hen people think of Calgary the image that tends to come to mind is one of towering construction cranes, vast flat landscapes, and the Calgary Flames. It's not exactly the type of place that you would expect to have a burgeoning arts community. A town comprised of miners, businessmen, and athletes does not seem particularly conducive to creativity. And yet, the opposite is true. As Calgary continues to grow and bloom as a city, so too has it's art community blossomed. This year the Junos were held in Calgary and hometown girl Feist ended up being the star of night, winning no less than five awards. It was the ultimate sign of change for the ever-evolving city.

While it isn't particularly well documented, Calgary has an estimate 360 venues for the performance and display of art, including 193 art galleries, 49 performing art venues, and 18 museums. Many of these venues house some of the most exciting new voices in the Canadian art community. For example, the Firehall Glassworks Studio and Gallery is the home to father and son team Brian and Cody Kelk who turn molten glass into art pieces live on site. Over 45 artists are official member of city galleries with countless others visiting the city regularly. Calgary is quickly becoming one of the most exciting and active visual arts communities in the country.

Calgary music community is growing steadily as well. While the aforementioned Feist is making a name for the music scene nationwide, there are plenty of local venues that are more than worth you time. Clubs around the city hold local and visiting bands nightly and groups of rabid indie rock fans are slowly forming throughout the city. On a more culturally advanced level, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra is always available. The group celebrated it's 50th anniversary three years ago and continues to provide Calgarians with some of the finest classical music in the country.