Property management company converts unused retail space to studio for Calgary artists

A property management company is taking a new approach to revitalizing some of the vacant space in downtown Calgary office buildings.

Along with livening up the city’s core, the move is also providing exciting opportunities for local artists.

Brookfield Properties is converting unused retail space at its downtown Bankers Hall complex into a place for Calgary artists to create and showcase their work.

Lili Yas Tayefi, who works with ceramics and other media, is the first artist chosen to move into the 315 Artist in Residency space.

“It is really important to come up with creative ways to activate these spaces,” Tayefi said. “It brings life to our city. It creates culture. It creates community. It’s really exciting.”

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The 315 space at Bankers Hall has been empty for more than a year after a high-end clothing store shut down.

“With retail through the (COVID-19) pandemic, there’ve been lots of struggles,” Brookfield Properties Ramona Biggar said.

“We really wanted to think outside the box and look at how we could animate the space – there’s a lot of artists looking for studio space and there’s minimal space for them, so that’s another reason why we wanted to do this program.”

Tayefi will occupy the 315 space until the end of February 2024, at which point another Calgary artist will move in for a similar stint.

Tayefi will begin hosting sessions in mid-October, giving members of the public a chance to create art.

“It will provide the opportunity for anyone, even beginners, to learn a few basic techniques, so that other people can have that sense of expression.”

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