FREE First Thursdays x Exposure Festival Launch Party
February 2, 2023 | 5:00 - 9:00 PM
Join us at Contemporary Calgary, for the launch of the nineteenth edition of the Exposure Photography Festival!
We’ll celebrate the opening of the Exposure 2023 curated exhibitions, International Open Call, Emerging Photographers Showcase, Emerging Photographer of the Year: Raeann Cheung, as well as Exposure’s and The Magenta Foundation’s collaborative youth exhibition, Flash Forward Incubator Program.
At 7 pm we’ll reveal the names of the recipients of the prestigious Exposure 2023 Awards: the Emerging Photographer Of The Year Award, the Emerging Photographer Merit Award, the TREX Southwest Emerging Photographer Award, the Shutter Hub Emerging Photographer Award, the Grain (UK) Emerging Photographer Award, and the Magenta Foundation Emerging Photographer Award.
This event is in collaboration with FREE First Thursdays! Explore our galleries, join the YYC/LRT workshop, have your photo taken by Hip Image, connect with Antyx Community Arts Hip-Hop Club, enjoy thoughtfully crafted beverages by Sugar Water Bar, international cuisines by Healthy Baby and music by DJ PressPlay.
FREE hourly guided tours of current exhibitions: 5pm, 6pm, 7:30pm & 8pm.
This is an all-ages event.
Food and beverage will be available for purchase.
*Our venue is wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, February 2
5:00 - 9:00pm
FREE
Let us know you’re joining!
Free First Thursdays & YYC/LRT: Downtown West Quilt
The Downtown West community is a vibrant neighbourhood where Calgarians from all over the world, and many walks of life, come together to live, work, learn and play. But we’ve been keeping it a secret!
Let’s share the secret. Join us for Free First Thursday at Contemporary Calgary and the YYC/LRT community studio to collaborate on a quilt that pictures the colour, texture and energy of the best-kept secret in Calgary.
Participants start by visiting Contemporary Calgary. Once you’ve had a chance to sample the fun there, collect your bag of art-making treasures at the YYC/LRT booth and head over to YYC/LRT (10th St and 8th Ave SW) to work on your own personal quilt square with artist Bryan Faubert. Learn easy phototransfer processes to share your own vision of Calgary and the Downtown West. Embellish your work with the collage elements and add it to our evolving quilt.
This Downtown West Quilt will be exhibited around the neighbourhood as it grows. Be sure to track its location on Instagram and visit the neighbourhood to see it!
This program is part of the YYC/LRT: Community-Based Art as Community Development study. Those attending this event may choose to participate in a study exploring the role of art in community development. This would involve completing a questionnaire and including your art as data in the study. The Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board has approved this study (REB22-1227). For more information please email jreiserm@ucalgary.ca.
Exposure Photography Festival
The Exposure Photography Festival announces its February 2023 programme. Returning for its nineteenth year, it will present the work of over 160 exhibiting visual artists hosted in galleries, local businesses, online and outdoors.
Exposure’s curated exhibitions, the International Open Call and Emerging Photographers Showcase, will be hosted at Contemporary Calgary, a significant visual arts destination dedicated to modern and contemporary art. The exhibitions present a broad range of works, including photocollage, conceptual photography, politically engaged practices and works that embrace social and individual experience, as well as visual explorations of identity and personal narratives.
Antyx Community Arts
Antyx is a community arts company that uses the arts and community development processes to create opportunities for youth to become more engaged in their community and experience increased community connection. The Antyx Thursday Hip-Hop Club is a space for dancers, MCs, and DJs of all levels! Youth and participants are encouraged to use the space to practice and make their own signature moves, write and perform their own songs, and/or practice with professional DJ equipment! We take time to explore principles of hip hop culture, the art around us, and creating places and spaces in the community. This space is for open-floor, open-mic, and open-deck cyphers.
Hot Sauce Boogie
Dress up and get down with the Hot Sauce Boogie. An evening infusing late night vibes, steady hip-hop beats, groovy funk, and that swoony R&B…all to make you move your feet! Featuring a dynamic trio of Calgary culture builders - DJs Roofeo, Grimrock and Press Play - these curated vinyl only sets will serve your soul and give you old school vibes.
Sugar Water Bar
Kyo-Jean Chung started Sugar Water in 2015 as a way of exploring his love for finely crafted cocktails. He has a curiosity for powerful elixirs that percolate ideas and bring people to common ground. His knack for befriending talented people in all realms of culinary arts, mixology, and event planning helps him cultivate fresh ideas and inspired service. He has managed to find the perfect balance between friendliness, professionalism, and lightness throughout his life as an entrepreneur.
Healthy Baby
Founded and operated by Rashad Ali and Kenneth Persson, Healthy Baby is a fast and casual comfort food pop up. We’re focused on creating unpretentious and delicious sandwiches, snacks and street food right here in Calgary. Healthy Baby specializes in Trinidadian and Caribbean food, but you’ll also find us dabbling in all forms of international cuisines. You never know where Healthy Baby will be cooking from next!
Hip Image
Hip Image has quickly become Calgary’s premier photo booth service offering the most unique photo services in the city and province. We offer a creative approach and multitude of technologies that will both engage your guests and build on your brand.
About the DJ
DJ PressPlay
DJ PressPlay has been performing in cultural events, city festivals, and YYC night clubs for nearly a decade. His focus is dropping vinyl—keepin’ it old school—surging that delicious funk from our past! DJ PressPlay pours the hot sauce in that boogie! Come get your groove on and if you like Hot Sauce Boogie’s vibe, pick up your swag at Cabcity.ca.