Visual arts & new media

Join the 2024-25 Alberta Artist in Residence and Arts Ambassador, Samantha Williams-Chapelsky, 
at the AFA art house on Thursday, November 6 at 5 pm.

Samantha will share insight into the very first solo exhibition at the art house, 
Across Alberta: Paintings from the 2024-25 Alberta Artist in Residence.

This talk is free to attend.

About the exhibition

Across Alberta: Paintings from the 2024-25 Alberta Artist in Residence, is the first solo exhibition at the AFA art house.

The exhibition features the works of Samantha Williams-Chapelsky, the 2024-25 Alberta Artist in Residence and Arts Ambassador.

Samantha went on a year-long journey across Alberta to capture its diverse landscapes. Visiting more than 40 sites provincewide painting outdoors or en plein air, Samantha captured landscapes from Jasper’s jagged mountain peaks to the golden prairies around Lethbridge. 

Across Alberta features a vibrant selection of plein air and studio paintings. Each work is a postcard from Samantha’s journey 
capturing the province’s remarkable natural diversity. 

art house After Hours

art house After Hours events will feature extended gallery hours, keeping the gallery open until 7 pm.

These events will feature opportunities for patrons to dive deeper in the AFA Art Collection, Alberta artists, and the AFA art house.

Stay tuned for more, you never know what you might find after hours.

Join Alberta Craft and surface designer Natalie Gerber for a fun and informative workshop and learn about surface pattern design and silkscreen printing. You will be printing your own beautiful linen holiday stocking.

• All materials included
• Age: 12+

When: Saturday, December 6, 2025 
9:30 to 11:30 am
12 to 2 pm
3 to 5 pm

Where: 280, 1721 29 Ave SW
Calgary, AB 

Tickets: $70 General Public | $55 Alberta Craft Members
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/print-you-own-holiday-stocking-with-natalie-gerber-tickets

Strathcona County is seeking handmade or artist designed items that will be used to thank and recognize key contributors of the 2026 Alberta Summer Games. Each selected artist/artisan will be responsible for producing a single item type (with minor variations allowed) to ensure consistency across gifts.  

Submission deadline: Friday, January 16, 2026, at 8 am MST  

Production period: approximately 17 weeks 

Interested artists can apply today!

Learn more at asg2026.com

Strathcona County invites individual artists and artist teams to participate in a live mural jam coinciding with the 2026 Alberta Summer Games. Over four days (Thursday–Sunday), five selected artists/teams will create medium-scale indoor murals around the circumference of an elevated running track overlooking an indoor soccer field. The public will be able to safely observe progress from the track, creating a dynamic exchange between artists and audience.

This call seeks artists whose work celebrates movement, care, collaboration, and the spirit of youth. We welcome proposals across styles, from bold graphic abstraction to figurative storytelling, so long as the final artworks are family friendly, inclusive and responsive to the site.

Eligibility

• Open to professional artists and artist teams residing in Alberta.
• Artists 18+ are eligible; emerging artists are encouraged to apply.
• Priority may be given to artists with a demonstrated commitment to youth engagement, inclusive storytelling, ecological awareness, or live-paint settings.
• Strathcona County encourages applications from Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, disabled artists, and artists from rural and suburban communities.

Details

• Painting weekend: Thursday to Sunday, July 16 – 19, 2026
• Location: Indoor Soccer Field & Running Track Concourse, Millennium Place, Sherwood Park, Alberta
• Number of murals: 5
• Audience: All-ages public, athletes, coaches, families, and visitors during the 2026 Alberta Summer Games

Site and mural specifications

• Site: Interior perimeter walls adjacent to the running track that circles an indoor soccer field at Millennium Place. Spectators will view murals from the track and concourse.
• Bays: Five distinct paint areas (one per selected artist/team).
• Approx. dimensions: ~14 ft (h) × 25 ft (w) per bay (each wall varies slightly). Please be prepared to adapt the composition to minor size differences.
• Surface: Painted interior wall (existing coatings to be confirmed).
• Access: Step ladders and portable scaffolding permitted
• Environmental conditions: Climate controlled interior; steady public traffic on the track.
• Lighting: Overhead facility lighting.

Theme and community guidelines

• Themes: Inclusivity · Timeless design · Non‑representational form · Action · Movement · Youthful energy. Designs that explore rhythm, cadence, and flow.
• Content standards: All imagery must be appropriate for all ages.

Artist fee and supplies

• Artist Fee: $40 CAD / sq ft (+ GST if applicable) of completed mural area (inclusive of materials and travel).
• Wall 1: 13.33 ft (H) × 20.33 ft (W) = 271.00 sq ft ($10,840 fee)
• Wall 2: 13.50 ft (H) × 20.12 ft (W) = 271.62 sq ft ($10,865 fee)
• Wall 3: 14.20 ft (H) × 24.00 ft (W) = 340.80 sq ft ($13,632 fee)
• Wall 4: 13.50 ft (H) × 24.33 ft (W) = 328.46 sq ft ($13,138 fee)
• Wall 5: 13.50 ft (H) × 33.45 ft (W) = 451.58 sq ft ($18,063 fee)

Materials and equipment

• County provides wall prep (wash/prime), basic onsite tools (drop sheets, buckets, rollers, trays), step ladders, access to water, and facility coordination.
• Artist provides: all paint, brushes, specialty colours, detail tools, PPE, sealers/varnishes as preferred (costs covered within the per / sq ft fee).

Insurance

General liability coverage provided for public viewing areas. Artists who operate as a registered business (with GST#) must carry personal/professional liability insurance and WCB coverage where applicable (confirmed in artist agreements).

Schedule (subject to change)

• Call opens: October 27, 2025
• Deadline to apply: December 8, 2025
• Notifications: February 2026
• Site walkthrough: March 2026
• Designs for selected artists: April 2026
• Painting days: Thursday–Sunday, July 16–19, 2026 (games weekend)
• Clean up and documentation: Sunday evening, July 19, 2026

Selection criteria

Evaluated by internal selection committee

1. Artistic Quality (45%): strength of portfolio, originality, command of composition, colour, and scale.
2. Context (25%): alignment with themes (inclusivity, timeless design, action/movement, youthful energy).
3. Capacity & Feasibility (20%): demonstrated ability to complete work at the indicated scale and within a live-paint, four-day timeline.
4. Professionalism & Safety (10%): experience working in public venues; safe practices and collaboration with facility staff.

Shortlisted artists will receive a design brief and produce a concept for committee approval prior to painting.

For more information or to apply: Mural jam call for artists