Artist in Residence (AiR) Program
We aim to provide more opportunities for women experiencing marginalization to connect with Calgary’s arts and music community, while also providing increased visibility and support to local women-identifying artists. We select one artist or group of artists for each season of the year to lead skill building workshops and perform at special Women’s Centre events to provide all women in Calgary with new opportunities to celebrate creativity. This program includes any style of art: visual, music, film, etc.
AiR shares the Women’s Centre vision of women supporting communities and communities supporting women. We achieve community building through showcasing the artists, sharing art practice, collaborating on projects, and hosting workshops and events. The artistic vision of each residency is ever growing based on the unique goals of each individual artist and their collaboration with women in our community. Our goal is to host inclusive events at the Women’s Centre with artists and participants of all experience levels and diverse backgrounds.
How can women get involved and support the program?
- Become an Artist in Residence!
- Attend our events, workshops, or networking nights
- Support an event as a special guest or speaker (in collaboration with the artists)
- Share our events and opportunities with your networks
- Donate to the Women’s Centre in support of the program
- Volunteer on our Artist in Residence committee
- Stay up to date on upcoming events, sign up for our Newsletter
Artists in Residence of 2021 - 2022
The Artists in Residence volunteers at the Women’s Centre anticipate a year of multimedia creative expression that aims to bring community together. A volunteer committee of peer artists curate three or four Artists in Residence a year.
This year, we have artists in residence as well as muralists in residence and are collaborating with: Manuela Albarracin, Flora Johnson and Doro Buch.
Each artist will be showcased at one of our major special events throughout the year. They will each be putting on a workshop or an event for women to attend, learn about their craft and get in touch with some creative energy! Stay tuned for our events throughout the year by visiting our events page.
Manuela Albarracin
Bio to come
Flora Johnson
Bio to come
Doro Buch
Bio to come
Alumni of the AiR program include:
- Penny Gunderson – visual arts (2020)
- Mariya Stokes – country music artist (2020)
- Claudia Chagoya – sculptor (2020)
- Julia Rose Sutherland – photographer, sculptor, writer, performance artist (2020)
- Rocio Graham – photographer, visual artist (2019)
- Sally Njoroge – spoken word poet, lyricist, social activist (2019)
- Prarie Kitten Productions – Vanessa Wenzel, Cayley Wreggitt, Danielle White, Elaine Yang and Siobhan Cooney – Alberta film writers, producers and directors (2019)
- Girls Rock Camp Calgary– Creator Nicola Lefevre and punk-rock band alumnae Afternoon Tea Party (Winter 2018)
- Paula Timm, Michelle Dyer, Christina Stein, Samantha Fodor, Jennifer Jacoby– These five visual artists came together through their residency at the Centre to create Open Project YYC (Spring 2018)
- mita– Singer-songwriter (Summer 2018)
- Jackie Carrier– Cree, Seaulteux, Sioux maker of mini-drums, jewelry, and dreamcatchers, volunteer with the Women’s Centre for 20 years (Winter 2018)
- Femme Wave– Hayley Muir and Kaely Cormack, co-creators of Calgary’s first feminist arts and musical festival (Winter 2017)
- Debbie Willis– Short-story published author (Spring 2017)
- Chantal Chagnon– Cree Ojibwe Métis Singer, Drummer, Artist, Storyteller, Actor, Educator, Workshop Facilitator, Social Justice Activist (Summer 2017)
- Cobra Collins– Calgary Métis poet and spoken word artist (Fall 2017)