Blue Sky Arts: A Canvas for Calgary’s Stories
Discover the Art
Blue Sky Arts: A Canvas for Calgary’s Stories
What is Blue Sky Arts?
In 2024, Calgary unveiled its new brand “Blue Sky City”. This brand is more than what it says on our welcome signs or images of our acclaimed vast blue skies - it is a representation of who we are, a feeling you have when you are here, and an invitation to the world to come explore.
To bring this to life, Tourism Calgary, with support from Calgary Arts Development and RISE UP Calgary, launched the Blue Sky City Creative Challenge, designed to activate Calgary’s new brand through the eyes of local artists. A call went out challenging artists across all disciplines to explore their interpretation of “Blue Sky City”, sharing Calgary’s story through an authentic and experiential artistic lens.
Like a good Chinook wind, we were blown away by the creativity that came through—seriously! But only a select few will be brought to life for locals and visitors to experience. These aren't merely visual spectacles; they're engaging experiences designed to spark curiosity, forge connections, and celebrate what this city means to locals and visitors alike.
Beginning in 2025, Blue Sky Arts will transform spaces across Calgary. Each piece tells the artist’s personal take on what Blue Sky City means to them… but we hope they inspire something even bigger: new stories, new perspectives, and new reasons to explore our amazing city.
Continue to check this webpage for updates on where and when you can experience these incredible artworks!
Drop of Sunshine
The Art: Drop of Sunshine
The Artist: Leia Guo (she/her)
What it is: This isn't just an art piece, it's an art experience! You get to join an artist and create your very own piece of Calgary's sunshine to take home.
What it means: It's all about sharing joy and showing how Calgary is a place where "unexpected possibilities" happen. You'll learn a cool, sun-powered art technique called cyanotype printing.
Why you'll love it: No art skills needed! Just come ready to play and discover your inner artist while enjoying Calgary's famous blue skies.
Date: July 1 & 12, 2025
Location: The Confluence (750 9 Ave SE) on July 1, Ismaili Stampede Breakfast (1128 45 Ave NE) on July 12
Artists Website: www.leiaguo.com
Instagram: @leia.guo
Drop of Sunshine
About the Art
Drop of Sunshine is an interactive art activation led by an experienced artist, inviting visitors to take home their own piece of Calgary’s sunshine. Open to all ages and skill levels, no artistic experience is required—just a willingness to play and explore. Blending elements of performance, workshop, and pop-up art studio, this engaging event encourages participants to create and share joy under Calgary’s iconic sunny skies. Inspired by the spirit of Calgary’s Blue Sky City brand, Drop of Sunshine brings the themes of "unexpected possibilities" and "blue sky thinking" to life through the accessible, sun-powered process of cyanotype printing—where everyone can be an artist.
About the Artist
Leia Guo (she/her) is an award-winning photographer, artist, and educator dedicated to community-building art projects. In her workshops and public art activations, Leia shares her love of unexpected, engaging mediums like cyanotype and stained glass to show that creativity lives everywhere and in everyone. A recipient of the Alberta Craft Council’s 2024 Early Career Achievement Award and a finalist for the RBC Award for Glass, Leia teaches at Workshop Studios and AUArts, with upcoming lectures in Arlington, Texas.
boundless
The Art: boundless
The Artist: Brenda Luong (she/her)
What it is: Imagine giant, colourful beads that you can touch, spin, and rearrange! It's like a big, playful puzzle.
What it means: This art piece shows how Calgary is a city of endless possibilities, where everyone can dream big. The movable beads represent how we all work together to make Calgary what it is.
Why you'll love it: It's super interactive and fun for all ages. Plus, it's made with Calgary's colours, so it's perfect for a photo!
Date: August 14-23, 2025
Location: GlobalFest, Elliston Park, 1827 68 St SE, Calgary, AB
Website: www.betteroffstudio.com
Instagram: @betteroffstudio
boundless
About the Art
boundless is a vibrant, interactive art installation that embodies the spirit of Calgary as the Blue Sky City—a place of limitless potential, bold ideas, and shared futures. Inspired by the expansive skies and the city’s forward-looking identity, boundless celebrates unity, diversity, and the freedom to dream without limits. Crafted from wood, steel, and epoxy putty, the installation features oversized, movable beads that pay homage to traditional beadwork—a symbol of Calgary’s rich cultural tapestry. Visitors of all ages and abilities are invited to touch, rotate, and rearrange these colourful forms, transforming the artwork in real time. Each interaction is unique, yet every configuration contributes to a collective whole—mirroring Calgary’s evolving identity and collaborative spirit.
About the Artist
Brenda Luong (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist based in Calgary, Alberta, with a primary focus on ceramics. She earned her degree in Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies from the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine in 2022. Her work, which bridges art and advocacy, has been recognized through awards, funding, and exhibited locally. Drawing from her professional experience serving diverse vulnerable populations, Brenda’s practice reflects personal narratives and a deep commitment to community building. While ceramics remains central to her practice, her work extends into: creative and community program development, curatorial work, print and digital design, and written works.
EverBlue Gateway
The Art: EverBlue Gateway
The Artist: Ken Hacke Arts (he/him) & Contemporary Vice (they/them)
What it is: Think of a towering, colourful archway that comes alive with lights and sounds as you walk through it! It's inspired by Calgary's amazing big skies and the famous "Chinook Arch."
What it means: This gateway celebrates how Calgary connects nature, creativity, and new ideas. The lights and sounds change with you, showing how vibrant and dynamic our city is, day and night.
Why you'll love it: It's a truly immersive experience that's both beautiful and playful. Perfect for photos and a moment of wonder!
Date: TBD
Location: TBD
Website: www.kenhackearts.ca
Instagram: @kenhacke_arts
EverBlue Gateway
The Art
EverBlue Gateway is a striking new landmark that captures the spirit of Calgary—where boundless skies, natural beauty, and human creativity come together. Inspired by the Chinook Arch and the city's famously vast blue sky, this immersive public artwork blends bold visual art with cutting-edge design to celebrate Calgary as a place of connection, innovation, and imagination. Created by Contemporary Vice and Ken Hacke, the installation unites expressive, colourful painting with elegant helix-inspired architecture. Motion- and sound-sensitive LEDs respond playfully to visitors, creating a luminous cascade of colour and light that evolves throughout the day and into the night. The experience shifts from a vibrant daytime mural to a glowing beacon after dark, embodying a sense of wonder, creativity, and community.
The Artists
Contemporary Vice (they/them) and Ken Hacke (he/him) are Calgary-based artists merging bold expression with precise engineering. Vice, an expressive painter, brings vibrant storytelling to public art, inspiring connection and creativity. Ken, a visionary sculptor, specializes in large-scale interactive installations that blend structural innovation with immersive design. Together, they craft engaging experiences that spark wonder and community engagement. Their collaboration on EverBlue Gateway fuses dynamic painting, helix-inspired architecture, and interactive LED lighting, embodying Calgary’s limitless spirit. Their work has been featured at leading art and music festivals across Canada and the U.S., transforming spaces into places of connection, reflection, and play.
Hinga at Hangin
The Art: Hinga at Hangin
The Artists: Harvey Nichols (he/him) and Mar Cortez (she/her)
What it is: Picture a swirling, cloud-like sculpture with a cozy space inside. It's made using a cool mix of traditional Filipino crochet and modern 3D printing.
What it means: "Hinga at Hangin" means "breath and wind" in Filipino, and it's all about taking a moment to pause, breathe, and connect. Inside, you'll hear sounds of wind from across Calgary, creating a peaceful escape.
Why you'll love it: It's a unique and calming experience that celebrates Calgary's diverse cultures. It's also a fantastic spot for a reflective moment and some stunning photos.
Date: TBD
Location: TBD
Artists Website: N/A
Instagram: @indiozbravoz
Hinga at Hangin
About the Art
Hinga at Hangin is an evocative public art installation that invites visitors to pause, breathe, and connect—both with their surroundings and with one another. Inspired by the Baybayin character “ha”, symbolizing breath, wind, and life in Filipino culture, the sculpture brings a rich cultural narrative into dialogue with Calgary’s iconic blue skies and dynamic spirit.
This swirling, cloud-like form blends traditional Filipino crochet artistry with modern 3D printing, fusing heritage and innovation in a vibrant, tactile structure. Its walkable interior acts as a quiet sanctuary—an immersive chamber where wind recordings from across Calgary converge in a meditative soundscape, offering a moment of reflection in the heart of the city.
About the Artists
We are Indioz Bravoz, Harvey Nichols (he/him) and Mar Cortez (she/her), a congregation of Filipino-Canadian artists, visionaries, and cultural storytellers. Drawing inspiration from the valorous spirit of Dr. Jose Rizal's "Los Indios Bravos," we embrace our heritage with pride and seek to forge a connection that spans oceans, from the diaspora back to our motherland. Our art is our rebellion, our expression, and our bridge.
Rise Up
The Art: Rise Up: Stars, Stories and Connections
The Artist: Kristy North Peigan (she/her)
What it is: This is a special tipi structure where you can look up at the stars and learn about Blackfoot traditions. Inside, there's a glowing "nest" with Blackfoot constellations, and you can listen to ancient stories.
What it means: This installation is a powerful way to connect with Indigenous knowledge and the universal wonder of the night sky. It's a place for learning, gathering, and respecting the stories that have been passed down for generations.
Why you'll love it: It's a truly meaningful and educational experience that offers a unique perspective on our shared history and the beauty of the stars above Calgary.
Date: TBD
Location: TBD
Artists Website: kristiclesgg.ca
Instagram: @Kristiclesgg
Rise Up
About the Art
Rise Up: Stars, Stories, and Connections is a powerful fusion of ancestral wisdom and contemporary technology, inviting visitors to explore the night sky through the lens of Blackfoot tradition. Rooted in oral storytelling and guided by community collaboration, this installation transforms the act of looking up into an experience of cultural connection and shared understanding.
The open tipi structure—stripped of canvas to allow full 360° engagement—draws people in from all directions. Suspended near its peak, a laser-engraved plexiglass “nest” features Blackfoot constellations illuminated by vibrant, programmable LED lights. Visitors can watch and listen to narrated videos by Elder and Knowledge Keeper Martin, preserving and sharing stories passed down for generations.
The Artist
We are a Blackfoot collective consisting of Kristy North Peigan (Piikani) and Darren Weaslechild (Siksika) and Martin Heavy Head is our elder. We are a collaboration of culture, tradition, and modernity with a focus on preserving identity through art. We have successfully applied each of our unique faculties: Darren has a specialty in commercial painting, construction, business relations as well as being a Traditional Knowledge keeper. Martin is our elder and narrator. Kristy is an accomplished artist in painting, mural painting, graphic design, a seamstress, LED tech, and many forms of digital media.