NE public art projects
Northeast Public Art Initiative
By investing in creative spaces and supporting local talent, we’re bringing more art into the everyday lives of residents in northeast Calgary — art that reflects the people, cultures and stories rooted in these communities.
About the initiative
The Northeast Public Art Initiative is an effort to increase access to public art in Calgary’s northeast.
Through a series of projects shaped by community input, the initiative is transforming public spaces into places for connection, creativity and cultural expression. It supports local artists and businesses while celebrating the diversity of art forms, people and cultures represented in northeast Calgary.
Art and artists
Each local artist brings a unique perspective and is working closely with community members to create meaningful artworks. Some projects are complete and ready to explore, while others are currently in progress.
Completed projects
Explore completed projects below to read about the artist and their work.
Upcoming projects
Explore upcoming projects below to read about the artist and their work.
Stories behind the art
These short documentary films by Samueal Obadero highlight how northeast Calgary community members helped shape the public art in their neighbourhoods.
Through conversations, workshops and shared experiences, artists drew inspiration from the people and places that define these communities.
About Samuel Obadero
Samuel Obadero's journey into the arts began in theatre in Lagos, Nigeria, where he was born. As both an actor and stage director, he directed several plays and performed on many stages in Nigeria before immigrating to Canada in 2018. He is also a multi-award winning photographer and one of his proudest moments was winning the Art Champion award at The City of Calgary's Mayor's Launch in 2019. He achieved a life goal when he opened Calgary's first Black-owned photography studio, where he now mentors other young artists.
With his first degree in Information Technology, Samuel helped develop the IT infrastructure at the largest YMCA in the world, but art has always been close to his heart.
Inspired by community
Community voices have shaped every step of the Northeast Public Art Initiative. From early ideas to artist selection and concept development, residents have played a key role in guiding the vision for public art in their neighbourhoods.
What we’ve heard so far
In 2021, we asked for your ideas on what kind of public art should be created, where it should be located and what stories it should tell. Your thoughtful input helped shape the overall project plan and informed the artist calls.
In 2022, we hired local artists to create a bench, a bike rack, a picnic table and a sculpture. Community members shared ideas about what they wanted to see reflected in the designs. Some of these artworks are now complete and installed, while others are in progress and will be unveiled soon.
Upcoming artist engagement
Sign up for our monthly public art newsletter to be notified about future opportunities to share your ideas and inspire new artistic concepts.