EDMONTON — The University of Alberta has announced the construction of a new public gallery space to showcase the 10 million-plus objects in the university’s 30 collections.
Construction on the new 5,000-square-foot gallery — five times the current gallery space — began in July, with an opening exhibition planned for early 2027. The new gallery will be located in the Telus Centre at the intersection of North Campus and the Garneau neighbourhood.
“The U of A collections are exceptional — not just among university collections, but across Canada. The more than 10 million pieces stand alongside the best in the world,” says U of A president Bill Flanagan. “Now, with this new space, we can offer original and innovative exhibitions to showcase these collections in the way that we always hoped for.”
In addition to engaging exhibitions, the gallery will allow for more interactive learning experiences, workshops, lectures and events, as well as opportunities to bring in more school groups and offer summer programs, while creating opportunities for U of A students, including hands-on learning opportunities, and more internships and job opportunities.
“There are studies showing that engaging with arts, with culture, has a huge positive impact on mental health, on our sense of belonging, and this gallery will create that on campus,” says Christine Conciatori, director of U of A Museums.
The gallery, named the Kenneth and Sandra Wong Gallery, will honour the project’s lead donors, along with their children Vincent and Emily — both U of A grads.
“The idea came that, well, we should do something more substantial, more lasting,” said Kenneth Wong. “We have so much heritage in the collection … in arts, in sciences. So, for the people who come here, I hope that they will enjoy the breadth of knowledge. Because it is a teaching gallery, too.”
It is donors who made the project possible, says Dale Askey, vice-provost and chief librarian — a fact that demonstrates broad support for a space to host the U of A’s collections.
“Our collections will allow us to do really grand things — it is sponsorships and philanthropic gifts that allow us to work at that level,” says Askey. Gallery programming and the sustainability of the gallery will also be made possible through philanthropy.
VIDEO: New U of A gallery is a legacy of education
To speak with Dale Askey or Christine Conciatori about the space, please contact:
Michael Brown, U of A media strategist | michael.brown@ualberta.ca | 780-977-1411