by Susan Mulholland in collaboration with Caroline Loewen
The BRCA Beautification Committee partnered with Calgary Arts Development’s Public Art Program so that our 25+ public art pieces will be included in the new Calgary Public Art Guide. This article is based on an interview with one of the Project Leads, Caroline Loewen.
1. Could you give me a short summary of what the mapping project is?
The Calgary Public Art Guide has been a year in the making and is an interactive public art map that features a wide range of public artworks in Calgary — including city-owned pieces, privately commissioned artworks, murals, temporary works, and community-initiated projects. The purpose of the project is to increase awareness of and access to public art in Calgary, to reflect the diversity and creativity of Calgary’s arts community, and to help people explore Calgary’s public art!
2. What’s your role in this? Who is the mapping team?
I am the Project Lead for the project, along with Alexis Kinloch. The map is being developed by Built by Field, a local team of developers and designers. We’re partnering with other commissioners of public art in the city like BUMP (Beltline Urban Murals Project), the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), and community associations [such as the BRCA]. The public will make a big contribution too. If people see something missing, we want them to share it with us!
3. Any cool facts to share?
The Calgary Public Art Guide welcomes community contributions — community members can upload images and stories to help make this the most inclusive and up-to-date resource for public art experiences in our city.
5. Any dreams regarding this project?
We hope that the community can make the guide their own, by adding to it, creating self-guided tours, and engaging with public art throughout the city. I’d love to see folks contribute to it in unique ways, by adding hidden gems or creating tours that take people off the beaten track. I’m hoping for a public art bike tour along the river pathways!
8. Any sense of how many public art pieces there are?
Good question, it’s hard to estimate the number of public artworks in the city because there are so many diverse commissioners and creators of public art including the City, CADA, non-profits, community associations, and artists. We’re hoping that we can create a near comprehensive digital guide of public art in our city so that we can get a better idea of how much art is out there.
9. What is the best-known public art piece in this project?
Probably the Peace Bridge! We recently heard it’s the most photographed piece of public art in Canada.
10. When and where can we find the Calgary Public Art Guide?
It will launch in September 2025, so you will see it soon.
Check out Calgary Arts Development’s website for more information on the Public Art Program and to see the Calgary Public Art Guide.
Click here to the Bridgeland/Riverside Community News home page for the latest Bridgeland/Riverside community updates.
