A Huge Calgary Art Show
1111 Group Art Exhibition
1111 Group Art Exhibition will showcase 1,111 Calgary artists and their work. With over 30,000 square feet of space, this is definitely going to be one of the largest art shows of the year. Paul Hughes, curator for 1111, helped shed more light on the mission of the exhibition, some of the difficulties they faced in trying to execute their grand vision, and some of the help they had along the way. This is a fantastic opportunity to view a very diverse collection of art and support myriad local, Calgary artists.
Date: Sunday, January 11, 2009
Time: 11:11 am to 11:11 pm
Location: Calgary Meals on Wheels
Address: 225 – 58 Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta
Cost: FREE, so bring as many friends and family as you can!
Website: http://www.oneoneoneone.ca/
A Great Mission
If ever there was an exhibition with a huge vision, this is it! 1111 is a group art exhibition that will be featuring 1,111 Calgary artists. If you’re only planning to attend one art show this year, make it this one – it’ll be like going to a hundred.
A venue change (from the Art Gallery of Calgary to Calgary Meals on Wheels) has meant an increase in the floorspace from 10,000 sq. ft. to 30,000 sq. ft. Now that’s going to be a huge exhibition.
I asked Paul Hughes, one of the curators about what exactly 1111’s mission was for the project:
1111 is a celebration of Calgary’s diverse and expressive cultural community.
At the core of 1111’s mission is the intention to increase public knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of both local art and contemporary art in Calgary. 1111 is about creating community and sharing expression, with the dual backdrops of challenging economic and cultural times.
With this clear objective, we openly accept all submissions to 1111. [Artists can submit their art by going to http://www.oneoneoneone.ca/node/7]
A Smaller Marketing Budget Requires More Creativity
While the 1111 Group Art Exhibition is certainly going to bring together a large number of artists, they unfortunately don’t have a marketing budget of proportional size, which has led them to some highly creative – more cost effective – solutions.
Paul describes how 1111 works with a smaller marketing budget and the innovation required to meet their marketing objectives:
To bring focus to this imaginative strategy, we symbolically initiated our marketing campaign with mini cards, approximately 1/4 the size of a standard business card. We printed 11,000 of these cards and distributed them through the 11 curatorial teams. We were successful in creating an inexpensive yet engaging dynamic with our potential audience upon first contact. We will continue this strategy of meshing inventive symbolism and networking throughout the marketing campaign of 1111.
The relationship between the budget and the 1111 artists involved in the exhibition is remarkable. In essence, 1111 is spending less that $1 for every participating artists, an unrivaled ratio in the Calgary arts community.
A Thank You To Calgary Meals On Wheels
1111 Venue - Calgary Meals On Wheels
Paul Hughes talks about the great gift that Calgary Meals On Wheels provided by giving 1111 a home:
1111’s search for a host venue has been followed closely by local and national media. The 1111 curatorial team has been seeking our exhibition “Hero” and the timing, prior to Christmas, is flawless. The media and Calgarians have openly embraced the announcement that Calgary Meals On Wheels (CMOW) has come to the aid of the Calgary creative community by providing the property at 225 – 58 Avenue SE for the purposes of the 1111 group exhibition. It is a decision that we can all feel good about and one that is timely and inspiring.
It is a rare opportunity to translate what was once considered a near hopeless situation into an act that captures the true meaning of both the season and the spirit of Calgary. Juxtaposed with so much of the recent unfortunate news, CMOW’s endowment becomes a unique and timely contribution to the citizens of Calgary – a free exhibition celebrating creativity. Essentially, a very memorable and visually spectacular gift to all Calgarians from 1111 and CMOW.
1111 and CMOW Have Done Their Part, Let’s Do Ours
The team at 1111 and Calgary Meals on Wheels have definitely done their part in providing a showcase for local art and artists. With over a thousand artists, 30,000 square feet of space, and FREE admission, Calgary art has never been so accessible. Remember that New Year’s Resolution post? Well this is the perfect way to bring more art into your life.
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