Aurora Arts Society’s Visual Arts Gallery – The Gallery on 47th Street

The Cause

In January, 2014, the Aurora Arts Society took over the management of The Gallery on 47th Street in downtown Yellowknife as the owners no longer had time to commit to its operation. The AAS intends to build on the Gallery’s previous successes by hosting commercial and non-commercial exhibitions of local visual art and artists. Two commercial exhibitions have already been held in 2014 including a first of its kind make-up artistry exhibition and an exhibition of nude photography.

A call for artists has recently been sent out to fill 20 spaces for 1-week commercial art shows which consist of a Friday night opening reception and Saturday open hours. Shows are open to members of the public with the AAS providing refreshments, advertising and staffing for events. Artists exhibiting at the Gallery must be members in good standing of the Aurora Arts Society.

The AAS will also be distributing a call for artists for 10 non-commercial, juried exhibitions to be held over the next 12 months. These exhibitions will be selected by a trained jury and will consist of multiple artists and media. The juried exhibitions will be two weeks in length and again the AAS will provide refreshments, advertising and staff for the events.

By taking over The Gallery on 47th Street, the AAS has secured a public art venue which otherwise would have been closed, provides an opportunity for its members to display locally produced art and allows Yellowknifers and visitors to view Yellowknife’s vibrant visual arts community.

Who Will it Benefit?

While there are other art-related venues in Yellowknife such as the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, some local arts and crafts stores, and the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre, the City has been lacking a visual arts display space. In the summer of 2011, Colin and Ainsley opened The Gallery on 47th Street as a space for local artists to display their work in individual and solo shows regardless of subject matter.

The space provides local artists (within Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories) with the opportunity to create and display work that other venues will not display such as experimental installations, nude portraiture and non-commercial pieces. The Gallery also allows visitors to and residents of Yellowknife to experience art created in their community. Through The Gallery on 47th Street, the Aurora Arts Society is supporting the Yellowknife visual arts community and encouraging new and emerging artists to experiment and grow their craft in the Northwest Territories.