June Exhibitions
Check out new visual art exhibitions in Calgary — from colourful abstract works to an unsettling multimedia journey. Each month, we spotlight a new or timely exhibition in the city, followed by a roundup of others you can explore.
The Founding of Canada and Chinese Head-tax, by Rawry and Pohly
Artist duo Rawry and Pohly have created an educational exhibition exploring the history of the Canadian Pacific Railway, constructed in the late 1800s with Chinese labour and the subsequent implementation of the Chinese Head Tax following its completion.
The Chinese Head Tax, introduced in 1885, was the first Canadian federal policy to explicitly restrict immigration based on ethnic background. It began at $50 and later increased to $500, a sum that the artists learned was paid by Pohly’s (Kevin Chow) great-great-grandfather.
This ongoing exhibition, which examines this chapter of Canadian history through the lens of Rawry and Pohly, is on view on the second floor of the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre (197 1 St. SW).
More June exhibitions:
Bold & Beautiful
Until June 17, 2026
Wallace Galleries (500 5 Ave. SW)
Free to explore
This group exhibition at Wallace Galleries brings together a diverse selection of artists, showcasing unique approaches to expression across styles and media.
wallacegalleries.com
SEEP SEW SPRAWL: Ellie Ryan & Page Cowell
Until June 30, 2026 | Reception: June 12, 5 – 9 pm
Sparrow Artspace (36 4 St. NE)
Free to explore
SEEP SEW SPRAWL is an immersive installation using kinetic sculpture, projection and repurposed industrial materials to explore how nature persists within urban environments. It highlights the tension and overlap between ecological growth and industrial space.
sparrowartspace.com
Peaces of Me | My Artistic Journey
Until August 2026
Centre Street LRT platform (125 7 Ave. SE)
Free to explore
Two new exhibitions are now on view at the Centre Street LRT platform as part of the Open Spaces: Windows to a View program. Artist Ling Zhou’s My Artistic Journey blends vibrant colour, symbolism and storytelling to explore themes of identity, memory and cultural connection. Carrie Cuthbert’s Peaces of Me uses landscape painting and narrated audio stories to reflect on healing, reconnection and personal transformation.
calgaryartsdevelopment.com
Churn, Earn, Burn and then Return | Agency
June 4 – November 8, 2026
Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St. SW)
With admission
Ghazaleh Avarzamani: Churn, Earn, Burn and then Return
Ghazaleh Avarzamani explores how power, hierarchy and social systems quietly shape everyday life, transforming familiar references into a thought-provoking reflection on labour, ownership and the hidden rules that govern society.
contemporarycalgary.com
Adelita Husni Bey: Agency
Agency by Adelita Husni Bey documents a role-playing workshop where high school students navigate the shifting dynamics of politics, media, labour and power. The work offers a timely reflection on how authority is built, challenged and performed.
contemporarycalgary.com
Open Window
Opens June 6, 2026 | Opening Reception: June 6, 2 – 4 pm
Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art (730 11 Ave. SW)
Free to explore
Canadian colour-field painter Jonathan Forrest presents a new body of work inspired by the light and colour of stained-glass windows. The exhibition invites viewers to slow down, trust their instincts and encounter painting through feeling, colour and atmosphere.
newzones.com
Journey of the Mind
June 11 – 21, 2026
Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St. SW)
Free to explore
We live in challenging times. Constantly connected through digital media, yet often feeling isolated. Journey of the Mind, by UK collective without SHAPE without FORM, draws on the writings of the Sikh teachers, which offer practical guidance and clear insight into the nature of the mind — how it wanders, what obstructs it and how it can return to clarity.
contemporarycalgary.com
Never Ending Fallacy
June 13, 2026, 12 – 5pm
Alcove Beltline (1040 8 St. SW)
Free to explore
Never Ending Fallacy is a pop-up solo exhibition by Frankie Elouise that narrates the irony of hyper-individualism. Through her exploration of body language and symbolism, she questions the stories we tell ourselves about community, convenience and self-care.
alcoveartscentre.ca
Beyond and Within
June 15 – 29, 2026 | Opening Reception: June 18, 5 – 8 pm
cSPACE Marda Loop (2nd floor, 121 29 Ave. SW)
Free to explore
Have you ever imagined stepping into someone’s art journal? Beyond and Within is not only a display of artworks but an invitation to experience quiet reflection, intimacy and connection.
eventbrite.ca
Excerpts from the death house
June 20 – 28, 2026 | Reception: June 20, 5 – 7pm
NVRLND. Arts Foundation (1048 21 Ave. SE)
Free to explore
Musician, songwriter and visual artist Clinton St. John’s multi-media exhibition balances storytelling with mystery, based on unsettling experiences in and the history of a storied house. It explores mortality, memory and small-town lore through a range of artistic forms, from paintings and drawings to sound recordings, photography and video works.
sledisland.com
For more visual arts events and exhibitions, head over to the arts and culture events section of yycwhatson.ca.
