300 @ 30: A photo recap
October 30, 2025
Thank you, Edmonton! An arts city through and through, Edmontonians made our month-long celebration of public art and 30 years of the Edmonton Arts Council one to remember. An estimated 1600 attended our 300 @ 30 programming, which included public art tours, pop ups, our 300th artwork unveiling, a poetry and public art event in partnership with Litfest, as well as a chance to play along with us through our 300 @ 30 contests.
aRtify Magazine
We kicked off 300 @ 30 on October 1 with the launch of our special edition aRtify magazine insert in Edify magazine. The magazine shares to story of the 300th artwork, Piney’s Playground in Balwin Park – Edmonton’s first playground designed in collaboration with an artist, as well as about some of the other inspiring artists who call Edmonton home.
You can pick up a free copy at the EAC Shop & Services or click here for a digital copy. While you’re at the Shop, make sure to pick up a free limited edition “Spooky Piney” pin designed by AJA Louden!
Public art pop ups
Public art at Commonwealth Recreation Centre
Our October 6 public art pop up at the Commonwealth Recreation Centre gave people the opportunity to learn and interact with the rec centre’s kinetic artwork, Afghan Mural, and outdoor installation Soleil de Nuit.
French conceptual artist, Laurent Grasso designed Soleil de Nuit’s (2013) neon letters and faceted stainless steel spheres for Edmonton’s northern location and long winters. The two elements relate to the theme of light and false suns, and the creation of artificial climates.
Afghan Mural (2012), a large photographic mural/sculpture by the Canadian artist collective Instant Coffee, is a playful take on typical, rotating, commercial advertising billboards. The three-sided kinetic mural functions like a puzzle that can be moved by hand. Each side of the rotating wall mural depicts one special afghan blanket.
Resonant Progression at Terwillegar Park
Dogs and humans alike enjoyed our Friday afternoon, October 10 pop up with Royden Mills and Mile Zero Dance at Terwillegar Park.
Park goers got to meet Royden Mills, the artist behind Resonant Progression. This public artwork consists of three sculptures placed in conceptually linked sites along the Terwillegar Park path. The sculptural components are meant to link the viewer with a sense of the pioneers who settled Edmonton and are an invitation to slow down and listen to the pace of nature around them.
Activating the space and interacting with the three sculptures with a live performance, Gerry Morita, Lin Snelling and Max Hanic of Mile Zero Dance were joined by sound artist Nico Arnáez for a uniquely Edmonton experience.
Versus at Edmonton Soccer Centre West
At a pop up event on October 28, visitors to the Edmonton West Soccer Centre had the opportunity to learn about the newly installed Versus mural by local artist Emily Chu. Free temporary tattoos featuring art from the mural were handed out and people had the opportunity to talk about the vibrant new artwork featuring plants native to Edmonton.
The Versus murals are also at the soccer centres in east and south Edmonton. While the artwork at all three locations depicts local flora, the three locations explore different types of interactions: the South murals focus on play; the East murals focus on contrast and tension, representing competition; and the West mural is a more intimate reflection of growth and potential.
Public art tours
Over Thanksgiving weekend, tour attendees braved strong winds, rain and even some light flurries for the opportunity to learn from the artists behind two of Edmonton’s iconic public artworks.
Artist David Garneau led four tours of Tawatinâ Bridge on Saturday, October 11. This was a special and rare chance to learn some of the stories behind the over 500 paintings of the River Valley’s flora and fauna, and the First Nations, Métis, and settler histories of the area. David gave insight into how he along with a team of First Nations, Métis, Black, Asian, and artists of European ancestry, captured Edmonton’s four seasons and complex histories.
On Sunday, October 12, Tiffany Shaw led multiple tours of the ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11∞ Edmonton’s Indigenous Art Park. The Art Park opened in 2018 and features work by local and national Indigenous artists: Tiffany Shaw (Edmonton, Alberta), Amy Malbeuf (Rich Lake, Alberta), Duane Linklater (Moose Cree First Nation, Ontario), Jerry Whitehead (James Smith First Nation, Saskatchewan), Mary Anne Barkhouse (Nimpkish Band, Kwakiutl First Nation), and Marianne Nicolson (Dzawada’enuxw Nation).
Tiffany Shaw, a Métis architect, artist and curator based in Alberta offered her unique insight into the project and artworks, including her very first foray into public art, pehonan. The installation is inspired by the idea of “pehonan” (Cree – gathering or waiting place) and the oral traditions of Indigenous people as well as the many stories told of this area.
Celebration for Red Knot Studio’s award winning Mischief of Could Be(s) and UGO
On October 11, we celebrated Mischief of Could-be(s) and UGO’s recent national award with the artists behind the beloved artworks, Erin Pankratz and Christian Pérès Gibaut of Red Knot Studio. Due to strong winds, our festivities moved indoors from the Square to the Stanley Milner Library. Thank you to EPL for accommodating our colourful crowd!
Earlier that week, Mischief of Could-be(s) and UGO took home the Creative City Network’s (CCN) Legacy Award at the 2025 Creative City Impact Awards, meant to highlight the power of public art to enhance connections between people, place and culture. In recognition of the award, Mayor Amarjeet Sohi joined our celebration for this fantastical pair of sculptures to make a special proclamation from the City of Edmonton, declaring October 11 as “Public Art Day”. The fun-filled afternoon included live music, treats, and roving circus performers.
Learn more about EAC and the artists’ win from CTV News and the Edmonton Journal.
300th artwork unveiling: Piney’s Playground by AJA Louden
Piney’s Playground in Balwin Park by AJA Louden, is Edmonton’s first playground designed in collaboration with an artist, and the 300th addition to the City of Edmonton’s Public Art Collection.
At the community celebration and unveiling, Piney P, a playful pineapple character created by AJA stood proudly at the centre of a joyous unveiling and realization of AJA’s vision of the playground as a space to imagine, explore and grow together.
The community got to meet the artist and enjoy performances by Sampler Café and Sangea Academy, a mobile Fitset Ninja obstacle course, free giveaways, snacks, and mini Jamaican Patties from Gen X Caribbean Bakery (sponsored by Seven M Construction).
AJA Louden was interviewed by Fish Griwkowsky for the Edmonton Journal, CBC Radio Edmonton AM, and CTV News Edmonton.
LitFest: The Poetry of Public Art
On Sunday morning, October 19, the cozy Boa & Hare café in the heart of Chinatown was the site of a beautiful celebration of public art and poetry. At The Poetry of Public Art, presented with LitFest, guests were treated to a morning of stories, song, performance and spellbinding poetry with the family of Mary Burlie, and poets Titilope Sonuga, Naomi McIlwraith, and Cui Jinzhe.
The three poets are currently participating in the City of Edmonton’s revitalization project of Mary Burlie Park in downtown Edmonton. They are creating poetry that will be incorporated into the park design.
The event honoured the enduring legacy of Mary Burlie, a force of compassion, devoting her life to lifting up others. Known lovingly as the “Black Angel of Boyle Street”, she served on the front lines of inner-city Edmonton, offering food, shelter, support, and above all, dignity to those most in need.
Scare on the Square
A ghoulishly good time was had in Churchill Square over the weekend of October 25 and 26. The free family-friendly Halloween event, where costumes were encouraged, offered a thrilling ride on the ghost train, a haunting tale next to the cauldron, an eerie maze, spine-chilling interactive skits with Free Play for Kids and the chance to get crafty with the Art Gallery of Alberta’s Art Cart.
301 artworks and counting
Edmonton’s public art collection continues to expand, with intriguing new and upcoming artworks to discover!
Exciting new additions include local artist Coda Girvin’s mural, Community Windows, on all four sides of the Castle Down Park Washroom Facility, Touchstone by Bruno Canadian at the NAIT LRT station, and of sustenance (heartening, ever-reaching, embraces between dawn and dusk) by Calgary artist Marigold Santos at the Millbourne/Woodwale LRT Stop.
Enter to Win the 300 @ 30 Contest Grand Prize!
You have a chance to be our 300 @ 30 grand prize winner! We’ve reached the final week of our 300@30 Scavenger Hunt! To cap off the last few days of the month, pick any of the prompts from the past four weeks to complete by November 5. Click here for the complete contest details.
