporaries! Join the Esker Foundation on the first Thursday of every month for a hands-on art class. Parents and guardians are invited to bring their little ones, ages two to five, to explore art making in this fun and social program. All are welcome to participate, just dress for mess.
eventbrite.ca

Behind-the-Scenes Tour: Cultural History Collection

August 1, 2019, 2:00 – 3:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration required

Glenbow’s Cultural History collection holds just over 100,000 objects ranging from atomizers to zithers, and includes a modern Alberta-made toilet and a beautiful 1920s Flapper dress. Join Glenbow Collections Technician Marcia Slater on a tour of this amazing and fun collection thanks to Chinook Country Historical Society and Historic Calgary Week.
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Free First Thursday Nights

August 1, 2019, 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission

Get into Glenbow without paying a dime and check out its popular Thursday night affair, the first day of August offers a great chance to explore all the current exhibitions including Nick Cave: Feat. and Ed Pien: Our Beloved.
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A Lecture on Eric Harvie: The Founder of Glenbow

August 2, 2019, 10:00 – 11:00am
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration required

Lawyer, oilman, soldier, philanthropist, collector; Eric Lafferty Harvie was all of these things. He was also the founder of Glenbow Museum and the guiding force behind its first collections. Join Daryl Betenia, Glenbow’s Manager, Collections, as she talks about the history and evolution of collecting at Glenbow.
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Bring the Baby Art Tour & Tummy Time

August 2, 2019, 12:00 – 1:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration recommended

A relaxed, social tour, bring your baby to the Esker Foundation and have tot-friendly fun while discussing the exhibitions. This program starts with a casual half-hour tour of the current exhibitions, followed by a half-hour of tummy time social fun for both baby and guardian!
eventbrite.ca

The Ocean Inside

August 2 – September 13, 2019
EMMEDIA Gallery (2005 10th Ave. SW)
Free admission

An installation based on Eveline Kolijn’s first-hand experience of witnessing the devastating effects of climate change and other human-made environmental stresses on the coral reefs, check out the opening reception from 6:00 to 9:00pm on August 2 or swing by the closing reception on September 13 from 7:00 to 10:00pm.
emmedia.ca

The Brutal Tour

August 4, 2019, 1:00 – 3:00pm
Family of Man Statue (1st St. & 6th Ave. SE)
$15

Join Contemporary Calgary for a guided walking tour of Calgary’s premiere downtown brutalist architecture sites of the 60s and early 70s. They’re acclaimed and maligned, controversial, and concrete.
eventbrite.ca

The Gender Queery

August 7, 2019, 5:00 – 6:30pm
Humainologie Gallery + Store (1514 7th St. SW)
Free admission

This series of vibrant oil paintings by Jane Pierce explores the evolving concept of gender, expanding from a narrow binary understanding, to embracing a more diverse, fluid spectrum. Swing by this opening reception to learn more.
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Artist Talk and Beading Demonstration

August 8, 2019, 6:00 – 8:00pm
Contemporary Calgary, Centennial Planetarium (701 11th St. SW)
Free admission, registration required

Hear Alberta Rose Williams/Ingnuk discuss her practice and demonstrate beading techniques on a loom. Guests even have the opportunity to tour Alberta’s studio and experiment with techniques on a selection of looms.
eventbrite.ca

Salon Series: Tia Halliday

August 8, 2019, 7:00 – 10:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$31.50 – $35

Tia Halliday uses performance, photography, and dance as a way of physically negotiating abstraction. Spend an evening exploring big ideas and having great conversations with this Calgary-based artist.
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ArtRecruits

August 8 – 27, 2019
Studio C, cSPACE King Edward (235, 1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free admission

Join Studio C for an exhibit by ArtRecruits, a program that uses art to connect individuals with mental health barriers to employment. Featuring mixed media artwork and a mural collaboration with the Royal Bank of Canada, the opening reception takes place from 5:00 to 7:00pm on August 8.
studiocprospect.ca

Artist Talk with Kablusiak

August 9, 2019, 6:30 – 7:30pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration recommended

Presented in conjunction with the exhibition of their work in both Qiniqtuaq and Among All These Tundras, hear Kablusiak discuss their artistic practice as a whole.
eventbrite.ca

Art in the Garden

August 10 & 11, 2019, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Art in the Garden (3443 Kerry Park Rd. SW)
Free admission

Featuring work by Rosemary Bennett, Linda Lalonde, Fran Sayles, Gloria Chow, and guest artist Sharron Bowen, find framed and unframed paintings in many mediums as well as art cards, matted prints, and stained glass. Be sure to bring a donation for the Calgary Food Bank.
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Adagio

August 10 – September 22, 2019
Tower Gallery, Leighton Art Centre (282027 144th St. West, Millarville)
Admission by donation

Adagio describes the quiet pace of Bobbi Dunlop’s paintings, how they evolve, and the process of creating/building an abstract visual idea on canvas, sculpting it with brush marks, and being in the moment with brush and medium. Check out the show at its opening reception, 2:00 to 4:00pm on August 10.
leightoncentre.org

In the Open Air

August 10 – September 22, 2019
Leighton Art Centre (282027 144th St. West, Millarville)
Admission by donation

The act of outdoor painting from direct observation continues to be popular. This exhibition showcases the work of a number of accomplished Alberta artists, all of whom enjoy creating art en plein air. Swing by the opening reception from 2:00 to 4:00pm on August 10.
leightoncentre.org

AC Leighton's Bow Lake
A.C. Leighton’s Bow Lake pastel | Image: Courtesy of the Leighton Art Centre
Cinematic Sunday: Nick Cave AS IS

August 11, 2019, 1:00 – 2:30pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$8 – $25

This behind-the-scenes documentary shows how one man brought people from all walks of life together using the power of art. Screened in conjunction with Glenbow’s exhibition Nick Cave: Feat., see the film then take in the exhibition.
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The Brutal Tour 2

August 11, 2019, 1:00 – 3:00pm
Family of Man Statue (1st St. & 6th Ave. SE)
$15

Join Contemporary Calgary for a guided walking tour of Calgary’s premiere downtown brutalist architecture sites of the 60s and early 70s. They’re acclaimed and maligned, controversial, and concrete.
eventbrite.ca

Laughter Increases the Pain Threshold

August 15, 2019, 6:00 – 8:00pm
Contemporary Calgary, Centennial Planetarium (701 11th St. SW)
Free admission, registration required

In conjunction with the Collider Artist Residency at Contemporary Calgary, join Ashley Bedet to discuss the recurring facet of failure as a theme in her process as well as her artist practice as a whole.
eventbrite.ca

I carry it in my heart

August 17, 2019, 1:00 – 2:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration recommended

An exhibition tour with Naomi Potter, explore Among All These Tundras and consider questions of cultural legacy and sovereignty in the polar regions by looking at the work within a generous and generative ecology of care and love.
eventbrite.ca

Wish You Were Here

August 18, 2019, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Leighton Art Centre (282027 144th St. West, Millarville)
By donation

Wish You Were Here is a special event that allows people from all over the world to participate in the construction of the Vital Lines tapestry. If you live far from the beautiful hills of the Leighton Art Centre, send your wishes to vitallinesproject@gmail.com. You can even join artists Sabine Lecorre-Moore and Patricia Lorti as they inscribe the ribbons weave into their work.
leightoncentre.org

Master Class for Families

August 18, 2019, 1:00 – 2:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration required

Head to the Esker Foundation for an afternoon of family fun at the gallery and delve into new mediums with art projects that relate to the current exhibitions. This is an educational, energetic, hands-on program for kids ages five to 10. An adult is required to stay for the duration of the workshop and all materials are provided.
eventbrite.ca

Concrete Monoliths

August 18, 2019, 1:00 – 3:00pm
Contemporary Calgary, Centennial Planetarium (701 11th St. SW)
$10

A kid-friendly tour of the Brutal Visions exhibition, explore the rich history of the Centennial Planetarium and key characteristics of brutalist style architecture. Children can explore the building, capturing the unique and varied textures of concrete surfaces through drawing and rubbing.
eventbrite.ca

Art Baby Tour

August 21, 2019, 10:00 – 11:00am
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free – $5

Make some time for you and take a relaxed one-hour tour of Ed Pien: Our Beloved and Second Skin with your wee one in tow. This tour is designed to allow parents and caregivers of small children, aged two and under, an opportunity to engage with Glenbow’s content in a baby-friendly environment.
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Balancing Art and Political Statements in Artistic Practice

August 23, 2019, 6:30 – 7:30pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration recommended

Join Sámi photographer, filmmaker, video, and visual artist, Marja Helander, as she discusses Indigenous rights and environmental issues in both her creative practice and in her work in Among All These Tundras.
eventbrite.ca

Dérive

August 25, 2019, 1:00 – 3:00pm
Contemporary Calgary, Centennial Planetarium (701 11th St. SW)
$10

Collider artists-in-residence Cody + Ali host this kid-friendly tour of the Centennial Planetarium. Children can even create their own paintings and drawings or contribute to a group artwork inspired by the physcogeographical concept of Dérive.
eventbrite.ca

PLACEHOLDER: An Unconventional Book Club

August 27, 2019, 6:00 – 7:30pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration required

How can we characterize our relationship to the land we live in? Join the Esker Foundation for an informal conversation facilitated by members of d.talks. PLACEHOLDER is an unconventional book club designed to generate conversations among strangers, where a question is as important as an answer.
eventbrite.ca

Ongoing Exhibitions

Roam

Until August 3, 2019
Central Library (800 3rd St. SE)
Free admission

Finger painter Prameesha Abeysekera and sculptor Gordon Pengilly caress the heart of the horse and the magic of their movement in this series of paintings and sculptures. Explore this show in the west window of the Central Library.
prameeart.com

A Point on the Horizon 

Until August 4, 2019
Leighton Art Centre (282027 144th St. West, Millarville)
Admission by donation

Each with a unique perspective, this exhibition showcases the work of a series of emerging artists as they look around themselves and respond to their surroundings and personal histories.
leightoncentre.org

These Threads Hold Memory

Until August 10, 2019
The New Gallery (208 Centre St. SE)
Free admission

Carrie Allison uses beading in her practice to connect to ancestors, to gain insight with Indigenous epistemologies and methodologies. This exhibition utilizes beading as a tool to share statistics, thoughts, and contemplate stereotypical and perhaps unknown narratives.
thenewgallery.org

500 Shades of Summer

Until August 13, 2019
Knox Contemporary Gallery of Art (200 Barclay Parade SW)
Free admission

The Knox Gallery presents a pop up exhibition of leading edge contemporary visual art by artists Chlan Grant, Jane Lochrie, Mao (Kun Chen), Matt Trinh (a.k.a. Hawk), Terry Gregoraschuk, and its newest artist J. Broz.
knoxgalleryofart.com

In Between and the Resolve

Until August 17, 2019
Christine Klassen Gallery (200, 321 50th Ave. SE)
Free admission

Jennifer Weihmann is a Calgary-based nature lover and emerging photographer. Her extreme close-up images of decomposing leaves, mushrooms, moss sprouts, and petals harken back to a childlike wonder in the smallest of details.
christineklassengallery.com

Chroma: Group Show

Until August 17, 2019
Christine Klassen Gallery (200, 321 50th Ave. SE)
Free admission

Christine Klassen Gallery’s annual group show celebrates colour and the diversity of their artists has an emphasis on experimentation and deviation. Featuring intimate drawings from well-known photographer Diana Thorneycroft, innovative large-scale paperworks by Carl White, pattern exploration from Michael Schreiner, and experimental mark-making by Verna Vogel, don’t miss this show.
christineklassengallery.com

Verna Vogel's Mobile No. 7
Verna Vogel’s Mobile No. 7 | Image: Courtesy of the Christine Klassen Gallery
Water Features

Until August 18, 2019
The Peanut Gallery, John Fleuvog Shoes (304 8th Ave. SW)
Free admission

An obsession with the river and its evolution from day to day, season to season inspired Chris Brooks to explore new materials and methods for creating landscapes. The foundation of each piece in the exhibition is fine resin for its ability to retain fluid properties as a solid.
chrisbrooks.art

Portraits

Until August 24, 2019
Alberta Craft Gallery, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free admission

From quirky self-portraits to iconic personalities, this exhibition is as diverse as each person depicted. Portraits features the work of 33 fine craft artists.
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Spotlight YYC: Mackenzie Kelly-Frère

Until August 24, 2019
Alberta Craft Gallery, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free admission

Mackenzie Kelly-Frère is an artist and educator whose work has been exhibited across Canada and internationally. Explore some of his new work in the Alberta Craft Gallery’s Spotlight YYC exhibition.
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Hand Pic’d 2019

Until August 29, 2019
VIVIANEART (1114 11th St. SW)
Free admission

Celebrating emerging artists and recent graduates within the local Calgary arts community, see works by Alyssa Ellis, Adriane Vant Erve, and Jessie Fraser, three artists who are using fibre as a key element in their visual art practice.
vivianeart.gallery

ᐊᕙᑖᓂᑦᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᑦᓄᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᓂᑦ Among All These Tundras

Until August 30, 2019
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission

Among All These Tundras is a title taken from the poem My Home is in My Heart by famed Sámi writer Nils-Aslak Valkeapää and features contemporary art by Indigenous artists from around the circumpolar world.
eskerfoundation.com

CHANNEL 51: IGLOOLIK – Celebrating 30 Years of Inuit Video Art

Until August 30, 2019
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission

Curated by asinnajaq, this is the first large-scale tour of Igloolik Inuit video art from the Isuma and Arnait Women’s Video Collective. It celebrates a young cinematic tradition that has its own distinct voice and worldview.
eskerfoundation.com

Cache

Until August 31, 2019
Herringer Kiss Gallery (101, 1615 10th Ave. SW)
Free admission

Curated by Kevin Kanashiro, this exhibition shines a light on a group of talented, well established artists that are not necessarily familiar to the public eye.
herringerkissgallery.com

together but apart

Until August 31, 2019
Jarvis Hall Gallery (333B 36th Ave. SE)
Free admission

Featuring new works by Robin Arseneault, Laura Findlay, Larissa Tiggelers, Mark Dicey, Jeff Nachtigall, Corri-Lynn Tetz, Rachel MacFarlane, and many more, check out this summer group show.
jarvishallgallery.com

Vistas of the West

Until August 30, 2019
Framed on Fifth (1207 5th Ave. NW)
Free admission

A collection of poetry and visual art that celebrates the beauty and spirit of the Rocky Mountains, Western foothills, celebrate the launch of this new book and art show from 6:30 to 9:00pm on August 29.
framedonfifth.com

Futurology

Until September 6, 2019
Alberta Printmakers (4025 4th St. SE)
Free admission

Celebrate Alberta Printmakers’ beginnings, where they’ve come through the years, and the many members, partners, and supporters who have helped them get to where we they are now.
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A Closer Look Tour: Mavericks

Tuesdays until September 10, 2019, 1:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission

Each Tuesday throughout the summer, join Glenbow’s educators as they share some of their favourite stories about the maverick spirit that continues to characterize contemporary Alberta.
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A Closer Look Tour: Niitsitapiisinni

Thursdays until September 12, 2019, 1:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission

Journey through the award-winning Niitsitapiisinni: Our Way of Life gallery and uncover the traditions, values, and history of the people who have lived for thousands of years in the northwestern plains of Alberta and Montana. The Blackfoot share their story in their own words with interactive displays that guide visitors through Nitsitapii history.
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Second Skin

Until September 15, 2019
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission

Second Skin is an exhibition of contemporary art that features work by five Canadian artists—Brendan Fernandes, Skeena Reece, Barbara Astman, Winnie Truong, and Tia Halliday—who explore the transformative potential of adornment, costume, and disguise.
glenbow.org

Tia Halliday's Sideshow III
Tia Halliday’s Sideshow III | Image: Courtesy of Glenbow
Kent Merriman Jr.: Remnants

Until September 15, 2019
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission

The ninth installment in curator Nancy Tousley’s ongoing series One New Work features new work by emerging Calgary artist Kent Merriman. The exhibition features highly laborious sculptural paintings that fool the eye by masquerading as flattened cardboard boxes, poured concrete, and clear plastic baggies.
glenbow.org

Ed Pien: Our Beloved

Until September 22, 2019
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission

Ed Pien’s 144 framed photographs of flowers are hung together in a monumental, wall-filling installation. The artist photographed the flowers at grave sites at a cemetery in Sanitiago, Chile which is the final resting place for many of the political dissidents and victims of the murderous dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.
glenbow.org

Nick Cave: Feat.

Until September 22, 2019
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission

Organized by the Frist Art Museum, Nashville, Tennessee, Nick Cave is one of America’s most acclaimed contemporary artists. This major touring exhibition makes its only Canadian stop and features the artist’s signature sound suits as well as sculpture, video, and installation works.
glenbow.org

Vital Lines

Until September 29, 2019
Leighton Art Centre (282027 144th St. West, Millarville)
Admission by donation

Vital Lines is a land-based installation conceived by Calgary francophone artists Sabine Lecorre-Moore and Patricia Lortie, who together form the artistic duo known as Conversation. They have designed this interactive installation specifically for the Leighton Art Centre landscape, creating an artwork that offers a receptive site where visitors can rest their dreams, wishes, and life affirmations.
leightoncentre.org

Collider

Until September 29, 2019
Contemporary Calgary, Centennial Planetarium (701 11th St. SW)
Free admission

Taking a cue from particle accelerators, Collider serves as a catalyst for collaborative experimentation and discovery through a collision of ideas and actions. This inaugural project employs a peer nomination process to invite 30 local artists to make Contemporary Calgary and the former Centennial Planetarium their studio and community hub.
contemporarycalgary.com

Brutal Visions

Until September 29, 2019
Contemporary Calgary, Centennial Planetarium (701 11th St. SW)
Free admission

Providing a rich and engaging context for the recently reawakened Centennial Planetarium, Brutal Visions invites viewers to explore the history, architecture, and future ambitions of Contemporary Calgary’s new home.
contemporarycalgary.com

A Future City from The Past

Until September 29, 2019
Contemporary Calgary, Centennial Planetarium (701 11th St. SW)
Free admission

Clemens Gritl’s body of work, A Future City from The Past, is based on a mystifying vision of a radically aggressive urban dystopia—an uncompromising design in the brutalist dogma. Explore it as Contemporary Calgary opens every Sunday and Thursday starting on June 2.
contemporarycalgary.com

Recent Acquisitions

Until October 11, 2019
Centre Street CTrain Station (1st St. & 7th Ave. SE)
Free admission

Exploring ideas of theft and authorship, Collin Zipp’s Recent Acquisitions is made up of 11 seemingly identical forgeries from an art reproduction company based in China. Seeing the paintings side-by-side encourages the viewer to further investigate their similarities.
uascalgary.org

Kablusiak: Qiniqtuaq

Until October 20, 2019
Project Space, Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission

Qiniqtuaq (searching/looking) invites viewers to peer through a multi-eyed ghost sheet to witness a looping projection of a video collage screened in front of a piece of oil-stained cardboard. Inviting a presence of nostalgia, spectatorship, and diaspora, the piece was created by Kablusiak, an Inuvialuk artist and curator based in Mohkinstsis.
eskerfoundation.com

Artist In Residence: Albertine Crow Shoe

Until January 5, 2020
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission

Glenbow’s artist-in-residence program invites multidisciplinary artists to interact with Glenbow’s vast collection of art and cultural material to inspire new works. Albertine Crow Shoe is known primarily for her exquisite jewellery and this exhibition features highlights of her past work as well as entirely new creations based on her discoveries from working with Glenbow’s collection.
glenbow.org

Ladylikeness: Historical Portraits of Women by Women

Until January 5, 2020
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission

Presented in partnership with Library and Archives Canada, head to Glenbow to see a varied selection of portraiture produced over a 200-year period, with works dating from 1768 to 1960. Ladylikeness offers a fascinating look at how these artists chose to work within the genre in different ways, making it their own.
glenbow.org

Art of Resilience

Until March 2, 2020
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission

The result of four art workshops held at Glenbow for children and families served by Kainaiwa Children’s Services Corporation Prevention and Support, explore their work in this unique showcase.
glenbow.org

Have a visual arts event that’s not listed above? Email us at events@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or fill out this form.