CALGARY -- An historic building on the west end of downtown has new life after undergoing $25 million in renovations and reopening as an art gallery.
Contemporary Calgary, a gallery housed in the former site of the Calgary Science Centre and Centennial Planetarium, opened to the public this weekend. The unique building in the 700 block of 11th Street Southwest had sat vacant since 2011 when the doors were close with the arrival of TELUS Spark, Calgary's new science centre.
"When the city put this building out for an expression of interest in 2013, three longstanding arts organizations in the city of Calgary came together with one shared vision which was 'Let's bring a major contemporary art experience to the city of Calgary," said Contemporary Calgary CEO David Leinster. "Because the building is kind of weird and wacky and wonderful, makes it all the more exciting to turn it into something else."
The renovations were funded by private donations as well as grants from the federal and provincial governments.
The gallery is currently featuring Luke Jerram's Museum of the Moon exhibit that includes a scale model of the moon measuring six metres in diameter and will welcome Yoko Ono, Growing Freedom: The Instructions of Yoko Ono and the Art of John and Yoko beginning in May.
For additional information visit Contemporary Calgary.
