Arts & Culture Activities
Poetry Downtown
2023 CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Deadline: 4:30 pm June 30, 2023
The City of Saskatoon invites local emerging and established poets to submit poems for the Poetry Downtown project. The theme of the project is Kindness – acts of.
Poets may submit up to three poems that are suitable for the public. Poems must be between 4 – 20 lines long. Selected poets will be contacted by September 1, 2023.
Read the Call for Submissions:
Call for Submissions - Poetry Downtown
Apply through the City’s online granting portal:
https://cityofsaskatoon.smapply.io/prog/call_for_submissions_-_poetry_downtown/
October 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023 - Poems on the theme Reconciliation
Poetry Downtown was inspired by a challenge from Parliamentary Poet Laureate of Canada Louise Halfe encouraging municipalities to bring poetry to public places. The project is a partnership with Downtown Saskatoon.
The Poetry Downtown project features poems from six local poets displayed on the 3rd Avenue poster directories between 19th Street and 23nd Street in Downtown Saskatoon. The theme of the project is Reconciliation.
Launched on October 1, the project will be on display until May 31, 2023. A Call for Submissions was issued in July of 2022. The six selected poets and their poem titles are: Robert Benz: The Colour of Sky, Lisa Bird-Wilson: Beside a Residential School, Lauren Klassen: O’ Canada, Mika Lafond: Unapologetic, Jada Morin: it’s always so sad to see, and Jenny Ryan: Sask..
The goals of the project are:
- to enhance and move forward with Reconciliation
- to provide opportunities for artistic expression in the city centre
- to inspire the public through poetry
- to connect the work of local poets to the community
The public is encouraged to walk along 3rd Avenue and reflect on the poetry.
Aspiring poets are encouraged to contact the Writer-in-Residence at the Saskatoon Public Library or the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild for information on programs and resources for people wanting to learn more about writing poetry.
Bunkhouse Pop-Up Gallery Program
Artists in Place: The Bunkhouse Project is extending the Gallery Pop-Up Program. Gallery space is available to local emerging and established Saskatoon artists for public art exhibits on Saturdays and Sundays. The program will take place in the historic Bunkhouse at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo (SFFP&Z) until September 10, 2023.
Applications are accepted on an on-going basis. Artists may book one weekend per month to a maximum of four weekends per year.
Priority will be given to artists from 2SLGBTQQIA+, BIPOC, people with disabilities, and other equity groups and/or artists who have taken part in the Artists in Place: The Bunkhouse Project residency program and/or artists who want to exhibit work that is inspired by the SFFP&Z. Artwork displayed must be suitable for an all-ages civic facility.
See the following document for more information and how to apply:
Bunkhouse Pop-Up Gallery Information and Application Form
Participants in the Bunkhouse Pop-up Gallery Program are required to complete a follow-up form:
Upcoming Exhibitions
Anna Elliott
The Colour of Coincidence: The exhibition will explore intuitive art-making practice, using abstract monotype prints and possibly mixed media of varying shapes and sizes.
Saturday, June 17
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sunday, June 18
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Jordan Baraniecki
Flash: This will be a series of text-based, shadowboxes and mini collage artwork that was created during the Bunkhouse residency. All the work deals with color, introspection and solace.
Saturday, July 8
1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Sunday, July 9
1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Emily Ann Ives
Please Touch the Art: A display of my projects completed during my time at the Bunkhouse.
Saturday, August 5
3:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Sunday, August 6
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
SK Printmakers
This exhibition will feature Saskatchewan printmakers, highlighting a variety of traditional printmaking methods and the unique voice of individual artists..
Saturday, August 19
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sunday, August 20
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Dana Mastel
dear heart, quiet light: The exhibition will consist of wall hangings, framed prints, and a small table of functional work.
Saturday, August 26
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sunday, August 27
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
2023 Bunkhouse Artists
Summer's End is the final exhibition of the current Artists in Place: The Bunkhouse Project. Artwork includes, paintings, sculpture, sketches, cameraless photography, fashion design and printmaking. Summer’s End features artists Aarin Rinas, Cassandra Van Buekenhout, Dawn Rogal, Emily Ann Ives, Kathleen Kelly, and Mila Pshebylo.
Saturday, September 2
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sunday, September 3
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Rachel Broussard and Negar Devine-Tajgardan
Human Absence explores themes of loss, longing, and displacement in the works of Rachel Broussard and Negar Devine-Tajgardan.
Saturday, September 9
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Saskatoon: Where the Art Is
In the fall of 2019 the City of Saskatoon hosted the Creative City Network of Canada Summit. This three day conference for municipal cultural workers provided an opportunity for Saskatoon to share knowledge and highlight its dynamic arts and culture scene. Saskatoon artist Andrei Feheregyhazi was selected to create a short animated film to promote this event. His film, Saskatoon: Where the Art Is, is sponsored by Saskatchewan's Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport and the City of Saskatoon. The composition for the video was created by local musician, Dean Summach.
Culture Days
Every year, in the last weekend of September, Culture Days activities are available in Saskatoon. Culture Days is a national event that is free to participants and involves hands-on experiences that provide the public “backstage” or “behind-the-scenes” access to share in how art is made.
It is an invitation to the public to connect, engage and co-create in an innovative way in the arts. There are many opportunities for engagement and participation. Local businesses and emerging artists are encouraged to host and collaborate with artistic troupes in diverse cultural practices.
Creating Community: A Brief History of Arts and Culture in Saskatoon
Researched and written by Saskatoon writer Regine Haensel in 2011, this booklet traces the development of arts and heritage in Saskatoon. A cultural timeline of milestone events is also included.
Creating Community: A Brief History of Arts and Culture in Saskatoon