Utility Box Public Art Program

Title: Childlike Wonder!
Organization: Victoria Park BIA
Locations: 10 Ave. and Centre Street S.; 10 Ave. and Macleod Tr. SE

It was an honour to participate in the Calgary Arts Development Utility Box Program, creating public art and bringing the streets to life! I am overjoyed with the meaningful impact I was able to have by transforming two boxes! These juxtaposing murals dance with one another in harmony, acknowledging the duality of our existence. I brought the galaxy to life, with the sun and moon symbolizing darkness and light. This transcendent energy honors the purpose in adversity and holistic beauty of celebrating life’s ebb and flow. This artwork is an embodiment of the wondrous feeling of falling in love with existence and the cosmic essence which connects us all! Overflowing with childlike wonder and technicolour imagination, this artwork is a soulful reminder that magic is real.

Title: We Live Here
Organization: West Hillhurst Community Association
Location: 5 Ave. and 19 St. NW

The artist daniel j kirk was selected for this project because: he is familiar with the community of West Hillhurst; his leadership on WHCA’s previous successful public art project lent some continuity to this enterprise; his experience working on another Utility Box Art Project; his understanding that our history with plants has paralleled since the First Peoples who’ve made their home on these lands; and his philosophy that plants continue to provide us all a chance to share in common experience through the appreciation of their beauty and resilience.

Title: Our Mission is Peace
Organization: Montessori School of Calgary
Location: 26 Ave. and 4 St. SW

Claire from the Montessori School of Calgary reached out to me earlier this summer, asking if I’d be interested in collaborating with the children to create a peace-themed mural on the utility box near the school. This felt deeply important to me, as I experienced the ugliness of war as a child in my own country. It breaks my heart to know that wars continue, taking the lives of innocent people and children every day. We had several classes with the kids, where they learned how to draw doves — universal symbols of peace and hope. The children also expressed their personal interpretations of peace by creating hand patterns filled with their favourite colours and peace symbols. I arranged their designs into a heart shape, symbolizing the bond that connects us all, reminding us that peace grows when we work together. This mural not only reflects the values of peace and unity taught in the Montessori classroom but also invites the community to embrace these ideals in their everyday lives.

Title: Soul
Organization: Loud Art Society
Location: 58 Ave. and 2 St. SE

The utility box is located right in front of Long and McQuade, while the main colours in the surrounding area are predominantly red, blue and yellow. To reflect LOUD Art’s Society’s mission and advocacy for mental health, I focused on illustrating musicians, their passion and hard work to produce their craft. Inspired by the music store close to the utility box, I would like to represent the “state of flow” and the creative soul of this community with the music player in my design. Whether the viewers are a chef, craft beer brewer, bouldering in a climbing community or artists, those who are passionate about any activity could speak on their personal experience being in this “state of flow” when engaging with arts and recreational activities. The Manchester Industrial is filled with passionate individuals, and I hope this design reflects their fervour and spirit.

Title: Untitled
Organization: Somerset Bridlewood Community Association
Location: Shawville Gate and Somervale Court SW

Being next to the train station, this space is where many people start and end their day. My goal was to create a fun and whimsical art piece that can bring something bright to people’s regular routine. In the flower field you can see some native plants like wild roses, goldenrods and coneflowers. As well as a rabbit and a fox — species also native to the area. The impact art has on people is instrumental in bettering quality of life. The goal is to represent and highlight these parts of the community and invite nature back into people’s day to day.

Title: Locally Grown
Organization: Edgemont Community Association
Location: Edgemont Blvd. and Edenwold Dr. NW

This mural contains plants native to Edgemont, Calgary and Alberta, portraying the importance of local and regional connections. The species include buffalo beans, blue aster, fleabane and Saskatoon berries. The intention of this mural is to bring colour into the community and brighten people’s day, while displaying plants they can find around the area.

Title: Conflux and Community
Organization: Inglewood Community Association
Location: 9 Ave. and 15 St. SE; 9 Ave. and 19 St. SE

Kat Simmers is a trans woman, artist, author and muralist working in comic media and street art to create community connections through visual media. Due to this box’s proximity to the Piitoyais urban Indigenous school, a strong majority of respondents requested the design incorporate elements of Indigenous culture and history. To this end, Dawn at Calgary Arts Development connected me with Elder Adrian Wolfleg. Thanks to the gracious support of Elder Wolfleg, I learned about the significance of marks found on Blackfoot Tipi’s, the story of the Lost boys and the vital teaching of the sacred seven.

Title: Scenic View
Organization: Scenic Acres Community Association
Location: Scenic Acres Blvd. and Scenic Acres Dr. NW

Scenic View is inspired by the beautiful foothills landscape that is well known to the residents of Scenic Acres, where year-round the magnificent Rocky Mountains can be seen peeking out in the distance. The springtime is a particularly special time of year where the weather warms and lush, brilliant green spaces emerge from the snow melt, quickly filling with bright wildflowers and other natural grasses. The mural celebrates new beginnings and the natural beauty in Scenic Acres. It reminds us of our strong connection to nature, beckoning the community to get outside and enjoy the views.

Title: Brandon Ross Legacy Art Project
Organization: Silver Springs Golf Course
Location: 1600 Varsity Estates Dr. NW

Brandon Ross died tragically from an accident on 20 November 2023 at the age of 15. He was a tender soul, and an artist. As a legacy project to honour Brandon, the Ross Family sought to paint a utility building in Bowmont Park, in Calgary’s NW. The building is a water pumping station, owned by the Silver Springs Golf Course. It is in a highly visible location, located right on the pathway system, and adjacent to the Bow River. Prior to the project, it was a very drab green.

Title: Under the Moonlight
Organization: Beltline Neighbourhoods Association
Location: 17 Ave. and Centre St. S

Drawing inspiration from art and craft histories and our own cultural backgrounds, we develop collaborative works that examine cross-cultural communication through narrative forms. Referencing classical ceramic forms, ornamental and pop cultural symbols, and an abstract painterly application of glaze, the works provide a pluralistic vision indicative of our individual and shared experiences. Our collaborative approach aims to find both the connections and points of friction between the variety of references from different cultures and periods. We utilize fragments from cartoons, abstract painting, still life painting and traditional ceramics that interest us for their ability to convey visual information and present potential narrative meaning through themes of time, greed, sharing and growth. The blending together of these references, we feel, re-contextualizes the fragments we draw upon from the past, adding depth to the narratives while resisting a singular didactic interpretation.

Title: Seasons and Symbols of Coach Hill/Patterson Heights
Organization: Coach Hill Patterson Heights Community Association
Location: Old Banff Coach Road and Patterson Blvd. SW

If you live or work in Coach Hill or Patterson Heights, you might have filled out a survey or had a conversation with Melisa Centofanti at the community Stampede breakfast on July 7, 2024. From this event, and social media posts, Melisa translated words into sketches that corresponded to the documentation. The work was done in layers with the first being an abstract undercoating in a seasonal palette. Each side used colours that represent each of the seasons. Then stencils were created and cut out using contact paper. Some of the images used included the flora and fauna found in our neighbourhood. Other images are representations of artifacts of the past and present. The finished product is an expression of what residents love about life in Coach Hill and Patterson Heights.

Title: Liminal Landing
Organization: Recess Calgary
Location: 5 Ave. and 14 St. NW

Priscilla Cherry: I am grateful for the emergent and iterative process I’ve journeyed on in my pursuit to finding a “title” that feels most aligned with my work, mission and being; Part artist, part social-change agent, part facilitator and part visionary, congruently, I am fulfilled to say that I am Priscilla Cherry and I am a Social Artist.

Tyson Bankert: I am a Facilitator and Social Convenor who brings people together to hold space for creative, playful and community-oriented experiences. I’ve been creating a series of events through a program I call Recess Calgary, a container for participants to play, be whimsical and creative. Participants can take a break, connect and embrace nostalgia and novelty through the principle of play.

Title: Birds of Calgary
Organization: Alcove Centre for the Arts
Location: 3630 Brentwood Rd. NW

The design of the utility box aims to represent the beauty of nature within the Brentwood community while also educating people about the place we live. Brentwood is a neighbourhood known for its pleasant environment, where residents enjoy shade and tranquillity. Many people in the area love to bike, walk and run, taking advantage of the natural surroundings. The community is also close to the university, attracting a relatively younger population. With both elementary and high schools in the vicinity, many families with children also call this area home. To reflect these aspects, I incorporated an educational element into the utility box design. I created an interactive game for passersby — especially children, their families or anyone with a sense of curiosity. The challenge is to see who can name the most popular birds in Calgary. I have illustrated these birds on the other sides of the box, making it more than just a decorative piece; it becomes an engaging and educational feature that brings joy and knowledge to the community.

Title: Discovering Layers
Organization: Rocky Ridge and Royal Oak neighbourhoods
Location: Royal Birch Blvd. and Royal Oak Way NW

This concept design for the utility box at Royal Birch Blvd and Royal Oak Way NW represents my way of working on collaborative place-based images that represent the social and physical environment of a specific area. This collaborative artwork is inspired by the landscape of this area.

Title: The Seasons of Sandstone MacEwan
Organization: Sandstone MacEwan Community Association
Location: MacEwan Dr. and 14 St. NW

Before starting concept design for Sandstone MacEwan’s utility box, I was lucky enough to be given a tour of the lovely community by SMCA’s VP himself, Trevor Bacon. He showed me all the hot spots and we discussed the importance behind many of the landmarks found within the community, with the outdoor skating rink, currently undergoing a full renovation, being one of their proudest. What I took from this tour the most was the love and care of all their outdoor gathering spaces, making them the main focus of my whole design. I wanted to include lots of colour, fun and activity from every season, with the main focus revolving around that outdoor rink. I’ve included elements of other important locations found in Sandstone like the pleasure rink, Nose Hill Park and the many sports fields and play parks located within the community as well as a sprinkling of the local flowers, trees and creatures (bees, robins, Alberta roses, flower pots found on their streets). I have strategically placed the hockey player on the side of the utility box facing the road as it is the largest element and easiest to see from a distance, along with the Nose Hill Park element as the park is located to the right of the box itself. The side featuring the Sandstone MacEwan community news sign is facing the sidewalk for people walking by to be able to read and enjoy the “Have a great day!” note the imitation sign is displaying. My overall goal for the box illustration was to capture the happy, family-oriented, outdoorsy and active community through the use of bright colours in a collage style design in hopes of bringing joy to that street.

Title: Untitled
Organization: Dover Community Association
Location: 34 Ave. and 36 St. SE

This piece explores the harmony between natural forms and structured environments. Inspired by the vibrant public spaces — rinks, courts and parks — within Dover, I incorporated patterns and shapes that reflect community activity while intertwining natural elements to celebrate the neighbourhood’s abundant open spaces. The colour palette is drawn from the favourite hues discovered during a youth workshop, created in collaboration with the Dover Community Association.

Title: A Community in Colour
Organization: Rundle College
Location: 17th Ave & 73rd St. SW

The final utility box is intended to represent community, vibrancy,
and togetherness. As the artist, my role is to inspire and guide the
students to create 40-60 unique portraits to be featured on the
utility box. These portraits will depict themselves, loved ones, or
important community members. I will lead the students in executing
a specific style of portraiture that celebrates the individual being
represented through the use of vibrant colours and bold shapes.
The intention is to allow students to release the burden and
insecurities associated with creating photo realistic portraits, giving
them the freedom to express themselves through colour and shape,
and to enjoy the process of creation. The students will work in class
to sketch out ideas and then design the portraits they will paint on
the utility box. The portrait can be of themselves, a loved one, or
someone else in the community.

Title: Wait For Me
Organization: Calgary Sketch and Painting Club
Location: 16 Ave. and 37 St. SW

Virginia painted this piece as an expression of the positivity of autism. There is so much energy in this piece with many intriguing references to neurological difference. This is an important and relevant subject for the community at large because although neurological differences take various forms, many families have firsthand experiences to which they can relate.