The Bows

The facility called The Bows was previously known as Untitled Art. They began in Mohkinstsis, Treaty 7 Territory in Calgary, Alberta, in 1994 with recent graduates of the Alberta College of Art + Design (now the Alberta University of the Arts), who decided to pool resources and create a collective studio to navigate the challenging environment outside the boundaries of post-secondary art education. The artist-driven The Bows Studios offers financially feasible Beltline studio spaces, opportunities to show works in exhibitions, participate in a curator's studio visit, and join all the artistic and discursive initiatives of Untitled. Members are rent-paying artists. This, however, does not include the cost of communal utility fees, the furniture available in the space, and the presence of a public access computer in each studio. Secure, private studio apartments start at $390 a month for about 100 sq. ft. of working space. The cost covers utilities, high-speed internet, the studio computer, and shared common spaces. Size determines the type of studio an artist occupies. Members can go to their studio at any time every day of the week, all year round. A forklift is available to carry large items out and in, and a loading dock at the building's rear helps artists take big items in and out of their studios. Artists must access their studios through regular doors, for safety and security reasons. The Bows ensures members have a studio environment that supports their artistic practice. Artists can use oil paintings as long as they use low-fume or linseed oils. Oil painting involved a solvent, making it necessary to use it in well-ventilated areas. Toxic fumes are not allowed in the building. Artists can spray and prepare materials on the loading dock, which increases artists' freedom to use the paint and the materials they need. Perfect Artists' Space

The art community is awesome and provides a great little workspace for artists like me and offers a resident artist studio. And, because the place has been certified as a hateful fanatic-free area, they can welcome and nurture any artist who has unique ideas. The current exhibition by Maryse Larivière, is also lovely.