Fueled by the effort and support of community, Temporary Contemporary will open Fall 2016
CALGARY, Nov. 13, 2015 /CNW/ - On Saturday evening, Nov. 7, 2015, more than 700 guests gathered to celebrate action in Calgary's arts and culture community; Contemporary Calgary's LOOK2015 fundraiser aimed to raise funds to establish Calgary's first significant public destination for modern and contemporary art in Calgary. The event took place in the Centennial Planetarium, a portion of which is soon-to-be transformed into Temporary Contemporary with support from The City of Calgary.
City of Calgary Councillor, Evan Woolley said, "It was a real honour and pleasure to attend LOOK2015 at Contemporary Calgary, and to celebrate the artists who make the city both exciting and dynamic. The arts are not just the lifeblood of our downtown, but they activate all of our neighbourhoods and make our city worth living in. Our artists are city-builders, and our future is better because of them. This was made abundantly clear at LOOK2015 on Saturday."
"We are excited to lay the foundation for this brand new cultural destination and see the dream of a world-class public gallery dedicated to modern and contemporary art become a reality," said Jay Mehr, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, Contemporary Calgary.
"With this kind of momentum, we are an unstoppable force."
While donations are still being tallied, organizers report that they reached their $1 Million goal, due in large part to an unprecedented live and silent auction of modern and contemporary art and a $500,000 matching commitment generously offered by anonymous donors. The live auction, led by Stephen Ranger, included 19 donated works from galleries and artists including Ron Moppett, Joe Fleming, Dil Hildebrand, Chris Cran, Kim Dorland, Shawn Evans, Fiona Ackerman, Angela Leach, Erik Olson, Evan Penny, and more. Contemporary Calgary credits the success of the evening to the talent and generosity of the artists and galleries, and to the support of the Calgary community.
"Clearly, this level of support proves there is a real desire to build a centre of artistic inspiration for Calgarians," said Managing Director of Contemporary Calgary, Erin O'Connor.
"Temporary Contemporary is the first step in realizing the vision to fill the Centennial Planetarium with continuous exhibitions, distinguished speakers, outreach, and education programs."
LOOK2015 was presented by: Holt Renfrew, the Calgary Herald, the City of Calgary and Enbridge. Guests were treated to an address by acclaimed writer and culture critic Adam Gopnik (The New Yorker) and a program hosted by television personality and producer Dan Levy (CBC's Schitt's Creek). Standout experiences included a performance by Vancouver-based electronic/vocal duo HUMANS and interactions with six interactive art installations from artists including Tia Halliday, Randy Niessen, and Noel Bégin.
About Temporary Contemporary:
Thanks to funds raised at LOOK2015, "Temporary Calgary" is scheduled to open its doors in the fall of 2016, and has been envisioned as a 7,000-square-foot 'pop-up' designed to bring people experiences with art as quickly as possible while the full building is being restored and renovated. Temporary Contemporary will have an innovative international focus, unique large-scale installations, projections, sculptures and performances, a distinguished speaker series, and contemporary art exhibitions on a scale and format not yet seen in Calgary. Temporary Contemporary will develop collaborative community partnerships and will be a meeting point, a hub for Calgarians of all ages as visitors and makers.
SOURCE Contemporary Calgary
Image with caption: "Contemporary Calgary logo (CNW Group/Contemporary Calgary)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151113_C8374_PHOTO_EN_544340.jpg
For media inquiries, please contact: Erin O'Connor, Managing Director, Contemporary Calgary, 403-770-1351, [email protected]
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