Calgary Public Art Guide
Calgary Arts Development put the city's public art (murals, sculptures, temporary installations, and community-led projects) into one map-first guide, with self-guided tours and artworks in every city ward.
Visit the live guide- Launched
- 2025
- Coverage
- Artworks in every city ward
- Collection
- City-owned, community, and privately commissioned works
Key takeaways
- Calgary Arts Development brought the city's whole mixed collection (city-owned works, community projects, and privately commissioned pieces) into a single map-first guide, with artworks in every city ward.
- The guide connects to the City of Calgary's open data to keep ward and community information current, while Calgary Arts Development's own team curates the catalog through a simple admin. No developer in the loop.
- Built by Field designed and built the guide and continues to operate it, so the guide keeps growing as new works are commissioned.
Calgary Arts Development is the city's designated arts development authority, and since 2021 it has stewarded Calgary's public art program. That program spans a genuinely mixed collection: city-owned pieces from Calgary's Public Art Collection, publicly funded and privately commissioned works, temporary installations, and community-led projects.
The collection was rich. Finding it wasn't. There was no single place where a resident, a visitor, or a curious passer-by could see what's out there, learn the story behind a piece, or plan a walk around a few of them.
The goal
Calgary Arts Development wanted a guide that serves two audiences at once: casual explorers who just want to know what's nearby, and art enthusiasts who want depth (artist profiles, context, and the ability to work through the collection by type or theme). In their words, the guide is designed to increase access to public art, support local artists, and reflect the creativity and cultural richness of Calgary's many communities.
What we built
The Calgary Public Art Guide opens on an interactive map of the collection, with artworks in every one of the city's wards. From there, visitors can:
- Browse by location, artwork type, or theme
- Read artwork pages with photos, artist bios, and the story behind each piece
- Follow curated self-guided tours, or build their own
- Contribute their own discoveries to the guide
Behind the scenes, the guide connects to the City of Calgary's open data, so ward and community information stays current, while Calgary Arts Development's team curates and enriches the catalog with photos, artist bios, and context through a simple editing workflow, no developer required.
An ongoing partnership
Built by Field designed and built the guide, and continues to operate it alongside Calgary Arts Development. The architecture is deliberately built for growth: as new works are commissioned and community projects appear, they join the map. The guide grows with the collection it serves.