Free This Week
Festival season kicks into high gear and Calgary’s visual arts community shines
- Price: Free
A busy week ahead for sure, Calgary’s festival season kicks off with the 4th Street Lilac Festival and you can check out several fantastic exhibition openings—all for free. Here’s what we’re hitting up:
ProArts@Noon Presents Notas de 4
May 30, 2018, 12:10 – 12:50pm
Cathedral Church of the Redeemer (604 1st St. SE)
Free
Described as intense, edgy, and dreamy, Mexican singer Silvia Temis and Notas de 4 brings together a very personal touch of Flamenco inspired music fused with traditional tunes from across Latin America. Don’t miss this concert.
proartssociety.ca
Mountain Blues
May 31, 2018, 7:00 – 9:00pm
Shelf Life Books (1302 4th St. SW)
Free
A launch with Sean Arthur Joyce and Taylor Lambert, swing by Shelf Life Books for this reading, Q&A, and book signing.
facebook.com
Bring the Baby Art Tour
June 1, 2018, 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.
eventbrite.ca
FALL/FLOW & Logical Conclusion Opening Reception
June 1, 2018, 7:00 – 10:00pm
EMMEDIA (2005 10th Ave. SW)
Free
With Sandra Vida’s new video installation and Kathryn Blair’s collection of logic puzzles, swing by EMMEDIA this Friday and explore two new creations from Calgary’s media arts community.
emmedia.ca
-PATHIE Opening Reception
June 1, 2018, 7:00pm
TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary (2009 10th Ave. SW)
Free
Andrée-Anne Roussel’s interactive installation features video elements and a kinetic sculpture, revolving around the themes of engagement and apathy. It questions our relationship with the world and with works of art.
truck.ca
Bruise Me Softly Opening Reception
June 1, 2018, 8:00pm – 12:00am
Stride Gallery (1006 Macleod Tr. SE)
Free
A frank, autobiographical exploration of queer identity and sexuality, Dana Buzzee looks to the practice of witchcraft as a framework for creating art. Bruise Me Softly presents a collection of works that create an activated site of sex-positivity focused on queer femme narratives.
stride.ab.ca
Empathy Week
June 1 – 7, 2018
Multiple locations
Most events are free
Returning for a second year, Humainologie’s seven-day festival promotes empathy, connection, and the recognition of our shared humanity. Many of the events are free including the chance to write your experiences of giving and receiving empathy on an interactive art piece.
humainologie.com
Art in the Park
June 2, 2018, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Rotary Park (617 1st St. NE)
Free, registration required
Kicking off with a sharing of tips and tricks for proper composting and recycling, break out and create art with anything found in nature! You can work individually or in teams and use rocks, sticks, leaves, trash, grass—anything you can find—to create your piece.
budfunding.com
Farmers & Makers Market at cSPACE
June 2, 2018, 10:00am – 3:00pm
cSPACE King Edward (1721-29 Avenue SW)
Free
Mark your calendars and get your reusable shopping bags ready as Calgary’s largest outdoor inner-city farmers market opens on the grounds of cSPACE King Edward. This local food, arts, and culture smashup has something for everyone including live music from Fromage Chaud and Suns n’ Roses.
farmersmakersmarket.ca
Rhubarb Fest YYC
June 2, 2018, 11:00am – 5:00pm
Southwood Community Hall (11 Sackville Dr. SW)
Free
This family-friendly festival located in Southwood reaches out to all surrounding communities to join in on the fun! This fun little gathering includes live music, a petting zoo, and much more.
rhubarbfestyyc.wordpress.com
Contemporary Kids: Photograms ‘Cameraless Photography’
June 2, 2018, 2:00 – 4:00pm
RGO Treehouse, cSPACE King Edward (4th Floor, 1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free, registration required
Contemporary Calgary’s Contemporary Kids program returns and invites families to learn about modern and contemporary art through a unique and engaging art activity. This program begins with a fun art-filled introduction to photograms and includes a discussion about how artists use negative space when creating.
eventbrite.ca
Dan Whiting: New Works Opening Reception
June 2, 2018, 2:00 – 5:00pm
Jarvis Hall Gallery (333B 36th Ave. SE)
Free
A show of new works by Calgary painter Dan Whiting, his creations are notable for richly stained surfaces, meticulous attention to detail, and transcendental use of watercolour. Meet Whiting at this opening reception.
jarvishallgallery.com
CalgaryMovies.com 20th Anniversary One Day Film Festival
June 2, 2018, 2:30 – 9:30pm
Globe Cinema (617 8th Ave. SW)
Free, donations accepted
Partnering with a number of organizations from Calgary’s film community, this one-day-only film festival presents an awesome selection of shorts and features.
calgarymovies.com
Artist Talk with Andrée-Anne Roussel
June 2, 2018, 3:00pm
TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary (2009 10th Ave. SW)
Free
In From sensory cinema to interactive installations, filmmaker and new media artist Andrée-Anne Roussel explores her journey in developing the work in –PATHIE.
truck.ca
Clothesline Festival & Art Sale
June 2 & 3, 2018, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Leighton Art Centre (282027 144th St. W)
Free, family-friendly
Go for a drive and visit the 43nd annual summer Clothesline Festival & Art Sale at the Leighton Art Centre. Discover more than 1,000 original works of art and fine craft while basking in one of the best views of the Alberta Foothills. Also on tap are artist demonstrations, family-friendly activities, and live music.
leightoncentre.org
4th Street Lilac Festival
June 3, 2018, 10:00am – 6:00pm
4th St. SW (Between 13th Ave & Elbow Dr.)
Free, family-friendly
Each spring, thousands of attendees enjoy this array of musical talent, artisan vendors, live entertainment, and much more. With over 500 vendors, there’s something that will interest everyone at this Calgary springtime staple.
lilacfestival.net
Dream Sequence
June 3, 2018, 10:00am – 6:00pm
Booth 1441, 4th Street Lilac Festival (4th St. SW & 15th Ave. SW)
Free
A new performance piece by Emily Promise Allison, swing by Untitled Art Society’s booth as it celebrates its inaugural 4th Street Lilac Festival project. An otherwise ordinary festival booth is transformed into a strange but inviting preternatural landscape as the artist uses objects to perform an improvised sequence of an unpredictable dream. Visitors are invited to take part in, encounter, create their own reverie or just observe the artist’s surreal vista.
uascalgary.org
Disability Pride Parade
June 3, 2018, 11:00am
Bankers Hall (315 8th Ave. SW) to Olympic Plaza (228 8th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
Marching from Bankers Hall to Olympic Plaza, join Disability Action Hall and Disability Pride Alberta for an inclusive day to celebrate people with disabilities, their families, friends and support systems. The celebration continues with guest speakers, free food, and music.
eventbrite.ca
Seniors’ Day at Studio Bell
June 4 & 5, 2018, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre (850 8th Ave. SE)
Free admission for seniors (65+)
Part of Seniors’ Week in Calgary, this multi-generational experience is fun for the whole family. Seniors can explore five floors of exhibitions that tell the story of music in Canada. Daily tours of Studio Bell’s Top Ten Hits are offered at 11:00am and 2:00pm and Studio Bell’s famous Kimball Theatre Organ demo happens at 3:00pm.
studiobell.ca
Seniors’ Day at Glenbow
June 5, 2018, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free admission for seniors (65+)
Celebrating Seniors’ Week in Calgary, visitors who are 65+ receive free general admission to museum all day.
facebook.com
Loft 112 Book Club
June 5, 2018, 7:00 – 9:00pm
Loft 112 (112, 535 8th Ave. SE)
Free
Reading Loft 112 authors, Deborah Willis joins the Loft 112 Book Club to discuss her book The Dark and Other Love Stories. Bring a treat (appetizer or dessert) to share and email susanmcarpenter@hotmail.com if you are interested in joining.
facebook.com
