ArtBeat

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Young Drunk Alberta Punk becomes Hollywood Dad

Before Canadian comedian Bruce McCulloch was part of the troupe The Kids in the Hall, he spent his youth in the hallways of Alberta schools. We hear about how his early days shaped him and his show, Young Drunk Punk and upcoming memoir, Let’s Start a Riot – How a Young Drunk Punk became a Hollywood Dad. He’s performing Young Drunk Punk at St. Albert’s Arden Theatre on Sunday (November 2) at 7:30pm.

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Archivist Tim O’Grady from the City of Edmonton Archives tells ArtBeat about the new exhibit that showcases the beginnings of Halloween in Alberta’s capital city. Tonight’s the Night! Halloween in Edmonton: 1900-1950 exhibit is at the City Archives in the Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre. The exhibit runs into 2015 in partnership with Archives Society of Alberta.

Historians Jonathan Brower and Kevin Allen are both currently spearheading projects to unearth LGBTQ history in Calgary. ArtBeat hears from the founders of Calgary’s Queer Theatre History and Calgary Gay History Project.

In honour of our Fall Fundraiser, we’re hearing from listeners about their CKUA stories – what the station means in their lives. ArtBeat hears from Mary Phillips about the lifeline CKUA was while her family was stationed at a remote forest ranger station more than 40 years ago near Cadomin, Alberta.

Before Canadian comedian Bruce McCulloch was part of the troupe The Kids in the Hall, he spent his youth in the hallways of Alberta schools. We hear about how his early days shaped him and his show, Young Drunk Punk and upcoming memoir, Let’s Start a Riot – How a Young Drunk Punk became a Hollywood Dad. He’s performing Young Drunk Punk at St. Albert’s Arden Theatre on Sunday (November 2) at 7:30pm.

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Artist dances with Death

Visual artist, Mike Binzer takes his many years as a ballet dancer and uses it to explore the physicality of death. His work, Regarding Death is at the Okotoks Art Gallery until November 8. ArtBeat talks to Mike about why he created a collection of paintings that reflects on the process of dying and decay.

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Alberta is home to North America’s northern most botanic garden. Located just outside of Edmonton, the Devonian Botanic Garden boasts 190 acres of native, rare, and tropical plants. Originally established as a research facility the gardens have become an award winning tourism destination. This summer the Canadian Garden Council Tourism Awards named them Botanical Garden of the Year. ArtBeat hears from General Manager Ruby Swanson about how garden grew its national reputation.

Visual artist, Mike Binzer takes his many years as a ballet dancer and uses it to explore the physicality of death. His work, Regarding Death is at the Okotoks Art Gallery until November 8. ArtBeat talks to Mike about why he created a collection of paintings that reflects on the process of dying and decay.

Edmonton-based artist Sara French has spent her time as Harcourt House Gallery’s Artist in Residence calculating the value of newspapers. ArtBeat hears about why the printed news is important to the local arts community, so much so that Sara has created a arts-focused newspaper Arts and Culture XL as well as the exhibition The Paper Wall: Controlling the Archive (October 23-November 28).

Canadian Astronaut, Colonel Chris Hadfield shares what he’s learned, on and off planet earth with ArtBeat. He’ll be in Jasper on October 25 to give the Keynote address as part of the 2014 Jasper Dark Sky Festival. The festival runs now until October 26.

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New App walks you through Edmonton History

A new app is giving you a chance to walk through Edmonton’s streets 100 years ago. The Edmonton Heritage Council has teamed up with Don Hill (you might recognize him from CKUA’s Expressions series) to create an innovative mobile app that combines archival audio, documentary radio, and 3D soundscape. ArtBeat hears from David Ridley, executive director of the Edmonton Heritage Council, about why they’re excited about this new approach to history. You can download the free app on your Apple or Android device. Just search for Edmonton Soundscapes.

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A new app is giving you a chance to walk through Edmonton’s streets 100 years ago. The Edmonton Heritage Council has teamed up with Don Hill (you might recognize him from CKUA’s Expressions series) to create an innovative mobile app that combines archival audio, documentary radio, and 3D soundscape. ArtBeat hears from David Ridley, executive director of the Edmonton Heritage Council, about why they’re excited about this new approach to history. You can download the free app on your Apple or Android device. Just search for Edmonton Soundscapes.

Calgary Poet Laureate asks for no more poetry! The city’s second to hold the position, derek beaulieu is not interested in traditional poetry. ArtBeat hears why and what he creates instead. derek will be participating in the International Writers Festival, WordFest running in Banff and Calgary, October 16-20.

Colouring helps adults cope with stress. ArtBeat fills in between the lines of the colouring book for adults trend and speaks with Calgary-based Registered Art Therapist, Kristin Boettger about the benefits this art can have.

Colour CKUA

Baba

Sarah Hoyles

Grant Stovel

Peter North

Print, colour and show us your creations in 1 of 2 ways:

1.) Post a photo of your completed colouring page(s) on social media on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #colourCKUA
2.) Email a photo of your completed colouring page(s) to shoyles@ckua.com

We’ll add your submissions to our Colour CKUA photo album on Facebook and draw three submissions to receive CKUA prize packs in the coming weeks.

Food writer, Michele Genest shares what ingredients the local woodlands provide in her newest cookbook, The Boreal Feast. The Whitehorse-based food writer tells ArtBeat what the boreal forest, which takes up nearly 50 per cent of Alberta, has on the menu. She is in Alberta for LitFest (October 16-26) with events in Sherwood Park, St. Albert and Edmonton.

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Gaining legitimacy for Indigenous artists in the Canadian art world

Gaining legitimacy in the Canadian art world has been a hard-won fight for Indigenous artists. Now a new exhibition at the Whyte Museum in Banff, Indigenous Ingenuity is chronicling this history. Combining  the work of celebrated artist Dr. Joane Cardinal-Shubert the Indian Group of 7 and historic examples of traditional art practice the exhibit paints a broad picture of Indigenous art. ArtBeat talks with the curator of Indigenous Ingenuity, Anne Ewan, about how the exhibit celebrates an art tradition that stretches far past stereotype and compartmentalization and asks the viewer to see these artists as Canadian artists who happen to be Indigenous and not the other way around.

A new book details inner life of one of the world’s greatest mountaineers and guides, Austria-born Conrad Kain who spent much of his life in Canada’s Rocky Mountains. Before he left his home country to chase adventure in Banff, he struck up a friendship with Amelie Malek, a wealthy high society woman. Over the next 27 years, they would correspond through letters and now historian Zac Robinson has unearthed their letters and published them in his book Conrad Kain; Letters from a Wandering Mountain Guide, 1906-1933, published by the University of Alberta Press. Edmonton actor Cody Porter performs excerpts of the book. You can see Cody in Edmonton’s Workshop West production of The Laws of Thermodynamics by Cat Walsh in February 2015.

Painting wildlife from a car. Alberta-based artist, Samantha Walrod captures the modern experience of witnessing wildlife from the seat of a car in her new exhibition, Majestic Wanderer. It’s on now at the Newzones Gallery in Calgary until October 18. ArtBeat speaks with Sam about her exploration of our relationship to the wilderness.

Gaining legitimacy in the Canadian art world has been a hard-won fight for Indigenous artists. Now a new exhibition at the Whyte Museum in Banff, Indigenous Ingenuity is chronicling this history. Combining  the work of celebrated artist Dr. Joane Cardinal-Shubert the Indian Group of 7 and historic examples of traditional art practice the exhibit paints a broad picture of Indigenous art. ArtBeat talks with the curator of Indigenous Ingenuity, Anne Ewan, about how the exhibit celebrates an art tradition that stretches far past stereotype and compartmentalization and asks the viewer to see these artists as Canadian artists who happen to be Indigenous and not the other way around.

He’s on many kid’s music playlists, now ArtBeat finds out what Fred Penner listens to. Since 1979, the Canadian icon and the Order of Canada recipient has been making music and entertaining young and old. Fred Penner is in Alberta this month, on October 18 at The Artery in Edmonton (18+) and an all-ages show is at The Arden Theatre in St. Alberta on October 19.

ArtBeat finishes up its CKUA Book Club discussion of David Byrne’s book Bicycle Diaries.

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Graphic Novelist says “Save the Photobooths!”

Edmonton raised, Montreal based artist Meags Fitzgerald is sharing her love of photobooths with the world. In her debut graphic novel, Photobooth: A Biography, Meags investigates and celebrates the history of the humble photobooth while making a poignant argument for their survival. Photobooth: A Biography was published by Conundrum Press this summer. Meags will be speaking at the Edmonton Public Library on October 9 and in Calgary as part of WordFest.

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Calgary artist, Steven Cottingham is sending a message to Calgary oil companies with flowers. It’s part of his TRUCK Gallery exhibition, I’ve committed sins no god could forgive in the +15 Window in the EPCOR Centre. ArtBeat finds out why he’s using his artist fee to purchase flowers for strangers in the oil industry.

Musicians and artists have been provides patients with a welcome distraction during painful medical procedures, comfort in end-of-life situations and relief through long hospital stays for 15 years. It’s for the Artists on the Wards program at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton.

ArtBeat sits down with professional harp player, Bev Ross who also works as an Artist on the Ward, to find out about the people behind the successful program. The two-show 15-year anniversary celebration will be during Alberta Culture Days on September 26 and 27 at McMullen Gallery.

Edmonton raised, Montreal based artist Meags Fitzgerald is sharing her love of photobooths with the world. In her debut graphic novel, Photobooth: A Biography, Meags investigates and celebrates the history of the humble photobooth while making a poignant argument for their survival. Photobooth: A Biography was published by Conundrum Press this summer. Meags will be speaking at the Edmonton Public Library on October 9 and in Calgary as part of WordFest.

High River’s Museum of the Highwood is honouring the Alberta ties to celebrated Canadian author W.O. Mitchell. It’s in the exhibit W.O. Mitchell: Folksy Foothills Philosopher, marking the centenary of the beloved Canadian author’s birth. The exhibit features the Mitchell family’s 20 years in High River, and the influence of the Foothills on W.O.’s writing.

CKUA Book Club cycles through bike reporters that cover the bike, much like David Byrne in his book, Bicycle Diaries. We’ll uncover bicycle bloggers and broadcasters, including CJSR’s Bike Traffic Reporter, Karly Coleman.

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New Edmonton Film Festival screens in Subway

ArtBeat hears about the new Gotta Minute Film Festival (September 15-21) that is bringing movies to Edmontonians’commute. The festival coordinator, Beth Wishart MacKenzie, explains why public transit is a perfect place for film screenings.

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ArtBeat hears about the new Gotta Minute Film Festival (September 15-21) that is bringing movies to Edmontonians’commute. The festival coordinator, Beth Wishart MacKenzie, explains why public transit is a perfect place for film screenings.

If you were Jewish and living in the Soviet Union in the 1970s you didn’t have very many choices. Rumors of famine were in the air and leaving the country was not an option. But thanks to international pressure in the wake of the 1980 Moscow Olympics the Soviet Union let a record number of 5900 people leave as refugees. Ella Zeltserman was one of them. Today she calls Edmonton home and her debut collection of poetry small things left behind published by the University of Alberta Press traces her journey.

An artist is helping Calgarians to remember their dead with an Equinox Vigil in Calgary’s Union Cemetery. ArtBeat finds out why Sharon Stevens feels the event is necessary.

The Drumheller landscape is the main character in a film that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. It’s the first feature-length film The Valley Below by Calgary-based filmmaker Kyle Thomas and ArtBeat talks to him about why he cast the badlands.

David Byrne reveals culture in various cities worldwide from the seat of his bike, in his book Bicycle Diaries. Now CKUA Book Club is finding out what biking in Alberta cities reveal about our province and culture with help from Central Alberta Bicycle Club ‘s Michael Meeres, President of Calgary’s Spin Sisters Bike Club, Cindy Spence and avid Edmonton cyclist Caylie Gnyra.

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Mobile Planetarium brings Astronomy to Rural Albertans

A new portable planetarium is helping rural Albertans learn about the skies above. ArtBeat talks with the AstroDome Planetarium’s James Durbano about why he is bringing the inflatable dome and astronomy to small town Alberta.

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A new portable planetarium is helping rural Albertans learn about the skies above. ArtBeat talks with the AstroDome Planetarium’s James Durbano about why he is bringing the inflatable dome and astronomy to small town Alberta.


Digital artist Cory Arcangel has collected tweets about people “working on their novel” and is publishing them in his debut book, Working on my Novel. ArtBeat finds out why Cory wanted to gather the 4000 tweets by strangers writing about working on their novels.

Aid for aid workers. ArtBeat hears about Amy Braithwaite’s personal journey and new Calgary-made documentary film that explores the impact humanitarian work can have. Kick at the Darkness: An exploration of the Psycho-Social Impact of Aid Work premieres on September 18 at the Calgary Centre for Global Community.

Musician David Byrne chronicles what he finds as he pedals through some of the world’s major cities in our September CKUA Book Club read, Bicycle Diaries. ArtBeat looks for other musicians and authors who are inspired by the bicycle.

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Calgary Choreographers take Painting Dancing

The painting, Berlin Bus by celebrated Canadian artist, Alex Colville goes dancing at this year’s Alberta Dance Festival. ArtBeat hears how three choreographers, Chelci Blais, Quinn Kliewar and Sisa Madrid are interpreting the visual art into movement.

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The painting, Berlin Bus by celebrated Canadian artist, Alex Colville goes dancing at this year’s Alberta Dance Festival. ArtBeat hears how three choreographers, Chelci Blais, Quinn Kliewar and Sisa Madrid are interpreting the visual art into movement.

A new exhibit, Verlag Notes, curated by Suzanne Rackover and Peta Rake, celebrates the weird and wonderful world of the Banff Centre’s Paul D Fleck artist book collection. ArtBeat hears the story of how the library grew from 50 to 4000 books and the work being done to give these books their due as art objects.

Crossword puzzle writer, Gwen Sjogren has some choice words for Canada. The Calgary-based designer of crosswords has created more than 600 puzzles and she’s readying to release O Canada Crossword 15 with Nightwood Editions. ArtBeat talks with her about why words games and Canada continue to fascinate her.

The CKUA Book Club discusses our August selection, Coming Through Slaughter. The 1976 novel by Michael Ondaatje, is a fictionalized telling of the jazz pioneer, Buddy Bolden as he destroyed himself and music boundaries. Ballads & Bluenotes host, Tony King and CKUA Associate Producer, Megan Clark join host Sarah Hoyles to examine the novel.

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New U of A Class to Understand Video Games

A new, open, free online course, Understanding Video Games explores what video games teach us about culture, gender, sex and violence in 11 lessons. ArtBeat talks with University of Alberta professor, Sean Gouglas about the interactive art form and what it says about our society, and about the interplay between designer, the player and the game itself.

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A new, open, free online course, Understanding Video Games explores what video games teach us about culture, gender, sex and violence in 11 lessons. ArtBeat talks with University of Alberta professor, Sean Gouglas about the interactive art form and what it says about our society, and about the interplay between designer, the player and the game itself.

An Alberta gallery wants to secure the legacy of the artist, John Clark. The Contemporary Calgary gallery is exhibiting his life’s work in John Clark: A Tribute on until August 31. ArtBeat speaks with the show’s curator and the gallery Artistic Director, Jeffrey Spalding about why the impact of John Clark is still being felt 25 years after his passing.

The Claresholm Museum is investigating the history of the Claresholm School of Agriculture. Now, ArtBeat hears from museum director Miranda Grol and local resident and son of one of the school’s former students, Ross Mouser, to find out the lasting impact of the school that was only open for 18 years.

Celebrated author, Michael Ondaatje talks with ArtBeat about his novel Coming Through Slaughter. The 1976 novel is the August read for the CKUA Book Club. It transports the reader to New Orleans in the early 1900s to witness jazz pioneer, Buddy Bolden destroy himself and music boundaries.

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Edmonton Fringe Festival Sampler

Calgary’s Swallow-a-Bicycle Theatre company showcases eavesdropping in their new show, Eavesdrop: The Coffee Shop Show. ArtBeat meets up with the play’s director, Charles Netto and a professor of Criminology and Sociology, Kevin D. Haggerty, to explore the human desire to listen in on strangers’ conversations. The play is being presented as a part of the Edmonton Fringe Festival at the southside Remedy Cafe (8631-109 St). ArtBeat also hears about the radio drama from the CKUA’s past, Guy Faulkrand, Gentleman Adventurer moving from the radio to the stage. The Edmonton theatre company, Centuries Old Productions is presenting THE RELUCTANT RETURN OF DONALD DRAKE at this year’s Edmonton Fringe Fest on Stage 5 in King Edward School.

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Local artist plays with words. ArtBeat hears why Bonnie Patton’s Marks of Meaning: Visual Poetry at the Spruce Grove Art Gallery calls everyday words into question in a series of large-format black and white prints of visual poetry artworks. The exhibition is on until September 6.

Comic artist Eric Dyck creates a sense of place through his comic strip. His newest project, Slaughterhouse Slough, documents the weird and wonderful world of his new home in Lethbridge. He shares his stories of crafting a homegrown comic series with ArtBeat.

Calgary’s Swallow-a-Bicycle Theatre company showcases eavesdropping in their new show, Eavesdrop: The Coffee Shop Show. ArtBeat meets up with the play’s director, Charles Netto, and a professor of Criminology and Sociology, Kevin D. Haggerty, to explore the human desire to listen in on strangers’ conversations. The play is being presented as a part of the Edmonton Fringe Festival at the southside Remedy Cafe 8631-109 St). ArtBeat also hears about the radio drama from CKUA’s past, Guy Faulkrand, Gentleman Adventurer, moving from the radio to the stage. The Edmonton theatre company Centuries Old Productions is presenting THE RELUCTANT RETURN OF DONALD DRAKE at this year’s Edmonton Fringe Fest on Stage 5 in King Edward School.

Without a recording of jazz pioneer, Buddy Bolden, we try to figure out what he sounded like, with help from A Time for Jazz host Kodi Hutchinson. Buddy is at the centre of CKUA Book Club’s August selection, Coming Through Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje.

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Happy Lefthanders’ Day 
Lefthanders Day is August 13! To celebrate, ArtBeat talks with three Alberta-based artists, painters Doug Swinton and Justina Smith as well as musician Ben Disaster about how being a southpaw impacts their creative process.


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Lefthanders Day is August 13! To celebrate, ArtBeat talks with three Alberta-based artists, painters Doug Swinton and Justina Smith as well as musician Ben Disaster about how being a southpaw impacts their creative process.


With a booming oil industry in the province, Alberta arts are well supported. Now a visual art exhibition is looking at how oil is depicted in visual art. The Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition (TREX) is called Black Gold and it’s organized by the Art Gallery of Alberta. Curator, Shane Golby lead us through the exhibition and the history of oil in Alberta all told with visual art. The exhibition featuring the work of Paul Bernhardt, Bruno Canadien, Steven Dixon, Judith E. Hall, Leya Russell and Justin Wayne Shaw is on display at the Royal Alberta Museum until August 24, then it will tour galleries, schools and libraries in southern and northern Alberta for the next 10 months.


Alberta musicians challenge one another to write a song per month for a year and then share their creations on tape with subscribers. ArtBeat talks with the musician, Jesse Northey, who’s behind and participating in the MIXTAPE Club.


The lives of Syd Vicious, composer Haydn and Robert Johnson have mysteries in them, like that of the main character, Buddy Bolden in CKUA Book Club’s August selection Coming through Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje. Associate Producer Megan Clark puts on her sleuth’s cap to dig up some big question marks in the world of music like those of real-life figure, Buddy Bolden.

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7 Wonders of the Badlands

Deep in the heart of the badlands lay ancient hoodoos, remnants of a Blackfoot village quiet since the 1700s, and coal mines buried deep in the ground. Out of all these treasures the Royal Tyrrell Museum has declared The Seven Wonders of the Badlands and you can adventure through the badlands to find them on a guided tour. ArtBeat hears from science educator and guide Marcy Belva about the wonders of the badlands.

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Deep in the heart of the badlands lay ancient hoodoos, remnants of a Blackfoot village quiet since the 1700s, and coal mines buried deep in the ground. Out of all these treasures the Royal Tyrrell Museum has declared The Seven Wonders of the Badlands and you can adventure through the badlands to find them on a guided tour. ArtBeat hears from science educator and guide Marcy Belva about the wonders of the badlands.

Award-winning Albertan actor and playwright Chris Craddock is publishing his life. It’s in a new collection of his work, Public Speaking and Other Plays being released on NeWest Press. One of them is his one-man show Moving Along which changes as he does because it details events from his childhood on up to present day. Chris sits down with ArtBeat to discuss how his life imitates art and art imitates life. He’s performing in the Edmonton Fringe in the production of Harold of Galactus and Gordon’s Big Bald Head.

Edmonton Folk Festival is searching of love connections made on Gallagher Hill. They plan on gathering the stories and capturing a photo of the couples during this year’s event. ArtBeat hears one such story from Rosemary Carroll and Michael Necula. Two couples based on humour, uniqueness, romance of their story will win two 4-day passes for the 2015 Festival.

Before there were bike paths, off-leash areas and picnic sites, Edmonton’s river valley was the site for coal mines. A new online exhibit, Humberstone Mine created by the City of Edmonton Archives details this mining past. Archivist Tim O’Grady digs up the past for ArtBeat.

CKUA Book Club finds out about the historical figure at the centre of our August selection, Coming Through Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje. Donald M. Marquis, the writer of In Search Of Buddy Bolden: First Man Of Jazz explains who the New Orleans jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden was.