Indigenous Public Art Travelling Exhibitions

The City of Calgary’s Indigenous Public Art Travelling Exhibitions bring Indigenous stories into schools, libraries, and public spaces — connecting communities through art that moves, teaches, and heals.

Launched as a pilot, the program began with a clear goal: To centre Indigenous voices in telling their own stories through curation and art.

That vision took shape with Tamaani | Here, the first travelling exhibition, which reached audiences across Mohkinstsis (Calgary) and beyond. Its success established a new approach rooted in community-led curation, artistic sovereignty, and the lived experiences of Treaty 7 and Métis artists.

Today, the program has expanded into a series of exhibitions that travel across communities, generations, and territories. Each is uniquely shaped by Indigenous curators from the Blackfoot Confederacy, Stoney Nakoda, Tsuut’ina, and Métis communities.

Reclaiming the frame: A vision rooted in equity and relationship

The travelling exhibitions emerged from a commitment to rethinking how Indigenous art is presented and experienced.

As curator Jessica McMann explains:

"The previous Inuit art program was deeply educational but dated. When Sophia Lebessis, a local Inuk curator assessed it, she and the Mohkinstsis Public Art Guiding Circle agreed; a new exhibit was needed, one that embraced Inuit-first voices and community-led perspectives." – Jessica McMann

This shift led to Tamaani | Here, where Inuit art is shared as a living extension of community storytelling.

Its impact reinforced the need for Indigenous-led exhibitions across Nations, leading to expansion across the Blackfoot Confederacy, Tsuut’ina, Stoney Nakoda, and Métis communities.

Curators are entrusted to shape exhibitions that reflect their communities’ values, stories, and ways of creating — transforming public spaces and strengthening representation in Calgary’s civic collection.

“This program doesn’t just fill walls, it carves a new path. It ensures that local Indigenous artists, and their communities, are seen and heard as integral parts of the cultural landscape.” – Jessica McMann

Book an exhibit for 2028

Send us your name, school/community and exhibit/s you are interested in.

Portraits of the Blackfeet Feminine

Curated by Evelyn Martin/itsooaakii (Amska’pikuni Nation)

Featuring artists O’maste-Win Crawford-Foster, Louis Still Smoking, Alishon Kelly, and Jordan Martin (Mai’stoo Mahkaa), the show celebrates contemporary Blackfeet womanhood through painting, photography, drawing, and collage.

Each piece reclaims narratives from historical misrepresentation, embodying feminine power, resilience, and continuity.

“As a Niitsitapi woman, I wanted to shift who holds the lens. Too often, our representation has been filtered through colonial eyes. This exhibition brings that agency back home.” – Evelyn Martin

The exhibition stands as a powerful statement: that Niitsitapi women and Two-Spirit people are creators, carriers, and protectors of ancestral knowledge, the heart of Blackfeet continuity.

Voices of the Piikani: A Living Continuum

Curated by Matthew Provost (Piikani Nation)

Provost’s vision is to create a multigenerational exhibit that speaks to Piikani identity, history, and land through family stories and visual art. This exhibition emphasizes education, belonging, and strength within the community.

Artists include Joyce Little Moustache, Kiitokii, Walker English, Carleigh Grier-Stewart and Serene Weaseltraveller.

“Our stories are visual. They’re carried through our materials in every thread, bead, and brushstroke. I want the exhibition to reflect who we are, not only through memory but through living practice.” – Matthew Provost

Stories from the Edge of the City

Curated by Riel Manywounds (Tsuut’ina Nation)

This exhibition brings forward the depth and distinct identity of Tsuut’ina Nation, whose lands border Calgary’s southwest edge.

Blending traditional and contemporary practices, the show features handmade tools, regalia, music, and graffiti art—highlighting both continuity and innovation.

Artists include AJ Starlight, Ellison Starlight, Loui Starlight, and Graham Rowen.

“We’re still here, still making, still singing. I want people to see what makes Tsuut’ina people distinct — our tools, our songs, our regalia, our innovation.” – Riel Manywounds

Rooted in language, craft, and sound, the exhibition creates an immersive experience grounded in community rhythm and cultural resilience.

Lines of Connection

Curated by Liz Barron (Métis)

This research-driven exhibition explores Métis identity through interconnected “lines”—of kinship, geography, memory, and story.

Drawing from travel and conversations across Turtle Island, Barron centers relationships as the foundation of the work.

Artists include Lillian Bonin, Christina Kirouac, and Ian August.

“Métis art is built from lines — not linear, but weaving lines that follow rivers, reconnect families, and reimagine belonging.” – Liz Barron

Each artwork becomes part of a living network, reflecting how stories and identities continue to evolve across time and place.

Siksika Voices Emerging

Curated by Sikapinakii Low Horn (Siksika Nation)

This exhibition brings together artists across generations, showcasing both traditional and contemporary Siksika creativity.

From intricate beadwork to digital storytelling, the works highlight how cultural expression continues to adapt and thrive.

Artists include Erin Many Heads, Tara Spring Chief, Brendan Many Bears, and Smith Wright.

“I want to show that our creativity is alive, evolving, and rooted in who we are as Siksika people.” – Sikapinakii Low Horn

Designed to travel safely and widely, the exhibition reflects both the endurance and innovation of Blackfoot art.

Land, Body, Spirit

Curated by Dr. Hali Heavy Shield (Kainai Nation)

This exhibition explores how art is woven into everyday life—an expression of land, kinship, and spirit.

Featuring artists across generations, the show includes beadwork, painting, photography, parfleche, and digital media.

Artists include Faye Heavy Shield, Lauren Crazybull, Harrison Stabs Down, Alan Wells, Bryce Singer Many Fingers, Darcy Healy, and CJ Beebe.

“Creativity is a very ordinary way of life. It’s part of our everyday living—our families, our laughter.” – Hali Heavy Shield

Grounded in Blackfoot protocol and relationship-building, the exhibition reflects care, collaboration, and intergenerational knowledge sharing.

At its heart, Land, Body, Spirit is about belonging—inviting audiences to see Calgary’s landscape through Indigenous ways of knowing and being.

Stoney Nakoda: Respect and Appreciation

Curated by Leo Chiniquay

This exhibition highlights the cultural values, traditions, and artistic practices of the Stoney Nakoda Nation.

Through themes of respect and appreciation, the works reflect deep connections to land, language, and community.

Grounded in cultural continuity, the exhibition offers insight into the enduring presence and evolving expression of Stoney Nakoda identity.

Tamaani | Here

Curated by Sophia Lebessis (Inuit)

This exhibition highlights the rich art and culture of the Inuit of Canada and inspire further learning with our collection of 12 stone sculptures carved by artists from different regions of Nunavut.

“Tamaani | Here is a starting point with which to relook at Inuit art, not as a homogenous art form, but the land coming to life, bringing one into the imagination of an artist's relationship with the environment that has shaped them. I draw from the words of wisdom of my mother, Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley, who comes from a long line of cultural knowledge-keepers. From Here, I hope that in your future encounters with Inuit art, you will see how artists from different regions of Nunavut have carved out their own distinct style from a shared understanding.” – Sophia Lebessis

Learn more about Tamaani | Here

Commissioned artists

Following the creation of the Curatorial Panel, artists were selected over a two-year period, with one artist chosen from each represented community.

The selected artists are:

Glenna Cardinal (Tsuut'ina Nation)
Faye HeavyShield (Kainai Nation, Blackfoot Confederacy)
Andrew Holloway (Stoney Nakoda Nations)
Sarah Houle-Lowry (Métis, Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement)

This initiative represents an important step toward increasing Indigenous representation and perspectives within Calgary's public art collection.

Glenna Cardinal

Glenna Cardinal is a Tsuut’ina Nation and Saddle Lake Cree Nation multi-disciplinary artist. She is the mother of two inspiring artists/musicians. She has a BSW from the University of Calgary 2015 and is a 2023 graduate of the Indigenous Master of Social Work program at the University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills, St. Paul, AB. Canada.

Her ongoing research is culturally based and challenges colonialism. She explores the history of the land that was her home which has become an eight-lane freeway, the Southwest Calgary Ring Road (SWCRR). This experience currently informs her art practice.

She is the child of residential school survivors past and present. She grew up attending Catholic schools in Calgary, and continues to live on Tsuut’ina Nation, the land of her maternal grandmothers. She is learning the nehiyaw and tsuut’ina languages.

"This collaboration with the City of Calgary and Indigenous Public Art has been a great learning experience for all involved in support of decolonizing contemporary art relationships.” – Glenna Cardinal

kuniya (come in): A Community Gathering with Artist Glenna Cardinal

On June 20, 2026, Tsuut’ina artist Glenna Cardinal hosted kuniya (come in): A Community Gathering as part of her Tsuut’ina Commission. The gathering brought community together through art, storytelling, music, food, and creative exchange.

The event formed the foundation for a digitized Super 8 film, approximately 15 to 20 minutes in length, which will become the final artwork entering Calgary’s Public Art Collection.

Held on Neighbour Day at Seven Chiefs Sportsplex, participants were invited to experience a community-led gathering centred on land, family, culture, memory, and connection.

The event featured rez house (2022), a powerful installation honouring connection to land, culture, and family. The work was created by tīná gúyáńí (deer road), a collaborative duo of Glenna Cardinal and her child, seth cardinal dodginghorse.

The gathering also included presentations by artists Tania Big Plume and Earl Jacobs, a sound performance by seth cardinal dodginghorse, and a film screening. Food was provided by the Tsuut’ina Brave Dogs Society.

This event was filmed as part of kuniya (come in), a digitized Super 8 artwork to be completed in fall 2026 and included in Calgary’s Public Art Collection.

Faye HeavyShield

Faye HeavyShield is a member of the Blackfoot Confederacy from the Kainai (Blood) Nation in the foothills of Southern Alberta. She is a fluent speaker of the Blackfoot language and studied at the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary.

HeavyShield has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions across Canada, including Nations in Urban Landscapes, Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver; rock paper river, Gallery Connexion, Fredericton; Into the Garden of Angels, The Power Plant, Toronto; and blood, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge.

Her work is held in collections including the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg; the Heard Museum, Phoenix; the Glenbow Museum, Calgary; and the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina. (Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver).

Andrew Holloway

Andrew Holloway is a member of the Stoney Nakoda Nations in Morley, Alberta. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Metalsmithing from the Alberta University of the Arts in Calgary. While his formal training provided a strong foundation in contemporary art and design, his artistic education began much earlier through learning traditional crafts from his grandparents at a young age.

Following graduation, Holloway founded Yethka Metal Works, a studio practice that primarily focuses on metalwork while also incorporating a variety of other materials and artistic mediums. His work spans both wearable metal art and large-scale public sculptures, with each piece reflecting a commitment to craftsmanship, storytelling and cultural expression.

Holloway's artistic practice is rooted in creating distinctive, enduring works that weave Indigenous perspectives and personal experiences into contemporary forms. His recent projects include a major commission for Calgary's BMO Centre, which explores the longstanding relationship between his family, Indigenous communities and the Calgary Stampede. He is also the artist behind a sculpture at Arts Commons, created as a cultural tribute to both Irish and Chippewa peoples. His work can be found in public and private spaces throughout Alberta.

At the heart of Holloway's practice is storytelling. Each artwork connects past and present, sharing narratives of history, identity and the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Through his work, he creates opportunities for reflection, understanding and connection across cultures.

More of Holloway's work can be explored through Yethka Metal Works on social media.

Sarah Houle-Lowry

Sarah Houle-Lowry is an artist and performer from Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement in Northern Alberta. Her practice is collaborative and time-based, evolving from personal mythology, familial roots, and material exploration to encompass animation, installation, ﬁlmmaking, digital media, sound, and community mentorship. Despite wide material interests, a clear aesthetic thread follows her practice. Sarah’s bold, pastel colours and ﬂoral motifs reference Métis beadwork.

Recurring characters of the Shapeshifter, Bird Boy, and the Little People haunt her projects, ﬂickering in and out of view across mediums. Sarah makes her home in Mohkinstsis/Calgary, but family – near and far – is integral to her process, both as subjects and collaborators. Her sons, nieces, and partner join in various works. She draws from ancestry and creates in community, never alone as she explores secret worlds, hiding in plain sight.

Sarah attended Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and graduated from Alberta University of the Arts in 2007. Her work has screened and exhibited across Canada, including ImagineNative Film Festival (Toronto), Asinabke Film Festival (Ottawa), AKA Ar.st Run Centre (Saskatoon), dc3 Art Projects / Ociciwan (Edmonton), Calgary International Film Festival, and Contemporary Calgary. In 2019, she was an Ar.st-in-Residence for Indigenous Placemaking at the Calgary Public Library, developing Flowers for My Ancestors, a project honouring the Métis story of her great-grandparents. She is a founding member of celebrated experimental rock band, Ghostkeeper, and has performed extensively for audiences ranging from Sled Island Festival, to a live broadcast on APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network). In 2020, Sarah Houle and her partner, Shane Ghostkeeper, established a collabora.ve project called Cîpayak ᒌᐸᕀ, developing multimedia installations and performances.

Sarah is keenly aware of her proximity to those around her — past, present, and future. Mentorship is an increasingly important part of her practice, sharing in the abundance of communal wisdom and collec.ve work. Her roles as an artist, mother, bandmate, collaborator, and community member evidence Sarah’s belief in interconnected relationships, stretching across place and time.

Together, these exhibitions and artworks form a living, travelling collection —
one that continues to grow, connect communities, and reshape Calgary’s public art landscape.

Indigenous Public Art Travelling Exhibitions

Indigenous Public Art Travelling Exhibitions