Kinngait Studios at The Edison | Photo: Glenbow

The Glenbow

By Meghan Power

Glenbow is undergoing a major organizational shift and physical renovation. “We are transforming our physical spaces and programs to reflect the needs of our community. We want to make arts and cultural experiences more accessible, community-focused and sustainable,” explains Director of Advancement Operations Wendy Fallon. Glenbow’s massive renovation project provides an opportunity to revisit both the design and infrastructure of the building, while reimaging programming and galleries that can best serve the community and visitors for generations to come.

“Before our transformation began, many of our exhibits were permanent or long-term. Over the last three years, we’ve been revisioning what Glenbow can be and how we can make more of our collection of over 250,000 items more accessible to the public.”  The renovated space will house 44 new content-rich areas featuring museum collections and commissioned artworks that will amplify voices sometimes marginalized by museums in the past. These spaces will change regularly, so there is always something new to see and experience at the museum. It will also give audiences new ways of connecting with stories that make up Alberta’s unique history, while connecting to living, contemporary communities of artists who are actively shaping the future of our region.

 

During the renovations, Glenbow has been closed to the public. They have found ways of remaining active in the community though, thanks to Calgary Arts Development’s (CADA) Operating Grant program. “We are grateful to CADA for this operating grant because it allowed us to continue our educational and Indigenous programming in schools and maintain a core staff and curatorial team to look after our collection. And we have hosted three to four exhibits a year at our temporary space, The Edison, staying connected to our communities and making new connections with new audiences.”

 

When Glenbow reopens, all eight floors of the building will be open to the public, where previously only four floors were available to visitors. Their new gallery spaces will include an updated Blackfoot Gallery — a space dedicated to and run by members of the Blackfoot Nation. It will be a space for community members to  share their history and stories. The new building will also feature an Indigenous Peoples Contemporary Art Gallery, dedicated to presenting contemporary Indigenous artists. Thanks to a generous gift from the Shaw Family Foundation, the new Glenbow at the JR Shaw Centre for Arts and Culture will provide free general admission for all, ensuring everyone has equal access to the museum.