2021 Community-Run Public Art Microgrant

Artist: Yiting Hui
Title: Dim Sum Sends

Artist Yiting Hui used food as a whimsical way to tell a story about the confluence of cultures in Canada — how they influence each other to create something new and unique. Just as Asian cuisine has inspired Western cuisine, and vice-versa, both cultures have had powerful impacts on the other. Food brings people together, and Hui uses these cross-sections to create a mural that embraces our shared culture.

Artist: Irvin Tom Manyguns
Title: Banff Trail Blackfoot Art Installation

The Banff Trail Community Association invited artist Irvin Tom Manyguns to create an outdoor sculpture meant to deepen connections with the Siksika Nation and celebrate Blackfoot culture. Manyguns created four feathers, painted in the colours of the medicine wheel and engraved with animals sacred to the Blackfoot: the wolf, the buffalo, the eagle and the bear. Banff Trail Community Association combined its annual Harvest Festival with an art reveal to celebrate this piece with a feast, drumming and dancing.

Artists: Tony Wong, various artists
Title: Spring Fest 2022 (Qing Ming Festival 2022)

The Qing Ming Festival is an immersive traditional Chinese event meant to honour ancestors, celebrate family bonds and welcome the arrival of spring. The festival featured a scroll exhibition highlighting ancient Chinese artwork, along with two other exhibitions: one showcasing a collection by various artists and another focusing on custom embroidery by artist Tony Wong. Several tea workshops were also held at the center to showcase tea culture. After receiving positive feedback about the festival, the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre plans to add this lesser-known celebration to their list of recurring festivals.

Artists: Nathan Patrick Meguinis, Maya Corona, John Langeveld and Katelyn Kempthorne
Title: Hidden Valley: Inspire our Future

This grassroots awareness and beautification project created art for traffic light utility boxes and outdoor refuse bins throughout the Hidden Valley community, promoting community pride. The artworks were based on two themes: Fostering Truth and Reconciliation, and Bringing Beauty, Joy, Whimsy and Hope. 

Artists: Dawn van de Schoot
Title: Moving Pictures

Kitchen Feminism Art Society worked with eight women from diverse backgrounds to collaborate on a series of images and short videos to explore the ways in which women’s societal roles have been “rolled back in time” as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. A series of workshops culminated in two weekends of photoshoots, which were unveiled at an emotional, in-person launch. 

The photographs can be seen online here. 

Artists: CONZ
Title: Mount Pleasant Community Engagement Mural

A bare wall at the Mount Pleasant Community Association was transformed into a celebration of the community. Through a social media and poster campaign, residents sent their input on what they love about their community. Artist Conz took this feedback to create a mural of community members of all ages coming together in local parts and nature. 

Only one person on the mural was based off a real community member: the lady in pink is Nina Sedorava, a vibrant community member who passed away in 2021. She was known for wearing bright colours. 

Artist: Tiffany Wollman, Uphill Projects
Title: Nose Hill Entrance Mural

Artist Tiffany Wollman’s mural project pays tribute to the landscape and plant life of Nose Hill Park. With guidance from Blackfoot Elders Cindy Daniels and Rod Scout, Wollman painted plants and flowers meaningful to the Blackfoot people in phase one of the project, which started in 2020. The second phase, which was funded by the Community-Run Microgrant, involved adding the names of the flowers in Blackfoot and English to the mural, and adding a QR code and online component so those at the site can also see the names in each of the Treaty 7 languages. 

Artist: Stephanie One Spot
Title: N/A

The North Haven Community Association aimed to bring attention to the longstanding Indigenous history of the Nose Hill area through a community mural created by Indigenous artist Stephanie One Spot. The mural, located inside a pedestrian tunnel at the entrance of the community of Nose Hill, brightens up the otherwise dark and drab tunnel. The tunnel is also in close proximity to a Siksikaitsitapi medicine wheel, contributing to the landmark by providing a potential tour for visitors. 

Artist: Momend Khan and Band
Title: N/A

Pamir Canadian Multiculturalism partnered with local performer Momend Khan to create a public performance at Prairie Winds Park. The event aimed to promote multiculturalism and destigmatize public perceptions about Afghan culture, as well as engage with the more than 5,000 Afghan refugees who recently made Calgary their home. The performance also included the Afghan National Dance, sharing the culture, joy and hope with all members of the community. PCMC hopes that through this shared experience, newcomers will gain a sense of pride and belonging. 

Artist: Amber Skye Cox
Title: Beyond Resilience

Beyond Resilience was a community project intended to facilitate truth and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous settlers and immigrant Canadians through the production and viewing of a 40-minute documentary film. Two public screenings were held to make the film accessible to all. The film explores the challenges of business owners Samaria Cardinal and Yvonne Jobin in relation to the barriers Indigenous businesses face. The production of the film forged relationships between the artist and Indigenous elders, helping to solidify the artist’s identity as a Cree Métis youth.