What’s New

The Annual Art Auction fundraiser that is typically held in the Spring is being scheduled for the Fall season this year. We’re pleased to announce the date of the 2019 Art Auction will be Saturday, November 2, 2019.

Each year since 1980, the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie has held an annual art auction to raise funds for its core operations and programming. This gala, supported by artists, businesses and the local community, is a celebration of the transformative power of the Arts, and acknowledges the important placement of the Gallery in our community.

We hope this year will be another exciting way for the community to support the Gallery in nurturing a healthy and creative Peace Region.

Visit our Art Auction webpage and social media for future announcements for donating artists, sponsors, volunteers, and ticket holders. Stay connected by signing up for our e-newsletter, ARTimage.

Saturday, February 9, 2019 from 1pm – 2pm.

This event is for members of the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie.

Join the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie’s Executive Director, Jeff Erbach for a guided tour of the exhibition, ‘What Do The Mountain Spirits Ponder?’ by Itchiku Kubota (2003).

Memberships help us remain one of the largest Free Admission public galleries in Western Canada. By becoming a member, you can receive invitations to special member-only tours and Curator talks, receive 20% discount on Gallery catalogues, workshops and art camps, vote on issues and Board Members at the Gallery’s General Meeting and more!

Through your support we can continue to ‘Enrich the community through the creation, conservation and sharing of art’.

Memberships can be purchased at the Gallery’s reception desk for 20$. Learn more by visiting our memberships webpage, https://aggp.ca/participate/memberships/

Artwork (left to right): Pine Bark Pattern of Prismatic Colours, Thinking About Wisteria, Exotic Florals: Chrysanthemum and Wisteria

The Art Gallery of Grande Prairie is proud to announce the addition of its new Acting Coordinator, Programs and Exhibitions, Jim Merrithew.  Jim will be taking up the position for Jamie-Lee Cormier, who begins her one year maternity leave at the end of November.

Executive Director, Jeff Erbach, is eager to get Jim plugged in and up to speed. “Jim has an extensive and diverse background, rooted in community development practices.  He’s so well rounded and such a pleasant person that we feel really lucky to welcome him to the team”.

Jim’s work will be to continue the momentum developed by Jamie-Lee.  Along with the Programs and Exhibitions Assistant, Jim will be overseeing the visitor experience, working with Curators in developing and implementing public programs, which includes Gallery tours, workshops and camps, and will lead exhibition and program promotion.

Jim says, “I am pleased to be joining the talented team at the Art Gallery. During the time I have lived in the Peace Region, I’ve visited the Gallery numerous times to view the exhibitions. The opportunity to contribute to the Gallery’s programs and goals is quite exciting.”

Jim is the former Supervisor of Tourism in Grande Cache and worked at their Tourism and Interpretive Centre where he oversaw budgeting, inventory control, staffing, grant writing and the visitor experience.  He has an extensive background in retail sales and both residential and commercial construction and maintenance, most recently as a worker with Alberta Parks.  He has a long artistic practice in photography and has been a community volunteer for sports and heritage related festivals, events and activities.

The Art Gallery of Grande Prairie is proud to announce that Campbell Davis will serve as Gallery Ambassador to the community this year.

The program provides direct mentorship to a young person to develop their skills in community leadership, diplomacy, social skills, strategic thinking, marketing, public speaking and more.  The Ambassadorship reflects the Gallery’s dedication to developing strong public programs for teenagers and for community development.

Executive Director, Jeff Erbach, is excited about working directly with Campbell.  “Campbell is a conscientious and really bright person.  His dedication to our community makes him well suited to assist us in communicating about the broad social and cultural benefits the Gallery’s work has through the Arts”.

Campbell will be attending a number of Gallery and community events during his tenure.

Campbell hopes to deepen his knowledge of the Gallery while promoting it to the community, saying, “Through the Ambassador program I have been given the opportunity to learn about the Gallery and also engage with the community. I hope to complete the program with an extensive knowledge of how the Gallery functions and also obtain many connections around Grande Prairie.”

Campbell is a 15 year old student in Grade 9 through Wilson Hill Academy.

Gallery Ambassador Sponsor:

An event centuries in the making, this special gathering welcomes for the first time in Western Canada Itchiku Kubota’s delicate and invaluable kimonos made in a lost 16th century Japanese style.

The exhibition features 48 kimono with brilliant designs brought to life by the creative genius of Itchiku Kubota (1917-2003), an extraordinary artist who won international recognition through exhibitions in North America and Europe for his unconventional designs, distinctive use of color, and intense commitment to his art and craft. His revival and modernization of ‘tsujigahana’, a textile art form lost for centuries, has also assured him a special place in Japanese legacy.

Itchiku Kubota: What do the Mountain Spirits Ponder?, will open to the public on November 22, but this is a unique and special opportunity to witness the welcoming and unveiling of a signature piece while celebrating Japanese culture.

The evening includes;

• Japanese fusion cuisine
• Unveiling of Itchiku Kubota masterwork kimono
• Booming Tree Taiko Drummers
• Sneak Peek information about the Gallery’s 2019 exhibitions and programs

A Celebration of Japanese Culture
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
7:00 – 9:00 pm
LOCATION: Four Points by Sheraton Grande Prairie, 6702-106 Street
Tickets are $50 each, or 2 for $85

Thank you to our sponsors!

Exhibition Sponsor:

Exhibition Partners:

The exhibition tour is organized by the International Chodiev Foundation.

The Art Gallery of Grande Prairie proudly announces the launch of a new program, the Youth Arts Laboratory, which sees 3 young participants ages 13-17 engaged in arts activities in a professional gallery setting.

With the new program, the Gallery aims to inspire, empower, and challenge each participant.  Executive Director Jeff Erbach is excited about the outcomes. “This is a really extraordinary opportunity for young people to develop and hone their skills under professional guidance and in a real world setting.  Each participant is contracted and remunerated for their time, so it’s like a series of internships where they each can select the types of projects they’d like to work on.”

By creating an opportunity for young people to receive mentorship on projects at a professional organization, the Gallery is developing future leaders through the Arts.  By example, one of the arts projects for youth involves the unpacking and installation of a professional art exhibition.  The work can be delicate, expensive and complex, which instructs participants on creative problem solving and diligence.  Other projects include work with the Gallery Permanent Collection, marketing and promotion of the program, developing arts learning programs, and more.

Participant Grace Larson, from Composite High School, is eager to get going. “The Youth Arts Laboratory is a unique program that I’m excited to be a part of! I’m looking forward to developing my own professional skills through the arts”.

Participants in the program include Grace Larson, Mia Cook and Sophie Picard.  The program wraps up on April 1, 2019 and is supported by ATB Financial, Prairie Mall and Grande Prairie Rotary Club.

The Art Gallery is organizing a fun volunteer weekend at the Great Northern Casino, September 8th and 9th, 2018, with proceeds supporting our exhibitions and programs for the entire year. There are 28 different shifts across a wide range of different volunteer duties, including chip running, money counting, and more.

Each volunteer will earn a FREE art publication and a FREE Gallery membership, giving you access to special member only events.

Volunteers who sign up for BOTH Casino days will receive one (1) ticket to our Annual Art Auction!

We’d love to have your support for all that we do.  For more information, please contact Melanie at melanie@aggp.ca or 780-357-7485.