venues
Exciting News for Calgary's All Ages Music and Arts Scene!
- Posted by on March 18th, 2010
First of all, it's been a while since I posted a blog entry, I know - Shame on me!
But the good news is that we've been busy developing our art space program at Calgary Arts Development! We have been in the street seeking out art space opportunities and trying to match artists and arts organizations to these spaces. Identifying space opportunities involves keeping an ear to the ground, tapping into knowledge networks, and actively brokering relationships.
Anyway, enough about us; the purpose of this blog is to bring attention to the wonderful developments, stories and inspiration related to space development in Calgary, Canada and the world!
Congratulations to Comrad Sound and Local Library!
It is extremely exciting to see the development of these two new all ages spaces (or every-age space, as denoted in the attached Local Library invite). As a local musician I have been following the all-ages music scene in Calgary for some time - through peaks and troughs - and am very excited to see artists and musicians creating their own spaces. First the New Black Centre was established and then Comrad Sound and now Local Library!
The music is only one of the highlights of these two new multi-disciplinary spaces! Comrad Sound has hosted a music gear trade day, movie nights, and even a guitar set-up workshop! Local Library will have a visual art component to go along with the all ages music programming.
This is great news for a downtown Calgary that has seen the closure of spaces and the expulsion of all ages music programming from the premises. There was the Multicultural Centre (a mecca for the all ages music scene for a time) and the Carpenter’s Union Hall. One problem with sustaining space for the all ages music scene is that a few wreck it for all, which creates a stigma that is often unfairly attached to all ages shows and their patrons. Well Calgary can be proud of our new all ages space-makers who - young and not-so-young, have taken the initiative to open space where kids can partake in art, culture, community and creativity.
Visit Local Library this Saturday at 6 - 11 pm for their grand opening celebration!! (Local Library is housed at Central United Church at 131 7th Ave SW and is accessible by the alley entrance between 7th and 8th Ave.)
In case you missed it, here’s an article with the same theme from the FFWD a few weeks ago: click
Here’s the Comrad Sound calendar: www.comrad.ca
Also check out the New Black Centre: www.thenewblackcentre.com
Positive Space as Clean Space
- Posted by Holly Simon on February 13th, 2009
I thought this short video of an artist who makes graffiti using water on dirty surfaces was pretty cool. The English artist, Paul "Moose" Curtis, has an elaborate website all about his work worth taking a look at. It looks like the work is of very high artistic merit. People say Calgary is a clean city (and I won't argue with that) but is it too clean to try this here?
Square feet and strong foundations
- Posted by Karen Ball on February 20th, 2008
We are in the midst of the Arts Space Assessment Process, the Calgary Arts Development led process to identify strong community led arts space proejcts to reccomend for municipal funding or land. Much like developing space, our process sometimes inches forward and sometimes takes a giant leap. Lately we have been leaping along. The Arts Space Assessment Process has brought forward amazing projects that, when completed, will change the city's sky line and bring creative life into many Calgary nieghborhoods.
Read more »
Culture House in Buenos Aires
- Posted by Holly Simon on November 13th, 2007
Another
quick note from South America: I found a culture house in Buenos
Aires, care of Lonely Planet and confirmed by a hip, young porteña (local woman) walking her dog. It´s called El
Catedral. If you were every lucky enough to go to The Night Gallery in Calgary,
then you´d love this place. It’s located in a warehouse just outside of the
centre of Buenos Aires. It’s cavernous filled with art and eclectic furniture
with gigantic chandeliers with red lights, vegetarian food, and a big dance
floor. We drank the local beer, Quilmes, and watched stylish, young
couples do a sensuous tango lesson. It was mesmerizing… Check out the photos on this
website. I hope the link works!
Ad-Hoc Art Tour of Eastern Canada
- Posted by Holly Simon on August 29th, 2007
I usually make a yearly trip to my childhood home of Summerside, PEI, taking in as much arts and culture as I can manage between beach
trips and card games. This trip, ending last week, reminded me again of what a
small art town Canada
is... Read more »
CalgaryVenues.com is Live!
- Posted by Holly Simon on June 22nd, 2007
CalgaryVenues.com went on line yesterday! This is a brand new resource for connecting artists and producers to venues. We're asking venue operators to add or edit their venues on the site. It's completely FREE. Just head to
http://www.calgaryvenues.com and create an account. It's easy.
As a brand new tool, there are bugs to work out as we go. Thanks for getting involved, testing the site and providing feedback. If you own/run a venue, get your info in there! Many thanks to the hard working guys at Evolvs for crunching through the code and design. It looks great, I must say!
We'll be featuring venues who send us stories about their space to feature@calgaryvenues.com. Questions? Email: info@calgaryvenues.com. Read more »
Romance is Alive and Well at C-Jazz
- Posted by Holly Simon on June 22nd, 2007
I didn't know the voice of Terra Hazelton until last night at the C-Jazz show at Ironwood. Wow! She's a fantastic performer who would make Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong proud. She played with the charismatic and quirky Polyjesters. One of the musicians (sorry, I don't know his name!) can make the sound of a trumpet with only his lips among other bizarre talents. Calgary's charming Matt Masters opened up for Terra with a rock-a-billy jazz fusion. (You heard me.) Great show! Ironwood has such a great atmosphere for these kinds of shows. Matt and Terra are playing again tonight at 8pm at Southwood United Church. It's a lot of fun. http://www.calgaryjazz.com for the details.
Be sure to tell Terra, "Welcome Home." She's returning soon to her home town of Calgary after living in T.O. for a number of years. (Notably, playing with Jeff Healey.) Read more »
Heritage Buildings in Calgary
- Posted by Holly Simon on May 10th, 2007
Did you know there is a house behind the Connaught Safeway, that was home to the designer of the Canadian Flag? Or that The Partridge Family was modeled after the Cowsill's family band who lived in a house in Lower Mount Royal?
Today I had the pleasure meeting two volunteers from the Calgary Heritage Initiative (not to be confused with the Calgary Heritage Authority or the Heritage Planners with The City of Calgary who are all doing the important work of preserving Calgary’s Heritage sites). To quote CHI’s website, “The Calgary Heritage Initiative Society is dedicated to the preservation, productive use and interpretation of buildings and sites of historic and architectural interest in Calgary.” History buffs and architecture fans may want to check out what they are doing. They also conduct research and provide forums regarding sites with heritage designation or heritage potential.
Their website references a number of interesting sites such as the beautiful King Edward School in my neighborhood. There's an article in today's Calgary Herald today reporting the school has just been put up for sale. It would make an amazing cultural space, wouldn't it? Read more »
Calgary Urban Initiative
- Posted by Holly Simon on January 23rd, 2007
Just wanted to point out the 
Calgary Urban Initiative. One of their members and a student in between degrees in The Faculty of Fine Arts and The Faculty of Environmental Design at The University of Calgary, attended a recent discussion on Cultural Space for the Arts as part of Calgary Arts Development's Dialogue Series. I gather that the group is mostly driven by students and "up and comers" interested in sustainable urban planning, design, and architecture in Calgary. They are working on an "Urban Toolkit" and have listed commercial and residential development projects underway in Calgary on their site, www.calgaryurban.com.
Along with thousands (literally) of ideas spinning off from the Dialogue Series (summaries of all 9 events to date are on our site), The Calgary Urban Initiative is a good example of momentum in the Calgary community to be active and informed about this city's cultural and urban development. Read more »
Sculpture Park a Combo of Art, Environmental Conservation, and Urban Planning
- Posted by Holly Simon on January 23rd, 2007
Check out this new major sculpture park project in downtown Seattle. The Seattle Art Museum purchased a 9-acre waterfront brownfield site 8 years ago when it was in the final stages of environmental cleanup and the neighborhood still pretty rough. The park has a unique architectural design (Weiss/Manfredi Architects) that surrounds and overpasses a major roadway and railroad track, exhibits almost 30 critically acclaimed sculptors (I'm a Richard Serra fan), and offers free entrance for all. Read more »
