By Sarah Sussman
Home to some of the country’s finest visual artists and vendors, Calgary is a hub for cutting edge design, stunning visual artwork, innovative photographic work and more. Whether you’re resolving to support local more, or just want to see some of Calgary’s finest art, here’s a guide to supporting local Calgary artists. [Image credit: Stephanie Wilson]
One of Calgary’s best kept secrets is the reoccurring art battles that take place on Wednesdays at Rumble House (formerly known as Gorilla House Live Art). Founded by Jessica Szabo and Rich Théroux, the event challenges participants to start and finish a piece of artwork within a two-hour timeframe.
Once the two-hour window runs out, participants can choose to either keep their artwork or auction it off to attendees. This is also a very safe spot to show off your own artistic abilities; regardless of whether you’re a novice stick figure sketcher or a seasoned artistic veteran. It all starts at 7 p.m., and the auction commences at 9 p.m. Admission is free.
Whenever a new exhibit opens at a gallery, the presenting gallery usually hosts an opening event for members of the public. Calgary galleries with a vested interest in local artists include The New Gallery, Truck, Gainsborough Galleries, Contemporary Calgary, Newzones Gallery and more.
Stay tuned towards the beginning of each month (when new exhibits typically open) to find out when and where gallery openings are going down. It’s a great chance to meet local artists and spend time with fellow local art aficionados.
In addition to the various galleries located throughout the city, there are several reoccurring local marketplaces that support local artists by providing them with a place to sell their goods.
The brainchild of Angela Dione and Angel Guerra, Market Collective is a monthly locally-run marketplace that’s been supporting Calgary artists since its inception in 2008. The weekend-long market takes place at the Chinese Cultural Centre and features a wide range of Calgary offerings including leatherwork, paper goods, home décor, jewellery, bath and body products, and – of course – visual art and photography. Check out the woodworked longboards and iPhone cases by Alto Collective and the gorgeous ceramic pots and braided rugs by L&R Studio. Admission to Market Collective is $5 for the weekend and is free for children under the age of 12.
Another great marketplace to check out is the New Craft Coalition. Headed up by ACAD alumni Laura Sharp and Natalie Gerber, the New Craft Coalition hosts a curated marketplace that has included whimsical ceramics brand JERC, portrait paintings by Heather Buchanan, glass jewellery by Jewelnotes and more. The market only happens a few times per year, so keep up-to-date on social media to find out when the next event takes place.
The Commonwealth Collector’s Club is another goldmine find for local art, handmade jewellery and more. While its main focus is on vintage goods and clothing, the marketplace also features several local artisans selling locally made goods. The event is hosted at Commonwealth Bar & Stage several times throughout the year. Admission is $5 and the event is 18+.
A hub for up-and-coming Calgary art, ACAD is home to the Illingworth Kerr Gallery as well as the Marion Nicoll Gallery. There are also nine student-run exhibition spaces on campus and many pop-up exhibitions and installations throughout the year.
Supporting local Calgary businesses is a great way to also support local Calgary artists. Many of the city’s locally owned and operated storefronts carry clothing and goods made by fellow Calgarians.
Located in the downtown core, Land & Sea is a gift store that frequently stocks locally-made products. Locally-made products are accompanied by a bright orange sign that reads Support Local – so you’ll know the gift you're buying was made in Calgary.
Nestled in the heart of Inglewood, The UnCommons is another spot to find locally-made goods and apparel by local artisans. In 2017, the store carried several Calgary-made products including Jill Hoff’s kitschy cacti painted notebooks, Hop & Flop greeting cards designed by local artist Jenny Chan and Risograph prints by local graphic designer Cam Hoff.
Also located in Inglewood, The Livery Shop is the workshop and retail outpost for local clothing label Camp Brand Goods, as well as local jewellery brand CoutuKitsch.
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Discover more of Calgary with our guides:
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A relatively new initiative, Calgary’s Glenbow Museum recently started showcasing locally-made products in its gift shop. The museum teamed up with online marketplace retailer Etsy to showcase the crème de la crème of Calgary-made gifts. At the end of 2016, 23 Etsy artists were handpicked to go on a private tour of the Glenbow Museum archives. They were challenged to come up with a product based on the museum’s collection of artifacts.
Of those 23 artists, 14 were selected to follow through with their artistic ideas and make their products to be sold in the museum gift shop. Featured items included animal sculpture kits by Matthew Bagshaw, jewellery by Ashleigh Amber Moore and hand-blown glassware by Leah Kudel inspired by Queen Victoria. While most of the products sold out over the 2016 holidays, a small selection of the Etsy items are still available for purchase.
Whether you’re attending a gallery opening, dropping by the local art college or simply choosing to shop local, it’s really easy to support local artists in Calgary. The city is home to some of Canada's finest visual artists and boasts a top-notch selection of locally-made textiles, visual art, photography, ceramics, houseware, paper goods and more. By choosing to support local artists, you’re helping to grow the Calgary arts community and putting money back into the local economy.
