glenbow public art commission: vinyl appliqué mural

Oki, Aba Washde, Dānast'ádā, Taanishii

In 2020, Glenbow announced it would renovate its 50-year-old building to provide a vibrant, thriving, arts and cultural resource in downtown Calgary.

Before closing for renovations in 2021, Glenbow welcomed approximately 150,000 visitors each year.When the museum reopens in 2026 at the JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture, annual attendance is expected to more than double. Thanks to a transformational donation of $25 million from the ShawFamily Foundation, the JR Shaw Free Admission Endowment will make Glenbow the first major museum in Canada to offer free general admission for everyone, forever. An additional $10 million from the Shaw Family Foundation is creating the JR Shaw Institute for Art in Canada. In honour of this $35 million donation, Glenbow’s building is being renamed the JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture.

Glenbow is transforming the museum’s original Brutalist architecture into a modern, welcoming space, enhancing both physical and experiential aspects of the museum. Glenbow’s new 312,000-square-foot home at the JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture opens all eight floors to visitors and includes exhibition, programing, and event spaces, as well as a gift shop, theatre, and restaurant. Anew distinct feature will be the 13,000-square foot rooftop terrace with an all-season pavilion designed by the internationally renowned artist Maya Lin, incorporating a skylight and oculus to filter natural light into the lower floors of the museum.

The museum’s programming is being reimagined to prioritize enhanced engagement with the museum’s collections, expanding access to those collections through exhibitions and programs that offer enriching art, culture, and history experiences. Glenbow will celebrate diverse voices and support local, regional, national, and international artists and stories, striving to create a space where all visitors will feel welcome, engaged, and a sense of belonging.