Fundraiser // Centennial Planetarium / 701 - 11 St SW

The Factory Party was introduced to Calgary in 2008 as a revival of Andy Warhol’s infamous NYC parties at his Manhattan studio named “The Factory”. Known for curating some of Calgary’s most exceptional visual artists and live music acts in one space for a spectacular experience, The Factory Party is returning from a 6 year hiatus as the official After Party for LOOK2016.

This year Contemporary Calgary and The Factory Party are working together to bring you over-the-top art installations and musical performances that would make Warhol proud.

LOOK2016 AFTER PARTY: THE FACTORY PARTY

ADVANCE TICKETS $25*

• Doors at 10:00 PM
• Complimentary coat check
• Cash bar
• Access to silent auction until 11:00 PM
• Guest DJs and Live Bands
• Interact with LOOK2016 art installations curated by Contemporary Calgary and The Factory Party

*Tickets will also be available at the door. $30, cash only. Limited quantity available, restrictions apply. ID required upon check in. 

ABOUT LOOK2016 & CONTEMPORARY CALGARY

LOOK2016 is a gala fundraising event featuring Steve Martin, Adam Gopnik, Lainey Lui, one of the country's biggest live art auctions, interactive art installations and more. LOOK2016 will take placeOctober 22 in the soon-to-be-transformed Centennial Planetarium, immediately prior to The Factory Party. All LOOK2016 attendees will receive complimentary admission to The Factory Party, combining two incredible fundraising efforts into a single night of monumental celebration. All funds raised will support the establishment of Calgary's first significant public destination for modern and contemporary art; programming and the ongoing transformation of the Centennial Planetarium. 

PURCHASE TICKETS TO LOOK2016

BANDS & DJs

Bringing a mini-music festical to the Factory Party - learn more below.

THE FAMINES

Factory Party alumni - The Famines - are an art cult noise garage duo based out of Montreal. Raymond Biesinger sings, pays guitar, and executes the visuals while Drew Demers hits the drums. They have been spreading DIY minimalist maximalism across Canada since 2008 and have put out five 7” records, a 12” LP, a few books, a pamphlet, an 8-track, a live cassette coupled with 268-pages of liner notes, and a few other format experiments. Their performance is hard-hitting both musically and visually for an all-around Factory Party approved show.

BAD ANIMAL

Calgary-born indie rock band Bad Animal is new on the scene with their first album “Tonight” having debuted in June 2016.
 
It’s not a rare sight to see Painter (vocals) dripping in sweat or the boys, Skiba (guitar), Gritchen (guitar), Stoddart(drums) and Trevena (bass) drenched in beer and knee deep in broken drumsticks. With their energy, it’s surprising that anyone manages to keep any liquor in their cups. Their close, almost fraternal bond keep things tight and dynamism high, like a bundle of live wires they keep each other lit and alive. If there’s one thing Bad Animal isn’t running low on, it’s flair and pure, rough and tumble drive.

BEACH SEASON

Young Calgarian Singer Sam Avant and Beat Producer Simon Blitz comprise the duo Beach Season to invent a new sound they call “Booty Wave”. Their deep melodic beats and soothing tone bring a fresh take on live electronic music. With an album dropping September 2016, attendees at The Factory Party will be amongst the first to enjoy new tracks.

LAB COAST

Since their formation in 2008, Lab Coast has been a driving force in Calgary’s indie rock/pop scene with three albums, two split 7” singles, and two EPs. They’re best known for short, hooky pop songs, strong vocal melodies, bustling rhythm section arrangements, and twin-guitar interplay. 

Lab Coast’s dreamy lo-fi psychedelic melodies are the basis for their latest album “Remember The Moon” which dropped this summer. 

CRACK CLOUD

Crack Cloud has been described as a snarling, convulsive punk band blanketed in glistening jangle-pop vibes. Their frenzied, neurotic feel with precise chord-bashings and melodic tiptoeing breaks is so hypnotic they could put you into a coma.

DOUBLE FUZZ

The heavy blues rock duo Double Fuzz returns to The Factory Party for what will be an explosive performance by Singer/Guitarist Jon Whitehead and Drummer Harvey Warren.

Fundraiser // Centennial Planetarium / 701 - 11 St SW

PRESENTED BY NATIONAL BANK, HOLT RENFREW, CITY OF CALGARY

Your next LOOK...

LOOK2016 will take place October 22 in the soon-to-be-transformed Centennial Planetarium. We invite you to come together with other cultural revolutionaries for an evening of artistically-infused celebration featuring a rousing, exclusive live art auction, installations by some of Calgary's most inspired artists, and headlining appearances by special guests Adam Gopnik of The New Yorker and legendary performer, writer and art champion Steve Martin.

• EXPLORE the Centennial Planetarium, as you've never experienced it before: in progress, dressed to the nines, and filled to the brim with pop up art installations.

• ENJOY a rare conversation with special guests Steve Martin and Adam Gopnik on the art of our times, and other exciting live entertainment.
• FIND something you love at Canada's biggest contemporary live and silent art auction.
• TASTE artfully inspired creations from invited chefs.
• SEE and be seen at the party of the year. 

All funds raised will support the establishment of Calgary's first significant public destination for modern and contemporary art; programming and the ongoing transformation of the Centennial Planetarium. 

LIVE & SILENT AUCTION 

The live and silent auctions at LOOK2016 feature artwork by more than fifty local, national, and international artists. In addition to outstanding works of art, the auctions will feature special experiences. Stay tuned for more information on the auction items and how to start bidding!

The live and silent auction items are now available for bidding! REGISTER AND BID NOW!

LOOK2016 TICKETS

AFTER-PARTY: THE FACTORY PARTY TICKETS (10:00 PM START) $25*

• Complimentary coat check.
• Cash bar.
• Access to silent auction until 11:00 PM.
• Guest DJs and live bands.
• Interact with LOOK2016 art installtions curated by Contemporary Calgary and The Factory Party.

*Tickets will also be available at the door. $30, cash only. Limited quantity available, restrictions apply. ID required upon check in. 

UNDER AGE 35 TICKETS (7:30 PM START) $95* - SOLD OUT

• Complimentary parking and coat check.
• Enjoy live music, host bar and passed refreshments until 8:30 PM while browsing LOOK2016’s silent art auction and experiencing dynamic pop-up installations.
• Standing cocktail to take in LOOK2016’s feature entertainment: a conversation with Steve Martin and Adam Gopnik and exclusive live art auction.
• Party at the after-party with live musical guests. 

*Very limited quantities. ID required upon check in. 

PREMIUM (7:30 PM START) $250*

• Complimentary parking and coat check.
• Enjoy live music, host bar and passed refreshments until 8:30 PM while browsing LOOK2016’s silent art auction and experiencing dynamic pop-up installations.
• General seating to take in LOOK2016’s feature entertainment: a conversation with Steve Martin and Adam Gopnik and exclusive live art auction.
• Party at the after-party with live musical guests. 

*The maximum allowable tax receipt according to CRA guidelines will be provided.

VIP TICKETS (7PM START) $500* 

• Complimentary parking and coat check.
• Enjoy live music, host bar and passed refreshments until 8:30 PM while browsing LOOK2016’s silent art auction and experiencing dynamic pop-up installations.
• Theatre seats to take in LOOK2016’s feature entertainment: a conversation with Steve Martin and Adam Gopnik and exclusive live art auction.
• Party at the after-party with live musical guests. 

*The maximum allowable tax receipt according to CRA guidelines will be provided.

VIP + KEYNOTE DINNER TICKETS (6PM START) $2,000*

• Complimentary parking and coat check.
• Enjoy live music, host bar and refreshments in private pre-dinner reception.
• Seated three-course meal prepared by invited guest chef.
• Exclusive keynote presentation by renowned cultural writer Adam Gopnik (The New Yorker).
• Front section seats to take in LOOK2016’s feature entertainment: a conversation with Steve Martin and Adam Gopnik and exclusive live art auction.
• Party at the after-party with live musical guests. 

*Limited quantities. The maximum allowable tax receipt according to CRA guidelines will be provided.
 

SPECIAL GUESTS 

ADAM GOPNIK

Adam Gopnik, a staff writer, has been contributing to The New Yorker since 1986. During his tenure at the magazine, he has written fiction, humor, book reviews, profiles, and reported pieces from abroad. He was the magazine’s art critic from 1987-1995, and the Paris correspondent from 1995-2000. From 2000 to 2005, he wrote a journal about New York life. His books, ranging from essay collections about Paris and food to children’s novels, include “Paris to the Moon”, “The King in the Window”, “Through the Children’s Gate: A Home in New York”, “Angels and Ages: A Short Book About Darwin, Lincoln, and Modern Life”, “The Table Comes First: Family, France, and the Meaning of Food”, and “Winter: Five Windows on the Season”. Gopnik has three National Magazine awards, for essays and for criticism, and also the George Polk Award for Magazine Reporting. In March of 2013, Gopnik was awarded the medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. He lectures widely, and, in 2011, delivered the CBC’s Massey Lectures.

STEVE MARTIN

Steve Martin is one of the most well-known and pervasive talents in entertainment. His work has earned him an Academy Award®, five Grammy® awards, an Emmy®, the Mark Twain Award, and the Kennedy Center Honor.

Martin began his career on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967-1969), for which he earned his first Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy, Variety or Music in 1969. In the mid-1970s, Martin shone as a stand-up on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Martin’s films are widely popular successes and are the kind of movies that are viewed again and again: The Jerk (1979), Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), Roxanne (1987), Parenthood (1989), L.A. Story (1991), Father of the Bride (1991), and Bowfinger (1999).

As an author, Martin’s work includes the novel An Object of Beauty, the play Picasso at the Lapin Agile, a collection of comic pieces, Pure Drivel, a bestselling novella, Shopgirl, and his memoir Born Standing Up. His writing often appears in The New Yorker.

Steve Martin is also an accomplished Grammy Award-winning, boundary-pushing bluegrass banjoist and composer. In 2013, Steve Martin released his third full-length album called Love Has Come For You, a unique collaboration with songwriter Edie Brickell. Love Has Come For You, won a Grammy® for “Best American Roots Song” for the title track and inspired their new musical Bright Star, which is currently on Broadway at The Cort Theatre and was nominated for five 2016 Tony Awards including “Best Musical” and “Best Original Score.” Bright Star also won the Drama Desk Award for “Outstanding Music” and the Outer Critics Circle Award for “Outstanding New Broadway Musical”.

Martin and Brickell’s second album together So Familiar was released on Rounder Records in October. The album features 12 remarkable new songs that bring the acclaimed duo’s musical collaboration into fresh creative territory.

Personally, Martin has been an obsessive art collector since his early 20’s. He first exhibited his collection at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2001. He has since grown that collection, and co-curated “The Idea of North: The Paintings of Lawren Harris”, which featured 30 pieces from iconic Canadian landscape artist Lawren Harris. The exhibit debuted at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles before travelling to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the Art Gallery of Ontario, where it is currently exhibiting until September 18, 2016. 
 

LAINEY LUI

Lainey Lui is the woman thousands of Canadian pop culture afcionados wake up to each morning. As our Host for LOOK2016, she is sure to provide some entertaining commentary. Lainey is an etalk Senior Correspondent, currently one of the leadings ladies on CTV's The Social, and scribe of the immensely popular celebrity gossip blog, Lainey Gossip.

BRETT MCDERMOTT

Brett McDermott can usually be found at Our Daily Brett, but on October 22, he will join us as Executive Chef at the LOOK2016 pop up restaurant for VIP + DINNE ticket holders, and to prepare Warhol-inspired bites for our after party: THE FACTORY PARTY, curated by The Modern Leisure. Brett will draw inspiration from the LOOK2016 table concept design developed by his friend Steve Smee, who he has collaborated with on many occasions. Not only is Brett an extraordinary chef, he shares our passion for contemporary art and the communities that create and support it. 

BOLD VISION. MAJOR IMPACT. 

Let's make a bold move to establish a significant destination for modern and contemporary art for Calgary.

Fundraiser // Elbow Springs Golf Course

THE TIME HAS COME AGAIN FOR CALGARY TO TEE OFF!  

GOLF2016: 3rd Annual Contemporary Classic Golf Tournament in Support of Contemporary Calgary

Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Elbow Springs Golf Course
240086 Lott Creek Blvd, Calgary, Canada

REGISTRATION / 11:30 AM
LUNCH / 12:00 PM
SHOTGUN START / 1:00 PM
Dinner and auction to follow

150 golfers, 18 holes, 1 filet mignon dinner

Contemporary Calgary is building a global city of choice by engaging our city with the art of our times. We need your help to achieve our vision of establishing a cultural destination that is dedicated to contemporary art. Your support is critical to our progress and success through distinctive exhibitions and diverse public programming.
 
Support Contemporary Calgary and Calgary’s arts community by participating in GOLF2016, our Third Annual Contemporary Classic Golf Tournament. It is sure to be a fun-filled afternoon at the gorgeous Elbow Springs Golf Club.
 
All proceeds raised at the event will support Contemporary Calgary’s operations as we work toward fulfilling our vision together. We are excited by our current momentum and humbled by the overwhelming support for the transformation of our city. The drive to come together at this moment in time, to build, to create, and to celebrate our artists and our city, is tremendously powerful.   

Fundraiser // Centennial Planetarium / 701 - 11 St SW

LOOK 2015 
PRESENTED BY HOLT RENFREW, CALGARY HERALD, CITY OF CALGARY, ENBRIDGE

Your next LOOK...
LOOK2015 will take place November 7 in the soon-to-be-transformed Centennial Planetarium. We invite you to come together with other cultural revolutionaries for an evening of artistically-infused celebration featuring a rousing, exclusive live art auction, an internationally-renowned keynote speaker, plus installations by some of Calgary's most inspired artists.

LOOK2015 TICKETS

PREMIUM TICKETS (7PM START) $250* 

• EXPLORE the Centennial Planetarium as you've never experienced it before: in progress and dressed to the nines.
• FIND something you love at Canada's biggest contemporary live and silent art auction.
• CATCH a glimpse of the best in arts & culture, including interactive art installations and pop up creations.
• SEE and be seen at the party of the year.

UNDER AGE 35 TICKETS (7PM START) $95*
Very Limited Quantities. ID required upon check in. 

Under Age 35 ticket holders enjoy Premium Ticket benefits at a discounted rate. See and be seen at the party of the year in a venue none of us can forget. Access incredible contemporary art for a fraction of the cost at exciting live and silent auctions.

VIP TICKETS (6PM START) $500*
Limited Quantities. 

In addition to premium access to LOOK2015, VIP ticket holders receive a fabulous pre-event VIP reception, beginning at 6:00 PM, complete with food, drinks, and inspiration. VIP ticket holders will be treated to an exclusive presentation by Adam Gopnik, one of the most prolific cultural writers of our time.

*The maximum allowable tax receipt according to CRA guidelines will be provided.

ABOUT ADAM GOPNIK

Adam Gopnik, a staff writer, has been contributing to The New Yorker since 1986. During his tenure at the magazine, he has written fiction, humor, book reviews, profiles, and reported pieces from abroad. He was the magazine’s art critic from 1987-1995, and the Paris correspondent from 1995-2000. From 2000 to 2005, he wrote a journal about New York life. His books, ranging from essay collections about Paris and food to children’s novels, include “Paris to the Moon,” “The King in the Window,” “Through the Children’s Gate: A Home in New York,” “Angels and Ages: A Short Book About Darwin, Lincoln, and Modern Life,” “The Table Comes First: Family, France, and the Meaning of Food,” and “Winter: Five Windows on the Season.” Gopnik has three National Magazine awards, for essays and for criticism, and also the George Polk Award for Magazine Reporting. In March of 2013, Gopnik was awarded the medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. He lectures widely, and, in 2011, delivered the CBC’s Massey Lectures.

ABOUT DAN LEVY

Dan is well known as a television personality for MTV's The Hills After Show, which made headlines after becoming one of the first television shows in Canadian broadcast history to be simulcast across North America and syndicated in over 10 countries worldwide. He is also a familiar face as host of programs like eTalk and Olympic Morning. He currently stars in CBC's hit series Schitt's Creek, which he co-produces and co-stars in with his father, Eugene Levy. The series also stars Canadian comedy legend, Catherine O'Hara.
Dan also designs and produces a line of eyewear (D.L. Eyewear), is a brand ambassador for the Hudson's Bay Company, and a contributor to Flare Magazine. Dan is an engaging public speaker dedicated to empowering young people and speaks to his generation’s connections to culture and community.
 

LIVE & SILENT AUCTION

The live and silent auctions at LOOK2015 feature artwork by more than fifty local, national, and international artists, including Chris Cran, Kim Dorland, Shawn Evans, Fiona Ackerman, Evan Penny, Angela Leach, and Dianne Bos. In addition to outstanding works of art, the auctions will feature experiences including a trip, a $10,000 shopping spree, and more.
 
Bidding for Live & Silent Auction items is now open online atLOOK2015AUCTION.COM. Online bidding continues until November 7, when Stephen Ranger, who is widely known as Canada’s top auctioneer for fundraising events, will return for LOOK2015's Live Auction. Silent auction bidding closes at 10:30 PM on November 7. 

For additional information about the auctions, visit our AUCTION PAGE.

BOLD VISION. MAJOR IMPACT. 

All funds raised during LOOK2015, up to $500,000, will be matched by Contemporary Calgary's generous donors. Join us, and let's make a bold move to establish a significant destination for modern and contemporary art for Calgary.
 

LOOK2015 is presented by Holt Renfrew, Calgary Herald, City of Calgary, and Enbridge. Thanks to our incredible supporters, the Calgary Foundation, Calgary Arts Development Authority, and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

Fundraiser // Elbow Springs Golf Course

Tuesday, June 2, 2015, at Elbow Springs Golf Course
Registration at 11:30 am. Shotgun start at 1:00 pm.
200 golfers, 18 holes, 1 filet mignon dinner
$200 per Golfer or $800 per foursome
*Plus taxes

The Time has Finally Come for Calgary to Tee Off!  

GOLF2015: 2nd Annual Contemporary Classic Golf Tournament, in Support of Contemporary Calgary

Contemporary Calgary is facing a bold new adventure in 2015. After a successful inaugural season of exciting announcements and record-breaking fundraising, we look ahead to our most important year yet, when the newly minted Contemporary Calgary will move into our spectacular new space, the Centennial Planetarium. This space will finally provide Calgary and its visitors a significant destination dedicated to contemporary art. 

We aspire to bring Calgary to the world and the world to Calgary through Contemporary Art, and you can help by bringing your clubs to the green!

You can support Contemporary Calgary and Calgary’s arts community by participating in the GOLF2015: 2ndAnnual Contemporary Classic Golf Tournament: a fun-filled afternoon held at the gorgeous Elbow Springs Golf Course.

All proceeds raised at this event will support Contemporary Calgary’s programming and operations as we work towards our grand opening in the fall of 2015. This package outlines the various sponsorship opportunities available at the tournament.

Let’s partner up for brilliant round of golf in honour of a brilliant cause.

Fundraiser // STEPHEN AVENUE LOCATION

VIEW EVENT PHOTOS

VIEW PHOTO BOOTH GALLERY

Una fiesta de proporciones contemporáneas!  
(A fiesta of contemporary proportions!)

On May 2, over 300 guests took part in an epic fiesta at our "C" local on Stephen Avenue as we bid a fond farewell to the space. Thank you to all who came to celebrate with us (and the luchadores) as we sipped tequila, danced the cha cha, and began to look forward to Contemporary Calgary's most exciting year yet: the year we move into our new permanent home in the Centennial Planetarium. 

CINCO2015 will be the most fun you have at a fundraiser this year, so dress boldly, come thirsty, and help us raise funds and awareness for Contemporary Calgary’s biggest year yet.

The event raised over $60,000 to support our exhibitions and operations as we strive to establish Calgary as a global city of choice and a significant destination for contemporary art. 

Thank you again to our sponsors and partners: Shaw Communications, Barcelona Tavern, WAX Partnership Inc. and Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art. 

Fundraiser // Centennial Planetarium / 701 - 11 St SW

Honorary Event Chairs Ann & Morris Dancyger, and Mark Tewksbury & Rob Mabee invite you to the art event of the year in one of the city’s most iconic architectural settings. 

On November 1st, the Centennial Planetarium will come back to life for a unique gala supporting Contemporary Calgary.  

 
(Please allow a few moments for the 13MB PDF download)

TASTE Hotel Arts Chef Duncan Ly's exclusively prepared menu.
EXPERIENCE an unsurpassed live-auction event presenting the best art of our times.
WIN a $10,000 Holt Renfrew shopping spree. 

VIP Admission begins at 6:00pm and includes a fireside chat with best-selling author, speaker and urban visionary, Richard Florida (hosted by Dave Kelly), live music and an exclusive VIP menu.  

Premium Admission begins at 7:00pm.

You may also submit an absentee bid (live auction items only) using THIS DOWNLOADABLE FORM. 

LOOK2014: discover the exciting future of contemporary art in Calgary and be a part of it all – from the beginning.

Fundraiser // STEPHEN AVENUE LOCATION

Contemporary Calgary is pleased to support Sled Island's first visual arts fundraiser in our Stephen Avenue gallery!

There's a brand new party in town and oh, what an arty party it is! Each year, Sled Island puts a thoughtful emphasis on showcasing artwork as an engaging part of our festival. This year marks the inaugural edition of our visual arts fundraiser.

On Friday, May 16th there will be two missions; to tear the roof off the place and to raise money for visual artists as to contribute more means to execute projects and provide fair compensation for their work.

"Butter" will be a sizzling evening filled with glistening visuals and the fired up dancefloor sounds of Jane Trash, Justin Wadell, Yung Nino and Sled 2014 artist KLINE. We'll also be hosting a silent auction for works displayed at the event! Get RSVP'd by shooting an email to RSVP@SLEDISLAND.COM and hop on over to THE EVENT for all the updates."