April Exhibitions
Enjoy a fresh batch of visual arts events this month including pop-up events and sales
A new month and a new season means a fresh batch of visual arts events for you to hit up. April always brings a bunch of awesome exhibitions to check out alongside a ton of show and sales, pop-up events, and much more.
Riverview Artists April Show & Sale
April 1 – 5, 2019, 9:00am – 4:00pm
Watermark Tower (530 8th Ave. SW)
Free admission
Featuring original artwork by 12 local artists, works vary in style and technique, reflecting the unique creativity and inspiration of each artist. Join Riverview Artists for its April show and sale, an artist is in attendance each day.
riverview-artists.com
Free to Be Me
April 2 – 27, 2019
Framed on Fifth (1207 5th Ave. NW)
Free admission
Free to Be Me offers a veritable salad of Sharon Lynn Williams’ new bold acrylic work. This artist believes in being free to express and create without being pigeonholed. Check out the opening on April 5 from 6:00 to 9:00pm or see an artist demo from 1:00 to 3:00pm on April 12.
framedonfifth.com
Mini Masters
April 4, 2019, 11:00 – 11:45am
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration essential
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
Free First Thursday Nights
April 4, 2019, 5:00 – 9:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission
Since its launch in 2016, Free First Thursday Nights has provided access to over 56,000 visitors and this popular program returns to Glenbow for 2019. It’s a great chance to check out popular exhibitions including One New Work
Chris Cran: At Play.
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Bring the Baby Art Tour & Tummy Time
April 5, 2019, 12:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, 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
Raise Your Hands Up to the Sky with Naomi Potter
April 5, 2019, 7:00 – 8:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration recommended
Join Naomi Potter for a tour of Neil Campbell and Jeremy Shaw’s exhibitions at the Esker Foundation. Asking participants to question their ability to let go of their objectives, assumptions, and need to control, this tour considers how one can be fully present, not only in these exhibitions, but in the world at large.
eventbrite.ca
Fire Fly
April 5, 2019, 7:30 – 10:00pm
The Castle (Address Released to Ticket Holders)
$25 – $50
An immersive arts experience that is both a figure drawing event and the beginning of Little Duck Gallery and AUarts creative collaborations, explore works by installation artists, performing musicians, and spoken word performers within the theme of Fire Fly. It’s an artful evening of indigo forest magic in a castle.
eventbrite.ca
Chameleon
April 5 – May 11, 2019
The New Gallery (208 Centre St. SE)
Free admission
An exhibition by international artist duo Varvara & Mar, Chameleon tackles current political and identity-related issues, welcoming any and all kinds of discourse and interpretations. It looks at how a complex identity crisis, brought on by a cosmopolitan and hyperconnected era, is causing a loss of belonging and the rise of radical nationalism. Explore the show at its opening reception at 8:00pm on April 5.
thenewgallery.org
Abide
April 5 – May 18, 2019
TRUCK Contemporary Art (2009 10th Ave. SW)
Free admission
A series of video installations from Lyla Rye that explore the difficulty of being present and still in times of life changes, these installations overlay HD footage of the artist’s mother’s hospital room as she lay dying, with cellphone clips that her teenage daughter shoots. The footage is overlaid using two projectors, creating a physical superimposition where brightness obliterates while darkness reveals. Explore the work at its opening reception, April 5 at 7:00pm.
truck.ca
Calgary Sketch Club Art Exhibition & Sale
April 6, 2019, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Dalhousie Community Centre (5432 Dalhart Rd. NW)
Free admission
Think spring at this upcoming exhibition and sale from the Calgary Sketch Club. It’s a great chance to explore new works, see painting demonstrations throughout the day, and purchase a piece or two.
calgarysketchclub.com
Southern Alberta Art Alliance Spring Art Show
April 6, 2019, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Holy Cross Anglican Church (2828 19th St. NW)
Free admission
Check out work by local artists from the Southern Alberta Art Alliance in varied mediums and styles. Meet the artists, ask them questions, and find out what inspired their work while shopping this springtime selection.
saaa-artists.ca
SPOTLIGHT: Jill Allan
April 6 – May 4, 2019
Alberta Craft Gallery – Calgary, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free admission
Glass can reflect, magnify, project, and hold light to glow—and Jill Allan’s scrumptious glass creations sculpt light, bend colour, and bring joy to every home and body. Explore the show at its free reception, 5:00 to 8:00pm on April 11.
albertacraft.ab.ca
Alberta Craft Council Exhibitions
April 6 – May 25, 2019
Alberta Craft Gallery – Calgary, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free admission
With three new shows—Because It Never Occurs to Us That We Cannot, Milk & Oil, and The Surface of Things—be sure to swing by the Alberta Craft Gallery’s Calgary location to see work by Robin Lambert, Giselle Peters, and Brenda Malkinson. A free reception takes place from 2:00 to 4:00pm on April 27.
albertacraft.ab.ca
Ecstatic Dance with Marie-Claire O’Donoghue
April 7, 2019, 9:30 – 11:00am
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration required
When was the last time you gave yourself permission to just dance without judgement, expectation, or wanting to look a certain way? Ecstatic Dance creates a setting for you to let go of your daily structured movement patterning, and let your body speak through dance. All ages and experience are levels welcome. Adult accompaniment required for children under 16. Be sure to dress appropriately to move.
eventbrite.ca
Print(ed) Word Salon Series: Carolyn Qualle & Rona Altrows
April 9, 2019, 7:00 – 8:00pm
Simmons-Harvie Community Living Room, Central Library (800 3rd St. SE)
Free admission, registration required
Join artist Carolyn Qualle and writer Rona Altrows as they discuss their artist book, Roulleauville. This salon series features presentations on the second Tuesday of each month with creators sharing their writing, art, and the process of collaborating to make their books.
facebook.com
Art Baby Tour
April 10, 2019, 10:00 – 11:00am
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free – $5
Take a relaxed one-hour guided tour of Glenbow’s exhibition, Ladylikeness: Historical Portraits of Women by Women, your wee ones in tow. Recommended for parents and caregivers with children aged two and under, fussing is allowed.
facebook.com
Drawn to Art: Mixed Media Work Shop with Maya Gohill
April 10, 17, 24 & May 1, 2019
Glenbow (130 9 Ave. SE)
$225 – $250
A mixed media series of four workshops led by painter and illustrator Maya Gohill, participants in Drawn to Art are introduced to a variety of media and materials to create a unique piece of fashion inspired art.
eventbrite.ca
Salon Series: Meryl McMaster
April 11, 2019, 7:00 – 9:00pm
Glenbow (130 9 Ave. SE)
$31.50 – $35
An evening of intimate and insightful discussion with Meryl McMaster, this rising star in art photography incorporates elaborate props, sculptural garments, and performance into each of her carefully choreographed photographs.
eventbrite.ca
Cocktails + Collage Art Night
April 11, 2019, 7:00 – 9:00pm
4th Spot Kitchen & Bar (2620 4th St. NW)
$25 – $35
A paint night with a unique twist, check out this evening of collage and mixed media in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. All materials will be supplied to create your custom piece of art by combining paper, imagery and paint to a wooden panel.
cocktailsandcollage.com
Date Night at Esker
April 12, 2019, 6:30 – 8:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration required
Spring is in the air, so let Esker be your host for date night! Drawing inspiration from its current exhibitions, roll up your sleeves and create your own artwork while honing your creative skills. Impress your date with your art know-how in this fun hands-on workshop. Adults 18+ only.
eventbrite.ca
Calgary Creative Arts Guild Spring Art Show & Sale
April 13, 2019, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Montgomery Community Centre (5003 16th Ave. NW)
Free admission
Featuring original works from over 25 local artists, enjoy refreshments, enter to win door prizes and a raffle draw for an original painting, and purchase a piece or two at this spring show and sale. Admission is free and donations to the Veterans’ Food Bank are gratefully accepted.
calgarycreativeartsguild.wordpress.com
The Fibre Shindig
April 13, 2019, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association (1320 5th Ave. NW)
$5
The Fibre Shindig returns for another jam-packed one-day show that features all your favourite local fibre artists and a sprinkling of new ones too. It’s a great chance to get some shopping done ahead of Easter and Mother’s Day.
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Foothills Art Club Spring Art Show & Sale
April 13, 2019, 10:00am – 4:00pm
St. Andrews United Church (128 1st St. E, Cochrane)
Free admission
Over 150 amazing original paintings will be on display for sale at this annual show and sale. Find a new piece for yourself or a gift for someone special while enjoying live music by Marty Cochrane and refreshments.
foothillsartclub.com
Calgary Artists Society Spring Show & Sale
April 13, 2019, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Parkdale United Church (2919 8th Ave. NW)
Free admission
A much-anticipated show featuring a diverse selection of original paintings in a variety of media by 45 local artists, find high quality framed artwork in a variety of sizes, mediums, and subjects. Find 300 paintings and meet the artists.
calgaryartistssociety.com
Mourning Home: Walking Tour
April 13, 2019, 1:00 – 2:30pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration required
Artist Glenna Cardinal has a bone-deep connection to the reserve land that she grew up on, the land that was her Tsuut’ina Nation grandmothers’ and is now the Southwest Calgary Ring Road. Don’t miss this conversational walking tour.
eventbrite.ca
Meditation and Chanting with Pheli Dlamini
April 16, 2019, 6:00 – 7:30pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration required
Connect with your inner intuition and collective energy, and stimulate your creativity in this guided meditation and chanting workshop with licensed Science of Mind Practitioner Pheli Dlamini. Take the time to shut out the outside world and focus within. 16+ only.
eventbrite.ca
Cocktails & Couture
April 18, 2019, 7:00 – 9:30pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$50, 18+ only
A romantic evening of haute couture and elevated cocktails, this is your chance to enjoy an intimate guided tour of Calgary’s first major international fashion exhibition, Christian Dior.
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Palette Fine Art Show & Sale
April 20, 2019, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Triwood Community Hall (2244 Chicoutimi Dr. NW)
Free admission
Hosted by the Calgary Community Painters Society, the Palette art show and sale features paintings by many independent artists in a variety of mediums including acrylic, oil, watercolour, and mixed media. You can even enjoy live art demonstrations throughout the day and bring the kids for a special Easter activity.
calgarycommunitypainters.com
17th Annual Juried Members Show
April 20 – June 2, 2019
Main Gallery, Leighton Art Centre (282027 144th St. West, Millarville)
Admission by donation
With 61 pieces selected from 450 submissions, this year’s Leighton Art Centre Juried Members Show promises to be a varied and exciting exhibition. Represented media include acrylic, oil, watercolour, photography, felting, silk screen, pen and ink, pencil, charcoal, pastel, printmaking, textile arts, and mixed media, and all work is available for purchase. Check it out at the opening reception on April 20 from 2:00 to 4:00pm.
leightoncentre.org
Art Baby Art Films: Kusama: Infinity
April 24, 2019, 10:00am – 12:30pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$8 – $10
A curated series of morning film screenings for adults with small children (ages two and under), head to Glenbow to see the documentary, Kusama: Infinity. The film explores contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama’s journey from a conservative upbringing in Japan to her brush with fame in America during the 1960s.
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Lifelong Learners
April 24, 2019, 2:30 – 3:15pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration recommended
Seniors are invited to join the Esker Foundation for a tour and discussion of the current exhibitions in a relaxed, social environment. Explore new ideas and engage creatively with arts and culture.
eventbrite.ca
Out For Lunch Tour
April 25, 2019, 12:00 – 1:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free – $5
Have art for lunch with a guided tour of this must-see photography exhibition, Meryl McMaster: Confluence. McMaster’s potent, mysterious photographs explore the fluid domain of identity, and the possibilities for examining and revisioning the self and its representation.
glenbow.org
History Happenings: Queens of the Commonwealth
April 25, 2019, 5:30 – 9:00pm
Lougheed House (707 13 Ave. SW)
$8 – $12.50
Head to Lougheed House on the last Thursday of the month for History Happenings, a new series of eight pop-up parties fuelled by entertainment and exploration. April’s edition offers participants to revel in the reigns of Canada’s most fabulous drag kings, queens, and monarchs.
eventbrite.ca
Cocktails & Couture
April 25, 2019, 7:00 – 9:30pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$50, 18+ only
A romantic evening of haute couture and elevated cocktails, this is your chance to enjoy an intimate guided tour of Calgary’s first major international fashion exhibition, Christian Dior.
facebook.com
My Old Body, My Old Mind: Listening Experience with Dada Centauri
April 26, 2019, 7:00 – 8:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission, registration required
Join Dada Centauri, a duo of Calgary synth explorers Andrew Hume and Whitney Ota, for this listening experience. Lie down, close your eyes and be led through the landscape of their aural environment. Be sure to bring a yoga mat.
eventbrite.ca
Beacon Original Art Annual Spring Exhibition & Sale
April 27, 2019, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Bridgeland-Riverside Community Association (917 Centre Ave. NE)
Free admission
A fantastic one-day sale with over 30 artists in attendance showing painting, jewelry, glass, photography, ceramics, sculpture, and textiles, celebrate 10 years of Beacon Original Art at its upcoming show.
beaconoriginalart.com
Cinematic Sundays: Kusama: Infinity
April 28, 2019, 1:00 – 3:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$8 – $10
A curated series of afternoon film screenings, Kusama: Infinity explores contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama’s journey from a conservative upbringing in Japan to her brush with fame in America during the 1960s.
facebook.com
Ongoing Exhibitions
Mireille Perron: The Anatomy of a Glass Menagerie
Until April 6, 2019
Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (410 University Ct. NW)
Free admission
Organized by Nickle Galleries and curated by Christine Sowiak with catalogue essay by Julia Kruger, Mireille Perron explores AltaGlass by presenting 113 selected objects from the collection alongside cyanotypes.
nickle.ucalgary.ca
SPOTLIGHT: Judy Sysak
Until April 6, 2019
Alberta Craft Gallery – Calgary, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free admission
Translating the subtle shifts in light and colour of the Southern Alberta landscape caused by the changing seasons and weather into an exquisite array of handwoven textiles, Judy Sysak explores her daily relationship with her surroundings. Using her Japanese Saori loom and the Saori philosophy, she strives for the perfectly imperfect in her work.
facebook.com
I Feel Real
Until April 6, 2019
VIVIANEART (1114 11th St. SW)
Free admission
A two-person exhibition featuring accomplished Canadian artists Janet Werner and Sandra Meigs, I Feel Real realizes the artists’ long-held desire to work together, admiring each other’s work for its honesty and rigor.
vivianeart.gallery
Make or Break
Until April 12, 2019
Main Space Gallery, Alberta Printmakers (4025 4th St. SE)
Free admission
Jonathan Green combines his own documentation of the so-called wilderness with appropriated images from survival books, and online images of wild landscapes. Merging them with pictures of cabins, construction sites, and modernist architecture, these camp-like spaces have the potential to work with or against the reality of nature.
albertaprintmakers.com
Breaking Tradition: Landscape (Im)possibilities
Until April 13, 2019
Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (410 University Ct. NW)
Free admission
Curated by Jasmine Hynes in collaboration with Museum and Heritage Studies, the photographic works in this exhibition challenge traditional understandings, perceptions, and interpretations of landscape.
nickle.ucalgary.ca
just turn your head a little
Until April 13, 2019
Main Gallery, Leighton Art Centre (282027 144th St. West, Millarville)
Admission by donation
Exploring the intelligence of the body, Verna Vogel has created a site-specific string installation alongside mixed media cold wax paintings by Frances Vettergreen. Both artists present works that reflect their process-driven artistic practice and both are inspired by the creative use of space and innovative use of materials.
leightoncentre.org
Context is Everything
Until April 13, 2019
Tower Gallery, Leighton Art Centre (282027 144th St. West, Millarville)
Admission by donation
An exhibition by Monique Martin that encourages us to take another look and consider the person or the moment more deeply than just on impulse, this project merges the flora of the prairie landscape with the human trait of judging people, events, and circumstances too quickly.
leightoncentre.org
the softest hard
Until April 27, 2019
Jarvis Hall Gallery (333B 36th Ave. SE)
Free admission
A three-person exhibition by Amanda McCavour, Yvonne Mullock, and Marigold Santos, the softest hard surveys the relationships of materiality, the hand, and the exploration of textiles through drawings, sculptures, and ceramics.
jarvishallgallery.com
mourning home
Until April 28, 2019
Project Space, Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission
Glenna Cardinal continues to explore her bone-deep connection to the reserve land that she grew up on—the land that was her grandmothers’ and is now the Southwest Calgary Ring Road. Presented in partnership with TRUCK Contemporary Art, her work is a response to her displacement and forced colonial identity. Cardinal is a Saddle Lake Cree Nation member who continues to reside on her maternal reserve, Tsuut’ina Nation.
eskerfoundation.com
Transforming Odds & Ends
Until April 29, 2019
HUB @ 302 (302, 1235 26th Ave. SE)
Free admission
Alberta Society of Artists’ Transforming Odds & Ends offers a reinterpretation of adornment and beautification against the definition of junk through a collection of wearable sculptures and collages.
albertasocietyofartists.com
Peep Show
Until April 30, 2019
Central Library (800 3rd St. SE)
Free admission
TRUCK Contemporary Art and the Calgary Public Library present Peep Show by Janet Wang, an ode to the online spectacle as well as an ode to the site in which it is situated. Swing by during library hours to explore the piece.
truck.ca
Revolutionaries and Ghosts: Memory, Witness and Justice in a Global Canadian Context
Until May 3, 2019
Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (410 University Ct. NW)
Free admission
With works from the collections of Nickle Galleries and the MacKenzie Art Gallery, curated by Timothy Long and Christine Sowiak, each piece in this exhibition summons stories of political responses and personal memories of many world events from the 20th and 21st centuries.
nickle.ucalgary.ca
Hide and Seek
Until May 4, 2019
Christine Klassen Gallery (200, 321 50th Ave. SE)
Free admission
At once playful and serious, Robert Pierce’s charcoal drawings are the result of a ritual spanning 25 years. Every night, he turns to his sketch book and connects to his subconscious using the surrealist technique of automatism or automatic drawing. Just like his drawings, this exhibition continually evolves, as works sold will be replaced.
christineklassengallery.com
Dear Nevermore
Until May 5, 2019
Herringer Kiss Gallery (101, 1615 10th Ave. SW)
Free admission
Blake Senini is one of Alberta’s most highly regarded sculptors. Light and photography, with their peculiar characteristics and relationships to form, have always been of particular interest to Senini’s studio practice and research, and you can explore them at this unique show.
herringerkissgallery.com
Quantification Trilogy
Until May 12, 2019
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission
Jeremy Shaw’s first solo show in Calgary revolves around three para-fictional short films—Quickeners, Liminals, and I Can See Forever. Shaw’s central film trilogy is complemented by his photographic series Towards Universal Pattern Recognition.
eskerfoundation.com
wheatfield
Until May 12, 2019
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission
The works in Neil Campbell’s Esker exhibition range from wall paintings to vinyl print installations to forms milled from plate steel that gesture toward sculpture. His carefully articulated shapes and patterning morph gallery spaces from being familiar and static to something unexpected and active.
eskerfoundation.com
Long Tale
Until May 14, 2019
ATB Financial (102 8th Ave. SW)
Free admission
Stories have been the primary means of sharing experiences, histories, and helping people understand the human condition and ourselves since the dawn of civilization. Presented by the Alberta University of the Arts and ATB Financial, Long Tale is an exhibition about love—of books, of storytelling, and their many contemporary forms.
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Walled Off – The Politics of Containment
Until May 20, 2019
Founders’ Gallery, The Military Museums (4520 Crowchild Trail SW)
With admission
A group exhibition of photography by Edmund Clark, Paula Luttringer, Peter van Agtmael, and NOOR Za’atari along with project artists Nina Berman with Andrea Bruce, Alixandra Fazzina, and Stanley Greene, Walled Off is guest curated by Dona Schwartz, PhD, Professor, Department of Art, University of Calgary.
eventbrite.ca
Nocturn
Until May 22, 2019
Jubilee Gallery, Southern Jubilee Auditorium (1415 14th Ave. NW)
Free admission
The artworks shown in this Alberta Society of Artists juried exhibition reveal the diversity of artistic response. It’s one of the most intriguing thematic exhibitions the society has held and will be staged in several Alberta locations.
albertasocietyofartists.com
One New Work: Chris Cran
Until May 26, 2019
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
The eighth installment of curator Nancy Tousley’s ongoing new work series shines a light on acclaimed—and occasionally notorious—local artist, Chris Cran.
glenbow.org
Christian Dior
Until June 2, 2019
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
Experience a selection of breathtaking fashions ranging from daytime to evening wear for grand occasions in this much-anticipated international fashion exhibition. Organized by the Royal Ontario Museum, Christian Dior explores the ground-breaking work of one of fashion’s greatest couture houses and a glimpse into the rise of a fashion icon.
glenbow.org
Meryl McMaster: Confluence
Until June 2, 2019
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
Ottawa-based artist Meryl McMaster transforms her appearance, whether by layering photographic images onto her body or through elaborate costumes and props she creates and inhabits as alter egos. An individual of Plains Cree and Euro-Canadian heritage, McMaster uses her work to explore the dimensions of her own sense of identity and the complex history of the photographic representation of Indigenous peoples.
glenbow.org
Antoni Tàpies: Prints, 1948-1976
Until July 14, 2019
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
One of the most significant Spanish artists of the 20th century, Antoni Tàpies’ printmaking is intense, politicized, and defiant. This collection was acquired by Glenbow in 2010 and has never before been publicly exhibited at the museum.
glenbow.org
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
Have a visual arts event that’s not listed above? Email us at events@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or fill out this form.