The Southern Alberta Art Gallery is thrilled to partner with the 2025 Lethbridge Independent Film Festival to showcase the fantastic film and video work of artist Leila Sujir. We will screen The Dreams of the Night Cleaners and Aerial. 

The Dreams of the Night Cleaners, 1995, 46 minutes

A road trip, a journey, a voyage through history and memory. A complex weave of drama, archival footage and animation in a fable format to explore the public mythologies in our culture which have had devastating effects on public policy, public attitudes and individual lives. Dreams uses storytelling, humour, magic and history to sweep away the misconceptions which haunt the lives of its characters.

Through a visually rich blend of drama, archival and documentary footage with video imagery, The Dreams of the Night Cleaners weaves together many stories that radiate from Usha and her night shift cleaner friend, Devika, a recent immigrant from India. Prevailing cultural mythologies have devastating effects not only on public policy and public attitudes, but on individual lives. From both a personal and historical perspective, this art video examines Asian immigration to Canada, racism, sexism and employment fears in an uncertain marketplace.

Aerial, 2019, 9 minutes

A west coast rainforest seen through a camera mounted on a drone, moving rapidly as if it were a hummingbird: it hovers, then zigzags horizontally, then vertically. Spatial microphones mounted on a cablecam up in the tree canopy move across the Emerald Pool in the south Walbran, not far from the bridge. Four white embossed still forest landscapes extend the possibility of inner spaces, for us to step back into ourselves, to contemplate, and to engage with the memory, recording and healing process, while we view, together, this airborne sequence, exploring a forest.

The screening begins at 6 p.m., followed by a Q&A with Sujir and the Gallery’s Associate Curator Adam Whitford at 7 p.m. 

This screening precedes Leila Sujir’s upcoming exhibition forest documents, opening at the Gallery on Aug. 9, 2025

Join Afro-fusion dance trio Aziz Sani, Jazzlyn Byrd, and Betsy Jepkoech, who have choreographed a special performance in response to the current exhibition In spite of my own desire to see you disappear by Paul Maheke.

The performance will take place in the Lower Gallery. Doors open at 6:00, with the performances starting at 6:15. Light refreshments will be provided for guests. Free for members or with regular Gallery admission.

If you’re a middle or high school-aged youth looking to explore your artistic side in a warm and welcoming environment, join us at the Gallery for our free, drop-in Youth Art Club program. Bring your own art to work on or make something here while taking in a tour of the current exhibitions. Supplies and snacks provided.

Join us for Bletcher Hour, the Gallery’s monthly critical reading group. Readings explore key themes of the exhibitions and current events, with the intent to deepen our understanding of the artworks and their context within our community. This month we will be reading essays from A Burst of Light and Other Essays by Audre Lorde. Audre Lorde was an American writer, professor, philosopher, intersectional feminist, poet and civil rights activist. This book was recommended by exhibiting artist Paul Maheke.

This program is free to attend. Please contact Heather Kehoe, Program & Event Coordinator, to register. Readings are sent as PDFs in advance of the event. If you cannot make it in person, online attendance options are available.

The Southern Alberta Art Gallery will hold its 2025 Annual General Meeting ("AGM") on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 5 p.m. at the Gallery (601 3 Avenue S, Lethbridge, AB. T1J 0H4).

AGENDA
1. Welcome and Land Acknowledgement
2. Call to Order
3. Approval of the Agenda
4. Approval of the Minutes from June 20, 2024 Annual General Meeting
5. Board Chair's Report of the Board
6. Executive Director's Report of the Administration

• 2025 Exhibitions Preview by Associate Curator & Exhibitions Manager

7. Presentation of the Financial Statements and Report of the Auditors
8. Nominations Committee Report
9. Election of the Directors
10. Adjournment

The AGM is open to all active members. If you aren't already a member or your membership has expired, visit saag.ca/membership. As a Gallery member, you enjoy access to engaging and exciting contemporary art exhibitions and programming year-round as well as discounts to local businesses and much more! If you have any questions about your membership status, contact Keelan Cashmore, Visitor Services and Volunteer Coordinator.

The Southern Alberta Art Gallery is thrilled to partner with Owl Poetry Club for a special open mic event inspired by our current exhibitions. We will open the event with a poem from writer and artist Jordan Baylon, inspired by Lan “Florence” Yee’s exhibition Do Weeds Still Grow in Heaven? after which we will host readings from the Owl Poetry club members and other guests. We invite you to join us to share your work or listen to the fantastic poets of Lethbridge. This event is free for members and poets. Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information, contact Heather Kehoe, Program & Event Coordinator at hkehoe@saag.ca.

Jordan Baylon (they/she) is a 2nd gen Filipina/o/x artist, community worker and kapwa futurist, born and raised in Mohkinstsis (Calgary), Treaty 7. Their work emerges from the intimate stories experienced by their diasporic multongbakla [queer ghost] body orienting itself to the irresistible urge of kapwa ("we relate therefore we are"). For Jordan, kapwa is felt as a powerful treaty-making offering, integrating anti-oppressive practices that morph to meet the complexity, nuance and systemic scales of colonial existence: poetry, performance, facilitation, video, ritual, design, strategy, care-work and witnessing. 

In our third workshop with educator John Chief Calf, we will use painting and drawing to explore the themes and ideas we’ve discussed in our previous workshop sessions. 

This program is free to attend. Supplies and light refreshments will be provided. For more information or to register, please email Heather Kehoe, Program & Event Coordinator.

Looking for a fun and family-friendly activity on a Saturday afternoon? Visit the Southern Alberta Art Gallery on March 29, 2025 for Crafternoon featuring exhibiting artist artist katie marie bruce who will showcase bookmaking techniques, teaching attendees how to make their own unique books using some of the methods she used in her exhibition tandem inadequacies, on view now in our Library Gallery. This workshop is appropriate for all ages and skill levels. All materials are provided for this drop-in program. 

katie marie bruce (she/her) is an artist and printmaker, living and making work on Treaty 7 Territory in Sikóóhkotok, also known as Lethbridge, Alberta. She received an MFA from York University in 2015, where her thesis work was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. While her practice is rooted in print media —actively invested in considering multiplicity as both motivation and manner of interrogation— the work is expansive and interdisciplinary in its articulations. Her practice has been supported by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and presented in solo, two-person, and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. katie is currently an instructor at the University of Lethbridge in the Faculty of Fine Arts, Art Department.

If you’re a middle or high school-aged youth looking to explore your artistic side in a warm and welcoming environment, join us at the Gallery for our free, drop-in Youth Art Club program. Bring your own art to work on or make something here while taking in a tour of the current exhibitions. Supplies and snacks provided.

Join us at the Gallery for a free French-language guided tour of our current exhibitions led by Chrystèle Chevallier-Grabinska. Snacks and refreshments available. Presented in partnership with ACFA régionale de Lethbridge.

For more information contact Bariyaa Ipaa, Outreach Coordinator, at bipaa@saag.ca or call 403-327-8770.

Assistez gratuitement à une visite guidée en Français des expositions actuellement présentées à la Galerie. Les tours guidées seront animés par madame Chrystèle Chevallier-Grabinska, éducatrice à l'école d'immersion LCI. Des collations ainsi que des breuvages seront servis sur place. Présenté en partenariat avec l'ACFA Lethbridge.

Pour plus d'informations, contactez Bariyaa Ipaa, Outreach Coordinator, à l'adresse suivante: bipaa@saag.ca ou au numéro suivant: (403) 327-8770.

Join Jill Young and Stephanie Reyes from the YWCA for this special Articulations program exploring the themes of Lan “Florence” Yee’s Do Weeds Still Grow in Heaven

This presentation will begin with an overview of YWCA Lethbridge & District and its programs, including highlighting the supports available for those impacted by domestic violence. It will then explore domestic violence, intimate partner violence (IPV), and gender-based violence (GBV) through both a broad and local lens, examining key trends, challenges, and gaps in services. The discussion will also focus on the unique experiences of marginalized communities, including LGBTQ individuals, shedding light on the barriers they face in accessing support, the societal stigmas that contribute to silence and isolation, and the importance of inclusive, trauma-informed responses.

Free for members or with regular Gallery admission.

Celebrate the arrival of spring at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre with this free family festival featuring activities for all ages!

Spring Nature Fest offers a mix of indoor and outdoor activities, including scavenger hunts, building challenges, games, and much more. Join artists from the Gallery and Studio B to make your own mini nature dioramas. All supplies will be provided.

This free, drop-in event will take place throughout the afternoon at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre.

In this second session of our four-part workshop series led by educator John Chief Calf, we will discuss music as a way to tie expression and connection to two different world views. Participants will also use music to find their own way to express and connect with their own past to present philosophies.

This program is free to attend. Supplies and light refreshments will be provided. For more information or to register, please email Heather Kehoe, Program & Event Coordinator.

Want to learn more about this Gallery’s Annual SAAG Arts Writing Prize? Join us for this zoom info session about this year’s Prize. We will review the call for submissions and frequently asked questions, and answer your questions. 

To register for this program, please email Program & Event Coordinator Heather Kehoe | hkehoe@saag.ca to receive the zoom invitation. 

If you’re a middle or high school-aged youth looking to explore your artistic side in a warm and welcoming environment, join us at the Gallery for our free, drop-in Youth Art Club program. Bring your own art to work on or make something here while taking in a tour of the current exhibitions. Supplies and snacks provided.

For more information, contact Bariyaa Ipaa, Outreach Coordinator, at bipaa@saag.ca.

Associate Curator and Exhibitions Manager Adam Whitford offers a guided tour of the Gallery’s current exhibitions featuring Paul Maheke, Lan “Florence” Yee, and katie marie bruce. Free for members or with Gallery admission.

Looking for a fun and family-friendly activity? Visit the Gallery on the last Saturday of each month for Crafternoon, a self-directed art activity in our Creativity Centre inspired by our current exhibitions. Free for members or with Gallery admission.

We invite submissions from emerging arts writers, critics, poets, creatives and students for the 2025 SAAG Arts Writing Prize. For more information visit www.saag.ca/programs/arts-writing-prize.

Join us for this four-part workshop series led by educator John Chief Calf. Through this series of discussion-based programs, attendees will learn about different perspectives on storytelling and creativity. The program will open with a discussion about John’s understanding of Blackfoot dream interpretation and symbolism. Through stories and discussion, attendees will learn about how dreams and nature symbolism can be used to garner new understandings. Attendees are encouraged to share their own experiences and understanding of dreams.

This program is free to attend. Supplies and light refreshments will be provided. To sign up for this program series, please email Heather Kehoe, Program & Event Coordinator. 

Join us at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. to celebrate the opening of our newest exhibitions featuring Paul Maheke, Lan “Florence” Yee, and katie marie bruce, along with new Shop at SAAG feature artist Melanie Barnett. Enjoy the artworks and refreshments, mingle with the community and meet the artists. The opening reception is free to attend as part of the 5 Stop Gallery Hop.

Join Su Ying Strang, Executive Director of the Southern Alberta Art Gallery Maansiksikaitsitapiitsinikssin and three other leading Canadian art experts as they share their unique perspectives on the vibrant Japanese contemporary art scene.

Explore the world of Japanese contemporary art with insights from Strang, Josée Drouin-Brisebois of the National Gallery of Canada, Shaun Dacey of the Richmond Art Gallery and John G. Hampton of the MacKenzie Art Gallery who visited over 20 art sites in Tokyo, Gunma and Niigata from Nov. 1 to 12, 2024 as was part of the Ishibashi Foundation/The Japan Foundation Curatorial Exchange Program, designed to introduce the contemporary art scenes of Japan to the curators across the world and foster relationships between art experts.

In this online talk event, the curators will share their authentic impressions, key takeaways, and thoughts on building future bridges between the two countries’ art progects.

Click here to register for this online discussion.

Join Su Ying Strang, Executive Director of the Southern Alberta Art Gallery Maansiksikaitsitapiitsinikssin, Tak Pham of the Illingworth Kerr Gallery at the Alberta University of the Arts, and Lindsey Sharman of the Art Gallery of Alberta for an in-person conversation on what is happening in contemporary art today.

Free event, click here to RSVP.

Presented by the Art Gallery of Alberta and hosted by MobSquad.