It’s time to roll up your sleeves and make some art Calgary. Head down to the Alberta Printmakers’ Society this weekend for some hands on art fun. Then travel over to Olympic Plaza and around the core for Nuit Blanche. Or enjoy some Beethoven under the wide Alberta sky. Here’s your Arts Round Up this week.

PRINT IT: The Alberta Printmakers’ Society is hosting PIY: Print It Yourself! their third annual public printmaking festival and open studio event September 15 to 16 (2010F 11 Street SE) and you’re all invited. Head down to learn how to print in a hands-on art experience.
Illustration by Keri MacLeod (Top) and Photo by Leya Russell(Bottom) courtesy of Alberta Printmakers’ Society

Curious About Print Making?
If you have ever wondered about printmaking, this is your chance to give it a go.
The Alberta Printmakers’ Society is hosting PIY: Print It Yourself! their third annual public printmaking festival and open studio event September 15 to 16 (2010F 11 Street SE).
It’s a chance to get down and dirty, learn techniques and create your own works of art be they  silkscreened t-shirts, drypoint etchings, linoleum block prints and Kitchen Lithography,which is  brand new this year. I can highly recommend silkscreening and linoleum block prints from personal experience.
And the best part, it’s free and all are welcome.
“PIY: Print it Yourself is a free family-friendly arts event at Alberta Printmakers’ Society. Members of the public are encouraged to participate in various methods of printmaking including silkscreening and block printing,” said Keri MacLeod, A/P Programming Assistant. “Drop by for a fun hands-on art experience.”
All tools, equipment and materials will be provided free of charge (except there will be a $5 fee for silkscreening and t-shirts and tote bags will be available for purchase or bring your own. Light colours only please).
For more information, please contact Keri MacLeod at 403-287-1056 or assistant@albertaprintmakers.ca.

Get Ready for Nuit Blanche
It’s an annual, international and multi-city late-night arts festival and Calgary is jumping into the fray this weekend.
Nuit Blanche Calgary launches this Saturday, September 15, with six time-based performance art events at Olympic Plaza. The whole deal is free and runs from 7pm to 3am. The goal is to transform downtown into a full-scale civic art gallery that presents intimate encounters with live art.
Artists include Quebec-based trio BGL who will be premiering an eight person carrousel, Caitlind r.c. Brown’s CLOUD made up of 5,000 light bulbs, Theo Sims’ live “pub” sculpture The Candahar and hometown artist collective Sophie Farewell with the best town criers in the world.
Other arts organizations are also getting into the spirit with many galleries and collectives staying open late including Derek Besant at the Museum of Contemporary Art Calgary, TRUCK Gallery’s Bike-In film projection lodged in a mobile camper, new work by Suzen Green and Bill Morton at Stride Gallery, and The New Gallery exhibits Kristine Zingeler’s “Translations.”
So head down, stay up late and take in some art.

Beethoven on the Bow
It’s the magic of Beethoven in the open air, with rolling hills and the prairie sky above.
Head down to the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park at 2:30pm, Saturday, September 15, for a concert by the Calgary Civic Symphony. Bring your blanket and enjoy.
Tickets are $40 ($30 for students and seniors) and $80 for a family. They’re available online and all proceeds will go towards the creation of the Rotary Trail, a path connecting Cochrane to Calgary.

Do you have something cool and great coming up and want to be part of the Calgary Arts Round Up? Drop me a line at calgaryisawesome@quadrophonicimage.com!