Burns Visual Arts Society marks 45 years of enhancing Calgary's cultural community

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Calgary is fortunate to have a healthy arts culture, vital to the livability of any city. We have many organizations and societies that do us proud, none with more enthusiasm than the small Burns Visual Arts Society (BVAS) — a dedicated and active group that was officially formed in 1979.

In celebration of its 45th anniversary, the members are holding an exhibition of their work in the Atrium of city hall from Oct. 21 to 25 — including painters, sculptors, a fabric artist and Alicia Zaldivar, a student at Alberta College of the Arts who is being mentored by BVAS artists.

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The society’s history goes back even earlier than 1979, to the time when some 50 independent artists took advantage of low rental rates during an inner-city decline and secured studio space in the unoccupied top two floors of the Burns Building across from city hall. The resident artists were not officially associated, but interacted with each other and shared their talents.

When a plan was approved to use the whole block for the Calgary Performing Arts Centre, the Burns Building was slated for demolition and the artists were told to clear their studios within 24 hours.

Fortunately, saner heads prevailed and the character building was saved — but the tenants had already gone. They formed BVAS as a means off collectively leasing space and were soon ensconced in the Neilson Block along 8th Avenue, where they carried on their creativity until the block became part of the future Hyatt Calgary Hotel and Calgary Convention Centre.

The facade remains but not the artists, who, after 19 years there had to find another new home.

The good news is they discovered a stand-alone, two-storey former automotive shop and one-time home of Sun Ice — at 828 24th Ave. S.E. in Ramsay — that was perfect for their needs, and they recently signed another five-year lease with the new owner.

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BVAS has 15 studios shared by 20 artists and there are seldom vacancies, usually having a wait list to rent a space.

Keen to be a recognized part of the community, recording secretary Cecilia Gossen says BVAS facilitates face-to-face interactions between artists and the community, including Eastside Studio Crawl, Studio Stomp and workshops. It holds open houses for its neighbours when close by Rosso Coffee Roasters provides tables and chairs — and its delicious coffee.

Gossen has been an active member for 26 years, one of more than 200 who have enjoyed and benefited from the society. A sculptor and painter, she is representative of the enthusiasm and dedication of her studio neighbours toward their work and promotion of the arts.

Born in Cartagena, Columbia, Goosen married a Canadian and moved to Calgary in 1969. Attending the University of Calgary, she earned a BFA, MFA and a PhD in fine arts. For 14 years she was a board member of Fort Calgary, serving as chair for the past four.

Gossen has been recognized as a tireless worker for the local art community — her awards include two Killam Awards and three Queen Elizabeth II Doctoral Scholarships. She has exhibited widely, including solo exhibitions with Canada’s High Commission in London, England, the Museum of Modern Art in Cartagena, and in group shows in Spain, Chile and Calgary.

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The upcoming exhibition in city hall will include her work and current creations by 17 other members of BVAS — none can be purchased there, but each will have a contact card attached.

Notes:

Time flies when you are having fun — and are busy. It hardly seems possible that it is 20 years since Shauna MacDonald launched Brookline Public Relations in Calgary, now recognized as one of Canada’s leading boutique PR agencies. Offices have been opened in Edmonton and Toronto, and the company continues to attract new, major clients since July. They include DMG Events, working on Ottawa’s Canadian Energy Preparedness Conference, Edmonton’s Carbon Capture Conference, and Calgary’s International Pipeline Conference. The Canadian Cattle Association has contracted Brookline PR to assist in crisis preparedness, planning and training, and with the additions of CrossIron Mills, T&T Supermarkets and WSX World Supercross Championship in Vancouver, MacDonald’s team will have a busy fall.

David Parker appears regularly in the Herald. Read his columns online at calgaryherald.com/business. He can be reached at 403-830-4622.

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