Calgary's century-old public art collection is now displayed on billboards around the city
In every quadrant of Calgary, public art that’s been collected for more than 100 years is now more visible to the public.
It’s a project by Calgary Arts Development titled Now Touring: Public Art Billboards that — as the name suggests — showcases and highlights work from the City of Calgary’s public art on billboards that are already in place.
According to the Calgary Arts Development, they are pieces that people don’t get to see regularly.
All of the work is from the City of Calgary’s public art collection, which dates back to 1911 and will be shown across the city in each quadrant, with a focus on locations that do not have permanent art installations.
Calgary Arts Development
These works, selected by Calgary Public Art lead curator Sophia Lebessis, are currently in storage and not on display to the public.
The City of Calgary has an art collection of more than 1,300 works that includes outdoor sculptures, installations integrated into infrastructure, monuments, memorials, environmental art, temporary projects, street art and functional objects.
Calgary Arts Development
The collection also has a range of portable art — for example, photographs and paintings —that are typically rotated throughout city spaces like parks and public buildings.
Calgary Arts Development
Calgary’s Public Art Collection began growing in 1911 through donations and is now the oldest and most substantive public art collection in the province.
“At any given time, approximately 80% of the collection is on free public display for Calgarians to enjoy,” reads a statement from the Calgary Arts Development.
“The public art collection has been growing alongside our city, building on the importance of art and storytelling in our collective memory. Throughout the year, the artworks on billboards will allow Calgarians to have a glimpse at our cultural heritage through artworks featured on these outdoor canvases.”
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