Contemporary Calgary facts for kids
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| Established | 2019 |
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| Location | Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Type | Art museum |
Contemporary Calgary is a public art gallery in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It shows contemporary art, which is art made in our time. The gallery is located in a building that used to be the Centennial Planetarium and later the Telus World of Science.
You can find Contemporary Calgary in the downtown area of Calgary. It features art from local, national, and international artists. The gallery officially opened its doors in 2020.
How Contemporary Calgary Started
In 2013, three art groups in Calgary decided to work together. These groups were the Institute of Modern and Contemporary Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Art Gallery of Calgary. They formed a new non-profit organization called Contemporary Calgary. Their main goal was to create a permanent public gallery for modern art in the city.
The group suggested using the empty Centennial Planetarium building for their new gallery. This building had been empty for some time.
In June 2018, Contemporary Calgary made a deal with the City of Calgary. They agreed to rent the building for 25 years. The City of Calgary gave $25 million to help fix up the building. The Canadian government also promised $30 million. This money depended on the provincial government also giving funds. Other money for the project came from private donations.
Opening and Exhibitions
In June 2019, Contemporary Calgary opened its doors to the public for a few days each week. This was while renovations were still happening. By December 2019, the first stage of renovations was finished. The gallery announced it would launch its first art shows in 2020. It also expanded its opening hours to six days a week.
The official opening happened on January 23, 2020. Two special art shows celebrated the building's past as a planetarium. One show was called Planetary. It featured art from 35 local artists. They created their art during workshops held at the gallery. The other show was a large art piece by British artist Luke Jerram called Museum of the Moon. More than 1,200 people came to the opening night.
In March 2020, the gallery temporarily closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, they offered art programs online. The gallery reopened in September 2020. New exhibitions featured works by famous artists like Yoko Ono and Omar Ba.
The Building's Design
The Centennial Planetarium building was built in 1967. It was created to celebrate Canada's 100th birthday. The building has a strong, blocky design known as Brutalist style. Part of its roof is shaped like a geodesic dome, which looks like a giant ball made of triangles.
From the 1980s until 2011, the building was home to a science center. This science center is now called Telus Spark. After 2011, the building was empty until Contemporary Calgary took it over. It is located in the western part of downtown Calgary.
In January 2019, Contemporary Calgary chose Bruce Kuwabara from KPMB Architects to lead the building's renovation. Gibbs Gage Architects from Calgary also helped with the design. The first part of the renovation was completed in January 2020. It included a 7,000-square-foot gallery space.
Future plans for the building include even more art spaces. There will be a 10,000-square-foot gallery and a 3,000-square-foot gallery. A sculpture garden on the roof and an event space are also planned. The project also includes ideas for a new entrance and a restaurant.
