• Location Various Venues 
• Price Prices Vary

With in-person events getting back into full swing and spring in the air, April is the perfect time to experience visual arts programming around Calgary. With both new and ongoing exhibitions to choose from, you’ll have no trouble finding something to do!

Cradle to Gravy

April 1 – May 7, 2022
Norberg Hall (333b 36th Ave. SE)
Free to explore

Norberg Hall presents Cradle to Gravy, a not-quite retrospective of the not-quite-done-yet beloved senior artist, John Will. The work in this exhibition spans 25+ years and serves as a glimpse into the mind of this Canadian art legend and an excerpt from his expansive career.
norberghall.com

up front w/ Billy McCarroll

April 1 – May 7, 2022
Norberg Hall (333b 36th Ave. SE)
Free to explore

Norberg Hall is pleased to introduce a new work by senior Lethbridge-based artist, Billy McCarroll.  Known for his procedural, mixed-media paintings, McCarroll continues to draw upon art historical and texted related references. This new series is an extension of McCarroll’s impressive 50+ year investigation into abstraction.
norberghall.com

Zones / Indicators

April 1 – May 13, 2022
Alberta Printmakers Main Gallery (4025 4th St. SE)
Free to explore

Alberta Printmakers is pleased to present Zones / Indicators, a contemporary printmaking exhibition by Elizabeth Claire Rose. Rose creates work that connects geographically disconnected landscapes focusing on their shared ecologies: how each site is connected through climatic shifts, soil qualities, and habitat range.
albertaprintmakers.com

Excavation

April 3 – 30, 2022
Sparrow Artspace (36 4th St. NE)
Free to explore

Artists Lucy Altrows, Ramsey Kunkel, Colleen Rauscher, and Jenny Tzanakos invite you to Excavation, a community art project that unearths collective history and explores Sparrow Artspace, the De Waal building, and the surrounding neighbourhoods and land.
sparrowartspace.com

Sunshine & the Attention Grabbers with Ashley Bedet

April 7, 2022, 7:00 – 8:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 1st St. SW)
Free to explore, registration required

You are invited to join Esker’s current project space exhibiting artist, Ashley Bedet, to gather, talk and listen about the process of developing her exhibition, a rolled chord of sunlight unfurled, and how the theme of attention informs her work.
eventbrite.ca

The Forest for the Trees

April 7 – 30, 2022
Second Floor Gallery, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free to explore

The Forest for the Trees offers an immersive experience that brings something of the forest to the city. Lynn Christine Kelly’s installation comprises fabric trees, all suspended from above, with diffuse light filtering through and the occasional haunting sound of nature.
facebook.com

Uninvited

April 9 – May 8, 2022
The Edison (150 9th Ave. SW)
Free to explore, tickets required

The first exhibition in Glenbow’s new satellite location is a landmark exhibition of more than 200 works of art by a generation of extraordinary women painters, photographers, sculptors, architects, and filmmakers from the early 20th century. These pioneers opened new frontiers for women artists in Canada.
glenbow.org

20th Annual Juried Members Exhibition

April 9 – June 5, 2022
Leighton Art Centre (282027 144 St. West, Foothills)
By donation

The Juried Members Exhibition is an annual curated exhibition, with every Leighton Art Centre artist member eligible to submit up to three of their best recent pieces for consideration. With 64 pieces by 38 artists selected from over 300 submissions, this 20th annual celebration of the centre’s member artists is a fresh and exciting visual treat.
leightoncentre.org

The Sensory Workshop

April 10, 2022, 12:00 – 2:00pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11th St. SW)
With admission

Join Contemporary Calgary and Antyx Community Arts for their upcoming program for youth ages 12–18, inspired by the work of Rerouting artist Catalina Tuca. Participants will engage in a hands-on, sculptural project to explore what it’s like to represent their emotions through mixed media object-building.
contemporarycalgary.com

Shannon Anderson & Jay Wilson

April 13, 2022, 5:00 – 6:00pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11th St. SW)
With admission

Curators Shannon Anderson and Jay Wilson walk us through the genesis of Contemporary Calgary’s exhibition The Further Apart Things Seem and the factors that shaped their choices. They’ll also elaborate on the show’s relevance today, especially within our current socio-political context. Make sure to tune in!
contemporarycalgary.com

Jae Sterling

April 15, 2022, 2:00pm
TRUCK Contemporary Art (2009 10th Ave. SW)
Free to attend

TRUCK Contemporary Art is pleased to present an artist talk with Jae Sterling as he discusses his artistic practice and current exhibition, Seven Portals. Sterling’s work veers between overwhelming mosh pits and poetic contemplations of the visuals and work of dreamspaces, expanding on the worlds he has created over the years.
truck.ca

Palette Fine Art Show and Sale

April 15 & 16, 2022
Triwood Community Hall (2244 Chicoutimi Dr. NW)
Free to explore

Palette’s fine art show and sale features paintings by many independent artists in various mediums, including acrylic, oil, watercolour, pastel, and mixed media. It’s your chance to buy your first piece of art, grow your collection, or browse for your pleasure!
calgarycommunitypainters.com

Easter Group Show

April 21 – May 11, 2022
Wallace Galleries (500 5th Ave. SW)
Free to explore

The arrival of spring means new growth and more time spent outdoors. This group exhibition focuses on everything the beautiful countryside offers and all that encompasses it, including warm weather, flowers, hiking, beaches, and mountain air.
wallacegalleries.com

Calgary Creative Arts Guild Spring Show & Sale

April 23, 2022
Montgomery Community Centre (5003 16th Ave. NW)
Free to explore

The Calgary Creative Arts Guild hosts their annual spring show and sale featuring original works from over 25 local artists. There are door prizes, a raffle draw for an original piece of art, and cash donations to the Veteran’s Food Bank are gratefully accepted.
calgarycreativeartsguild.wordpress.com

Beacon Spring Show & Sale

April 23 & 24, 2022
Bridgeland Riverside Community Association (917 Centre Ave. NE)
Free to explore

Beacon’s two-day art show and sale with over 20 different local artists showcases a diverse array of art. It is an opportunity for artists to share their inspirations and techniques with each other and the public. Head down and browse and shop for unique gifts!
beaconoriginalart.com

Ongoing Exhibitions

No Photos… No Recordings… No Notes…

Until April 9, 2022
Nickle Galleries, Taylor Family Digital Library, University of Calgary (410 University Ct. NW)
Free to explore

As a witness to colonial and sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, Brian Flynn has confronted some of the harshest realities of the human condition. The outcome is a series of paintings based on the first-hand experience of civil war and extensive research.
nickle.ucalgary.ca

The Age of Uncertainty

Until April 9, 2022
Nickle Galleries, Taylor Family Digital Library, University of Calgary (410 University Ct. NW)
Free to explore
Sandra Sawatzky explores our aspirations and their social, political, and environmental consequence using a needle and threads. The Age of Uncertainty is a body of 12 embroidered panels that consider the stories that keep us awake at night.
nickle.ucalgary.ca

The Warblers

Until April 14, 2022
VivianeArt (1018 9th Ave. SE)
Free to explore

The Warblers is a collaborative series of works by visual artist Sandra Meigs and musician/composer Christopher Butterfield. They describe these paintings as beings with flirty eyes, broad flat faces, and voices in the form of jingles and words.
vivianeart.com

TIPI_LOOPS.dreamwaves

Until April 15, 2022
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free to explore

TIPI_LOOPS.dreamwaves is an audiovisual digital art installation that came together as a reflection by Kaitlyn Purcell, Brendon Many Bears, and Joey Big Snake on themes from Esker’s exhibition RELATIONS: Diaspora and Painting.
eskerfoundation.com

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel

Until April 15, 2022
BMO Centre Hall F, Stampede Park (20 Roundup Way SE)
$16 – $30

Brought to you by the organizers of the finest themed exhibitions, this unique exhibition invites you to step into the universe of the greatest masterpieces of Michelangelo, yet seen from a new life-size perspective.
sistinechapelexhibit.com

15collective

Until April 16, 2022
Christine Klassen Gallery (321 50th Ave. SE)
Free to explore

Christine Klassen Gallery hosts a mini-preview/retrospective show for Calgary-based Chris Kuzmanovich. The show includes a few teaser paintings for his upcoming fall exhibition and a selection of paintings marking his last 15 years as a creative.
christineklassengallery.com

Joanne MacDonald

Until April 16, 2022
Christine Klassen Gallery (321 50th Ave. SE)
Free to explore

Christine Klassen Gallery is thrilled to introduce local artist Joanne MacDonald to their space. This introductory exhibition showcases works created throughout her career, illustrating her diligence in the craft of making three-dimensional forms.
christineklassengallery.com

Works within a Continuum

Until April 20, 2022
Christine Klassen Gallery (321 50th Ave. SE)
Free to explore

Phil Darrah and Robin Smith-Peck come together in this two-person exhibition that serves as a snapshot of the growth of these two artists in their long-standing careers. Evolution and experimentation are the core of each artist’s growth, as is illustrated in these works.
wallacegalleries.com

Coming Up Next

Until April 23, 2022
Alberta Craft Gallery & Shop, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free to explore

Coming Up Next is a national showcase of emerging fine craft artists from BC to Nova Scotia who have submitted their work. The resulting exhibition is a collection rich in various methods and materials that explore contemporary issues and personal heritage.
albertacraft.ab.ca

SEVEN PORTALS

Until April 30, 2022
TRUCK Contemporary Art (2009 10th Ave. SW)
Free to explore

In this immersive installation of visuals and soundscapes, Jae Sterling reflects on the drastic shifts in our current reality, inviting us to enter the threshold to an oasis of art, water, and light and emerge on the other end—refreshed and renewed.
truck.ca

Falling from Grace

Until May 21, 2022
ASA Gallery, Crossroads Art Centre (222, 1235 26th Ave. SE)
Free to explore

This exhibition by Yvonne DuBourdieu looks at the dichotomy between strength and weakness within ourselves and the unease that manifests when our vulnerabilities are laid bare through heightened uncertainty, especially in the light of a global pandemic.
albertasocietyofartists.com

All is Water

Until May 21, 2022
ASA Gallery, Crossroads Art Centre (222, 1235 26th Ave. SE)
Free to explore

A collaboration between Danny Luong, Hesam Rezaei, and Twinkle Banerjee, this photographic exhibition aims to juxtapose the universality of water against the backdrop of their ethnic backgrounds and identities.
albertasocietyofartists.com

Rerouting

Until May 22, 2022
Contemporary Calgary (701 11th St. SW)
With admission

Rerouting stems from the Collider: In-Residence Artist Residency, an online program inviting 12 artists from around the world to consider new modes of artistic and collaborative practice in response to their experiences within a global pandemic.
contemporarycalgary.com

The Further Apart Things Seem

Until May 22, 2022
Contemporary Calgary (701 11th St. SW)
With admission

How do we respond in times of uncertainty in a social and political moment where opinions are often divisive? In this exhibition, we see artists follow distinct paths toward subtle forms of resistance while exploring areas of connection that feel in opposition.
contemporarycalgary.com

Money Zoo: Fantastic Beasts in the History of Money

Until May 27, 2022
Nickle Galleries, Taylor Family Digital Library, University of Calgary (410 University Ct. NW)
Free to explore

This exhibition highlights animals depicted on currencies and the historical use of animals as money to raise awareness of our complex bond and dependence on these fantastic creatures and their place in the modern world. It’s well worth checking out.
nickle.ucalgary.ca

a rolled chord of sunlight unfurled

Until June 5, 2022
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free to Explore

The range of the sun’s luminescence is one of the most beautiful things about Mohkínsstsisi. Out of reverence for the sun’s refraction on our plot of rock comes a new body of work by artist Ashley Bedet dedicated to investigating and honouring the different intensities of our sun’s rays.
eskerfoundation.com

YYC Bread Stories

Until June 26, 2022
Lougheed House (707 13 Ave. SW)
$4 – $8.50

YYC Bread Stories shows our city’s connection to bread, historically and today, and contains artifacts of bread making from early Calgary and mementos from Calgary families who have a strong connection to their culture’s bread.
lougheedhouse.com

otipemisiwak

Until June 26, 2022
Fort Calgary (750 9th Ave. SE)
With admission

Otipemisiwak, which translates from Cree to people who live by their own rules, showcases recent works by Daphne Boyer. Her practice combines plant material, high-resolution digital tools, and traditional handwork to create art celebrating her Métis heritage.
fortcalgary.com

Naked Excess

Until June 26, 2022
Esker Foundation (4th Floor, 1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free to explore

Michelle Bui’s photographic images meet at the intersection between still life and commercial photography. Bui intuitively arranges objects, photographing them against colourful backdrops.
eskerfoundation.com

Fast Moving Sun

Until June 26, 2022
Esker Foundation (4th Floor, 1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free to explore

Veronika Pausova draws on figurative imagery to tell short stories that mine the territory between animation and stasis. The implied movement of these recurrent motifs serve as a cast of recurrent characters and as a proxy for the viewer to feel the anxious energy.
eskerfoundation.com

Letters for Occasions

Until June 26, 2022
Esker Foundation (4th Floor, 1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free to explore

Farah Al Qasimi’s exhibition brings together new and recent photographs that consider the story of her family’s migration between the UAE and the US, the global circulation of pop culture, and the reflection of the idiosyncrasies of personal style and aesthetics.
eskerfoundation.com

The Boxed Stories Gallery

Until June 30, 2022
Loft 112 (535 8th Ave. SE)
$5

A truly unique experience for artists and viewers alike! Housed within a vintage card catalogue, visitors are encouraged to discover varied artworks as they open each drawer.
loft112.org

Reflections: 10 Years Capturing Calgary’s Alt Music Scene

Until September 11, 2022
Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre (850 4th St. SE)
With admission

Music photographer Zoltan Varadi was inspired by the nice surprises he discovered as he began cleaning and scanning his old negatives during a year of pandemic lockdowns.
studiobell.ca

Have a visual arts event that’s not listed? Email us at events@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or fill out this form.