Monsters & Heroes

The Monsters and Heroes Art Show returns for its third annual exhibition on May 8th at The New Gallery, bringing together an extraordinary cross-generational collaboration of young artists from across Calgary.

This year, approximately 400 participants from 12 CBE schools, alongside students from the Alberta University of the Arts, practising artists, and professors, have contributed to this evolving creative journey. At the heart of the project are Grade 4 students who begin the entire process. Each Grade 4 artist is tasked with creating an original Monster or Hero, inventing unique characters that spark the imagination. Their drawings serve as the creative foundation for the entire exhibition. From there, the artwork is passed along in stages:

Grades 7–9 expand upon and reinterpret the original characters.
Grades 10–12 further develop the concepts, adding technical skill, narrative depth, and complexity.
Finally, university art students respond to and transform the high school works into culminating pieces that complete the collaborative chain.

Each stage builds upon the last, creating a powerful visual conversation across age groups and artistic experience levels. What begins as the imagination of a nine-year-old evolves into a dynamic, multi-layered body of work that reflects mentorship, creativity, and community.Now in its third year, Monsters and Heroes continues to celebrate artistic growth, collaboration, and the central role of young creators in shaping big ideas.

The exhibition open reception will take place on May 8th, 6–9 PM at The New Gallery.

Accessibility & Parking Notes: https://thenewgallery.org/Accessibility