Leighton Art Center - Our dream is to unleash the art in everyone

OUR MISSION: To sustain a spectacular setting for art and the creative process for generations to come.

As an Alberta Historic Resource, The Leighton House, Museum and Art Centre has an amazing history as a place for artists to express their creativity. Located on eighty acres of rolling foothills 16 kilometers southwest of the city of Calgary, artists A.C. and Barbara Leighton placed their historic home in the landscape bringing art and nature together. Before his death in 1965, A.C. Leighton founded the Alberta Society of Artists in 1929, established the visuals arts program at the Banff School of Fine Arts in 1933 and was a key founder of what is known today as The Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary. Following A.C. Leighton’s death, Barbara opened the Leighton Art Centre in 1974, finally realizing her dream to create an artistic place where the artist can thrive in all of us, especially children. We want to continue the stewardship of the land and place founded by Barbara Leighton 35 years ago. Our goal is to sustain and grow our programs and facilities and realize the dreams Barbara had for the Leighton Centre and everyone who is touched by it.

Art and Nature Programs For Children

The Leighton Centre offers an art and nature calendar to 12,000 Calgary and area children of school age. Kids are given an introduction to the facility and it's surroundings while exploring their artistic sides.   They can also take part in a study of the natural environment around them. Since the program’s inception, over 250,000 children have been given the opportunity to “unleash the inner artist” inside themselves!

Our program is designed to enhance the school children acumen for art, science and social studies. It is an amazing learning experience for the children that take part and we hope it influences them positively in their lives.

The Leighton Centre’s eight one-week summer day camps provide over four hundred children with a comprehensive immersion
experience. Children are bused from Calgary throughout July and August.

Museum and Art Gallery

In addition to our Education Centre and its programs, the museum and art gallery offer a wide range of public programming. The historic
Leighton Residence is open to the public year round, hosting approximately 15,000 visitors a year to view our permanent exhibitions
of art works, furniture and artifacts that were owned by A.C. and Barbara Leighton. This permanent exhibition serves to tell the
important stories of the Leighton’s role in Alberta’s cultural community.

The Leighton Foundation represents and supports over 400 Alberta artist members whose art and fine crafts are featured in our
exhibition space. They have the opportunity to participate in our Clothesline Art Sale and Christmas in the Country Art Sale. These
sales feature original, unframed art, fine craft and jewelry.

Professional artists at our inspirational facility teach twelve or more adult workshops for aspiring artists and artisans each year. The
Salon Lecture Series features experts from the region who bring their insight and knowledge to the audiences regarding art, collecting
and the diversity of artistic practice in Alberta. We continue to promote tour programs for seniors groups, professional organizations and other adult groups, as well as post secondary students from the University of Calgary and Alberta College of Art and Design.

The Leighton Museum Shop, located in the residence, is an important sales venue for art, fine craft and giftware from Alberta’s creative community. Museum related materials about Alberta’s colorful history of art and culture are also available.

Addressing needs

We have provided hundreds of thousands of creative experiences for people, through formal and informal learning opportunities
– all delivered by our dedicated professional staff and corps of 75 volunteers who contribute 1000 volunteer hours each year.

With the rapid expansion of the City of Calgary and surrounding communities, natural treasures such as the Leighton Centre are becoming very important to preserving the disappearance of our natural spaces. The Leighton Centre has the unique opportunity to bring together the Alberta curriculum while offering art and environmental education in combination with Alberta and local history.

We are located 15 km southwest of Calgary (visit our website for a map – we are hard to find!)

www.leightoncentre.org

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