The City of Calgary and Contemporary Calgary will soon have a modern art gallery in the former Centennial Planetarium, scheduled to open in 2019, as per a new deal.“(This) is the culmination of decades of work in trying to see this happen,” said Natasha Pashak, who is on the board of directors of Contemporary Calgary. “We’re very thrilled we’re now able to make this vision a reality,” she continued.In 2013, an arts group from the Institute of Modern and Contemporary Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Art Gallery of Calgary named Contemporary Calgary set forward a plan to repurpose the vacant Centennial Planetarium. The building, the former home to the Calgary Science Centre, was slated to become a major art gallery and cultural hub in the West Village. This group raised more than $4.75 million from the private sector to help achieve this goal. The idea was to turn the facility into another cultural gem for the city, something that would rival Studio Bell or the DJD Dance Centre.“I think Calgary has a very strong and vibrant arts scene,” said Pashak. “In part, I think that our artists haven’t been recognized sufficiently, locally and nationally and internationally,” she said. “We’ve had many artists that have reached local, national, and international renown, but there hasn’t been a gathering for them — a focal point.”The plan includes a climate-controlled gallery in the dome area and an auditorium for public lectures or film screenings. Alongside there will also be room for retail stores, coffee shops, and of course, space to launch exhibitions to showcase the world of contemporary art.“The vision has always been to have a place where Calgarians could be connected to international art dialogue and also to an art dialogue of national significance, while also showcasing our local talent,” continued Pashak.After much talk over the past two years, the City council and Contemporary Calgary announced a lease agreement had been reached, stated calgaryherald.com.
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