Ours is not a campaign office. Ours is a campaign gallery.
We launched it July 20, with a couple dozen photographs and paintings, from a variety of local artists.
More is coming and we’ll let people know of new exhibitions as they go up.
So why a campaign gallery? Well, it’s a bit of an easy leap, given that we’re occupying the former space of the Bugera Gallery. Our location, at 12310 – Jasper Avenue, is also on the gallery walk.
And yes, our campaign is strongly in favour of community vibrancy. Great cities are chockablock with art, music and multicultural flavour — things that delight the eye and mind; things that inspire curiosity, creativity and raise the collective quality of life.
But I’m no art fanatic or connoisseur. I know what I like, but I don’t have the expertise or vocabulary to describe why I like it.
What I’m more intrigued with is community engagement. How do we create more connections — relationships — in an urban environment that by its nature can be isolating.
Great communities, I strongly believe, are populated by people who look out for each other.
At our gallery launch I watched people from completely separate worlds chatting. My friend Sami Hayek runs an oilfield service company. He and food maven Gail Hall chatted at length.
I thought to myself: Where else would they meet? I heard Gail talking to Sami about loft living. He’s interested.
Stephen and Lynn Mandel dropped by for a visit. He is keen on a framed photo taken by my friend Tom Young.
The mayor chatted up a bunch of people who, I suspect, were left feeling a bit more connected to City Hall and to their community.
So, ours is not a campaign office. It is a campaign gallery. We will announce campaign hours soon.
We’ll be signing up volunteers so we can keep the gallery open as much as possible.
If you’d like to volunteer, please contact us.
