Culturally and artistically speaking, downtown Calgary is one of the most vibrant, diverse and sophisticated centres in the country.
We all know — at least we all should know — about the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts, home to the aurally sublime Jack Singer Concert Hall, as well as such esteemed theatre companies as Alberta Theatre Projects, Theatre Calgary and One Yellow Rabbit.
The Art Gallery of Calgary, Stride and the Museum of Contemporary Art are a few of the city’s better-known galleries, and the Glenbow Museum has been a cultural staple for 45 years.
You may be surprised to learn, however, there are actually more than 40 culturally significant locations in the core.
And Mark MacGillivray can tell you about every one of them.
MacGillivray guides full-fledged arts enthusiasts and the simply curious to many of these spots during his monthly Art Walk, held in conjunction with the Calgary Cultural District’s popular First Thursday festival.
He tries to make the tour an ‘art adventure’ by keeping the destinations secret, but past Art Walk events have included backstage theatre tours, audio /visual installations at EMMedia and open houses at Cantos Music Foundation and the Arrata Opera Centre.
“There’s always something going on and it’s always different each month,” MacGillivray explains.
“I find out what’s happening and I link it together in a tour.”
The walk starts at 5 p.m. from the Auburn Saloon (163 – 9 Ave. S.E.) and runs roughly four hours, depending on the number of stops and the time spent in each location.
“Afterwards, we usually go somewhere to listen to jazz or some other place that’s holding a musical event,” he says.
MacGillivray has been running the popular monthly tour since 2010 after hosting similar private walks for his friends.
“I love the cultural scene in Calgary,” he says.
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