It doesn’t get much more central than the lively and vibrant urban plaza that is Churchill Square. Surrounded by restaurants, retail shops and cultural institutions like the Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA), Royal Alberta Museum, Citadel Theatre and Winspear Centre for Music, the square is also at the very heart of Edmonton’s growing Arts District.
“Edmonton is very fortunate in that many of its major arts and cultural organizations are all within an eight-block radius, and I think that makes us really unique in Canada,” says Catherine Crowston, executive director of the Art Gallery of Alberta.
“It’s not just one facility down here. There are many, and all of our different organizations have a range of activities with something interesting, really for everyone.”
In addition to larger organizations like the Winspear, Citadel and AGA, the downtown Arts District includes many smaller, independent arts spaces and organizations, including the Ociciwan Contemporary Arts Centre and Latitude 53 gallery, and CKUA Radio Network. It’s also home to one of Edmonton’s largest creative and educational spaces, the Stanley A. Milner Library.
“Art is about experiencing. So there are some really good opportunities for people who just want to take a break over lunch or after work to spend some time looking at art and just being here,” says Crowston.
“It’s a place where people can learn something new, be contemplative, and share the experience with their friends or their families, if they’d like.”
What makes the District such an important part of Edmonton’s downtown core is that many of the organizations are open five days a week or more, and offer programming throughout the day. While some of the spaces, like the Winspear and Citadel, are performance based and open mostly for events, others are accessible days, evenings and weekends, and offer a range of programs and activities for people to engage with and experience art. From film series to interactive workshops and artist talks, there are options for people who are well-versed in creative studies, as well as those just looking to try something new.
“We’re trying to create opportunities for people to experience things in all kinds of hands-on and experiential ways, and in ways that they can kind of create for themselves,” says Crowston.
The Arts District is also surrounded by a wealth of dining and retail options, including City Centre Mall, Rice Howard Way and the downtown farmer’s market, which returns from May to October this year. In the summer months, Churchill Square also serves as the backdrop to some of Edmonton’s most dynamic and exciting festivals and events, like The Works Art & Design Festival, the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival and A Taste of Edmonton. The area is also easily accessible by transit, with three LRT lines converging in the area at Churchill Square.
“People can come down during the day, come to one of the galleries, go shopping, have lunch, stay for a performance at one of the venues,” says Crowston. “We’ve got all these great things brought together right here – it’s really easy to experience the Arts District.”
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