Free This Week

From the opening of a new exhibition space at Contemporary Calgary, to a special screening of John Ware Reclaimed, to a plant-astic book launch at Shelf Life Books, don’t miss the what Calgary’s arts community has to offer for free this week!

Wünderbriefs

Until March 24, 2024
Various venues
Free to watch

The Wünderbriefs are short pop-up mask or puppet interactions. Crafted from the whimsy of a suitcase, or in the box of an old radio, in the charm of a wagon, these are not just mini shows; they’re spectacles, marvels, the very essence of animated extraordinary. Check them out as part of the Festival of Animated Objects!
maskandpuppet.com

Aida Cupcake “Drag Me To The Opera”

March 13, 2024, 12:10 – 1pm
Cathedral Church of the Redeemer (604 1 St. SE)
Free to attend

Aida Cupcake is the star of the critically acclaimed one-person show Drag Me to the Opera, which has toured at fringe festivals across Canada, including a sold-out run at the Calgary Fringe 2021. Don’t miss her ProArts@Noon show!
proartssociety.ca

Grand Opening of the Morris & Ann Dancyger Observatory Gallery

March 13, 2024, 6 – 9pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St. SW)
Free to attend

Contemporary Calgary invites you to the grand opening of its newest exhibition space, the Morris & Ann Dancyger Observatory Gallery, with the compelling inaugural exhibition Surface by Brooklyn-based artist Anton Ginzburg.
contemporarycalgary.com

N@N — Tak Pham: A Brief Introduction to Contemporary Immersive Art Practices

March 14, 2024, 12 – 1pm
Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (435 Campus Lane NW)
Free to attend

In this Nickle at Noon talk, curator and art critic Tak Pham introduces his ongoing research on immersive art, a term that has gained popularity in recent years. Pham’s research aims to delve into the etymology of the term, its development within western art history and what creative practices we can anticipate in the future.
events.ucalgary.ca

Online Artist Talk with Lucia Hierro

March 14, 2024, 6:30 – 7:30pm
Stream online
Free to watch, registration required

Join Lucia Hierro for an artist talk about her creative practice and her exhibition Corotos y Ajuares at Esker Foundation, which confronts 21st century capitalism through an intersectional lens. Register now!
eventbrite.ca

TOUR: Kyrgyz Textiles: Introducing the John L. Sommer Collection

March 15, 2024, 12 – 1pm
Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (435 Campus Lane NW)
Free to attend

Check out a tour of Kyrgyz Textiles: Introducing the John L. Sommer Collection with exhibition curator Michele Hardy. Learn more about this fascinating collection, how “chiy” are made and used, and how the collection came here.
events.ucalgary.ca

Open Studio for 55+

March 15, 2024, 1 – 4pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St. SW)
Free to attend, registration required

Contemporary Calgary’s Open Studio for 55+ on Fridays in March 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

Drop-in Puppet Lab

March 16, 2024, 1 – 4pm
Sparrow Artspace (36 4 St. NE)
Free to participate

Discover the boundless possibilities of puppetry at this hands-on Puppet Lab with Jenny Dale Stables. Unleash your creativity as you explore a range of materials to craft your own unique puppet, then bring it to life on the interactive puppet stage.
sparrowartspace.com

Patrick Dunford: Branch Lines — Opening Reception

March 16, 2024, 2 – 5pm
Norberg Hall (Suite 333b, 36 Ave. SE)
Free to explore

Norberg Hall presents Branch Lines, a new exhibition of paintings by artist Patrick Dunford. The Winnipeg-born artist investigates human influences on the land and the industries that greatly alter it. Meet the the artist and view the exhibition at the opening reception!
norberghall.com

Congress Cinema Club: John Ware Reclaimed

March 19, 2024, 6pm
Congress Coffee (Suite 1A, 215 36 Ave. NE)
Free to attend/participate

The film John Ware Reclaimed follows Calgary filmmaker and author Cheryl Foggo on her quest to re-examine the mythology surrounding John Ware, the Black cowboy who settled in Alberta before the turn of the 20th century. Check out a Q & A with Foggo following the screening!
congresscoffeeyyc.com

Calgary on Purpose

March 19, 2024, 7 – 8:30pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St. SW)
Free to attend, registration required

Join the first of the 2024 Calgary on Purpose “Evenings of Conversation and Connection.” It begins with a few extraordinary creative Calgarians showing brief examples of their work, interviewed by the inimitable Dave Kelly, followed by an audience conversation.
contemporarycalgary.com

Poetry Parlour Open Mic

March 19, 2024, 7pm
Pachamama Soul Flavour Emporium (Suite 2110, 830 Canyon Meadows Dr. S)
Free to attend/participate

Join host Ashley Frerichs at the upcoming Poetry Parlour Open Mic. Open mic sign-up starts at 7pm on a first come, first served basis. The March featured reader is the wonderful Camila Nuque.
writersguild.ca

Prairie Gardener’s Go-To Guides: Book Launch

March 19, 2024, 7pm
Shelf Life Books (1302 4 St. SW)
Free to attend

Join lifelong gardeners and co-authors of the Guide for the Prairie Gardener, Janet Melrose and Sheryl Normandeau, as they launch two new books in their budding series: Grasses and Herbs.
shelflifebooks.ca