Free This Week

There is tons to see and do this week without spending a dime as Chinook Blast festivities continue to liven up the city. Check out a variety of programming as part of Black History Month, Exposure Photography Festival and more!

Artists Pavilion

Until February 16, 2024
Calgary Central Library (800 3 St. SE)
Free to attend

Take in some arts and culture during your lunch break on Thursdays and Fridays during Chinook Blast! The Artists Pavilion at the Central Library hosts pop-up performances by local artists, presented by Four Winds YYC and 10 at 10 Music and Culture, as well as mini jams curated by One Big Jam, all in celebration of the Lunar New Year, Indigenous culture and Black History Month.
chinookblast.ca/events/the-td-artist-pavilion
chinookblast.ca/events/lunchtime-mini-jams

Chinook Blast

Until February 19, 2024
Various venues
Prices vary

Experience the magic of Calgary’s winter festival celebration. Chinook Blast warms up our city with a celebration of community, culture and civic pride. The best of Calgary’s art, music, theatre, sport and recreation will be on display (read about some of the festival highlights here). Don’t miss it!
chinookblast.ca

Exposure Photography Festival

Until February 25, 2024
Various venues
Free to attend

Exposure 2024 shares a wide range of narratives, subjects and explorations of the photographic medium. Check out an exciting and diverse group of solo exhibitions and curatorial themes that audiences can engage with!
exposurephotofestival.com

Derek Chiu, Piano, with John Lowry, Violin

February 7, 2024, 12:10 – 1pm
Cathedral Church of the Redeemer (604 1 St. SE)
Free to attend

Derek Chiu (piano) along with John Lowry (violin) are set to play a lunch-hour concert as part of the ProArts@Noon series. They’ll delve into a program that features pieces from Mozart and Franck. Don’t miss it!
proartssociety.ca

I Heart Arts! Showcase

February 8, 2024, 5 – 9pm
cSPACE Marda Loop (1729 29 Ave. SW)
Free to attend

Fall in love with creativity at cSPACE Marda Loop’s Valentine’s showcase. Join them for a celebration of the arts that goes beyond Valentine’s Day. Whether it’s the silent auction, live music, or exhibitions, I Heart Arts is your ticket to warmth on a winter night.
cspacemardaloop.com

N@N – Marina Fischer: Glory, Blood and Power: Money and War through the Ages

February 8, 2024, 5 – 9pm
Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (435 Campus Lane NW)
Free to attend

This Nickle at Noon talk provides a survey of the interplay between money, power and the capacity to wage war, starting in the ancient era through to the present. Curator Marina Fischer will draw you attention to a connection between war, money and art, an aspect of military power that is often overlooked.
nickle.ucalgary.ca

Black History Month Movies and Short Films

February 8, 2024, 10am – 3pm
That Empty Space, MacEwan Student Centre (402 Collegiate Blvd. NW)
Free to attend

Join the University of Calgary Students’ Union for a selection of feature-length films Selma and Summer of Soul, and National Film Board short films in celebration of Black History Month.
su.ucalgary.ca

ArtRecruits Exhibition — Reception

February 8, 2024, 5 – 7pm
Studio C (Prospect), cSPACE Marda Loop (Suite #235, 1721 29 Ave. SW)
Free to attend

ArtRecruits is an art-based workplace skill building program that teaches employment skills in the art studio rather than a classroom. At the reception, you can learn about the program, hear from the artists, and purchase some beautiful artwork.
studiocprospect.ca

Open Studio for 55+

February 9, 2024, 1 – 4pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St. SW)
Free to attend

Contemporary Calgary’s Open Studio for 55+ on Fridays in February invites participants to bring projects they are currently engaged in, or ideas and materials for projects, offering the opportunity to work with the support of peers and a facilitator with a background in visual art.
contemporarycalgary.com

CinemAbility: The Art of Inclusion

February 9, 2024, 5pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St. SW) 
Free to attend, registration required

Directed by Jenni Gold, CinemAbility: The Art of Inclusion is a documentary that goes behind the scenes of Hollywood to investigate the evolution of the portrayal of people with disabilities in media. Presented in partnership with the National accessArts Centre, join Contemporary Calgary for a screening and discussion.
contemporarycalgary.com

Rise Up Community Outdoor Stage

February 9 – 11, 2024
Olympic Plaza (228 8 Ave. SE)
Free to attend

A diversity of talent is set to perform on the RISE UP Community Outdoor Stage at Olympic Plaza during Chinook Blast. Catch free performances over the festival’s second weekend with programming curated by Big Winter Classic, One Big Jam, Four Winds Indigenous Showcase and Market and more!
chinookblast.ca

Remember The Titans

February 10, 2024, 1:30 – 5pm
The Plaza Theatre (1133 Kensington Rd. NW)
Free to attend

Check out a special screening of the inspiring film Remember The Titans to celebrate Black History Month! Don’t miss this chance to come together and honour the incredible achievements of black individuals throughout history. Grab your popcorn, bring your friends and get ready for a memorable evening!
eventbrite.com

Trading Incognito: The Forgotten History of Black Fur Traders

February 11, 2024, 2 – 3:30pm
Railway Orientation Centre, Heritage Park (1900 Heritage Dr. SW)
Free to attend

Join renowned poet, writer and educator Bertrand Bickersteth as he explores the surprising history of Black fur traders in Western Canada, an often overlooked aspect at the heart of Canada’s history.
heritagepark.ca

Aaron Shorr hosts Saturday Jazz Jam

February 10, 2024, 3 – 6pm
Kawa Espresso Bar (1333 8 St. SW)
Free to attend

JazzYYC presents Aaron Shorr (Guitar) hosting the weekly Jazz Jam. Open to all ages and levels of experience, be sure to head over and join them for a fun afternoon! Drums provided.
jazzyyc.com

Literature and Freedom

February 13, 2024, 7pm
cSPACE Marda Loop (1721 29 Ave. SW)
Free to attend, registration required

Between 1750 and 1850, the idea of freedom became a central concept for the ways in which European writers understood themselves and their literary works. UCalgary Professor Dr. Martin Wager assesses how these various types of freedom coalesced into a concept of literature — a legacy that is still felt today.
events.ucalgary.ca