Kent Hehr, Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre Announces Support for Contemporary Calgary Art Gallery Renovation and Expansion
Rendering: Contemporary Calgary, New Gallery Wing
Modern and effective local infrastructure is essential to keeping our communities strong and vibrant. The Government of Canada is making historic investments in infrastructure to help ensure that Calgary remains among the best places to call home.
Calgary is the only North American city of its size without a major Class A contemporary art gallery capable of hosting significant international exhibitions. Contemporary Calgary is transforming Calgary’s historic Centennial Planetarium into a signature cultural destination that will provide the community with Class A exhibition space, much needed studio space for artists and education programs for youth.
The full cost of the project is $117 million and Contemporary Calgary is seeking support from all three orders of government and private donors. The City of Calgary recently invested $25 million to complete the first phase of the project. Contemporary Calgary is seeking $30 million in funding from the Federal Government, $30 million from the Government of Alberta and $32 million from the private sector to complete the remaining phases.
Through a bilateral agreement signed more than 14 months ago, the federal government has made available over $140.5 million dollars in federal funding to support improved community infrastructure across Alberta. Contemporary Calgary’s gallery renovation and expansion is exactly the type of project that the Government of Canada is able to approve for funding under the Community, Culture and Recreation program.
Not only do projects like Contemporary Calgary make our communities stronger and more inclusive, they are also important to our economic development, creating good, well-paying jobs through both construction and operation and they help Calgary to attract talent and investment by improving quality of life.
Federal dollars are available today to fund this $30 million project from the Community, Culture and Recreation program, subject to the project receiving a matching contribution from the Province of Alberta. We understand that the new provincial government will be reviewing this project and we look forward to working with them to bring this project into reality. Once we receive and review the formal funding application from the province, the required federal funds are ready to flow.
Quotes
“The Government of Canada is pleased to support this important cultural project for the visual arts in the heart of Calgary. Contemporary Calgary will become a signature cultural destination in Canada and these types of investments not only enrich our community but help attract business and talent to our city.
- Kent Hehr, Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre
“The funding commitment from the federal government is a significant milestone towards bringing a major modern and contemporary art gallery to our city. We are so excited that the Federal government has joined the City of Calgary in making a significant commitment to this project. We look forward to working collaboratively with the new government of Alberta regarding their participation in building a new cultural destination for the visual arts in Calgary.
- David Leinster, Chief Executive Officer, Contemporary Calgary
Quick facts
Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
$25.3 billion of this funding is supporting social infrastructure in Canadian communities.
About Contemporary Calgary
Contemporary Calgary commenced a long-term lease agreement with the City of Calgary on July 15, 2019.
As part of lease, Contemporary Calgary is required to undertake significant tenant improvements to the former Centennial Planetarium to transform it into a gallery for modern and contemporary art.
The City of Calgary recently invested $25 million into the project, undertaking significant base building upgrades and modernizations to bring the building up to current codes. Contemporary Calgary’s responsibility is to complete additional improvements to further transform the historic building.
Built in 1967 as Calgary’s Centennial Building project, the Planetarium has inspired Calgarians for decades, both as a Planetarium and as Calgary’s Science Centre from 1984 to 2011. It will now inspire new generations of Calgarians through the art of our times.
Contemporary Calgary’s project has three parts:
North Gallery Renovation: Contemporary Calgary recently began a renovation to a part of the building—the former 7,000 square foot Creative Kids Museum. This initial renovation recently received a $372,025 funding grant through the Ministry of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism Cultural Spaces Fund Program. The gallery is expected to be open to the public by January 2020.
Planetarium Transformation: The existing Centennial Planetarium building will undergo a significant renovation to the entire building to transform it into a gallery for modern and contemporary art. Key to this phase of the project is the building of an entrance pavilion that will help restore the original circulation and flow for visitors to the building up to the second floor. New amenities will be included including a café-style restaurant and open spaces for the community to gather.
New Class A Addition: A new addition will be built on the north side of the site, bringing a 10,000 square foot Class A gallery, an adjacent 3,000 square foot Class A gallery, rooftop sculpture garden and event space. This addition to the building will help Contemporary Calgary attract the best in local, national and international exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, and make the facility one of best arts experiences in the country.
SOURCE: Government of Canada