Art Book Club
Led by Beth Kane, Manager of Visitor Experience
February—December 2026
Join us for thoughtful conversations about art books - a dynamic format where artists continue to push boundaries, considering the book not just as an object but as a portal into their creative practices. As pioneering curator Seth Siegelaub insightfully stated, “Books and exhibitions are not separate, but extensions of the same idea.” Our Art Book Club embraces this philosophy, bridging the worlds of exhibitions and publications.
Each session offers fresh perspectives and deeper engagement with contemporary art and publishing. This is a book club for curious minds - readers, artists, and art lovers who view books as both inspiration and artistic practice.
What to Expect:
Four sessions per year featuring guest speakers from the art and publishing worlds
A welcoming community of art book enthusiasts
A space for artists exploring the book as part of their own work
Opportunities to deepen your connection to contemporary art and/or publishing
Rich conversations with others passionate about art and ideas
Registration Fee:
$100/year includes all four sessions, a welcome gift featuring items from the Contemporary Calgary Bookshop. Book Club Members also receive a 10% discount in the shop.
$30 for individual sessions. Attendees may register for each individual session but this option does not include the welcome gift, book, or shop discount.
2026 Program Overview
Session 1: Simone Elizabeth Saunders, Encompass the Galaxy: From Studio to Publication
February 25
6 PM
Join acclaimed artist Simone Elizabeth Saunders, one of Canada’s most compelling contemporary textile artists, as she shares the creative journey behind her recent publication Encompass the Galaxy, published by Contemporary Calgary. This session explores how artists can expand their practice into print, connecting with audiences through narrative, design, and materiality.
After the talk, stay for a Meet & Greet where club members are invited to bring and briefly introduce a book of their choice - an art book, zine, monograph, self-published work, or any publication that inspires them. Together, we’ll learn more about each other, as well as our work and interests in art and publishing.
Session 2: Concept Development & Design for Meaningful Visual Storytelling
June 2
6 PM
Tiffany Jones, Publisher and Founder of Overlapse (London, UK), will guide participants through the creative and conceptual processes behind developing publications that resonate beyond imagery—where sequencing, design, and narrative converge to shape compelling works of art.
Overlapse is an independent visual arts and photobooks imprint that focuses on storytelling, addressing social, cultural, and environmental issues, as well as broader themes connected to human experience. Their titles are held in over 100 libraries and institutional collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art, Tate Modern, National Art Library at the V&A, Getty Research Institute, George Eastman Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and the Gabriela Cendoya Bergareche Collection at San Telmo.
Session 3: Developing Corbin Union OSOSO: Publishing as an Artist Collective
September 23
6 PM
Corbin Union, a collective of artists, writers, and curators, including core founding members Miruna Drăgan, Jason de Haan, and Warren McLachlan, has gathered annually in the former coal-mining town of Corbin, British Columbia since 2012 to produce a variety of collaborative and individual works. Guided by a conceptual framework of excavation and entombment, mirroring and refraction, one outcome of this ongoing practice is OSOSO, a series of exhibitions and publication projects.
Speakers Miruna Drăgan and Jason de Haan will discuss the collective’s approach to publishing and collaborative artistic production. They will trace the OSOSO publication from initial concept through design and print, reflecting on how publishing becomes a valuable extension of the exhibition beyond the gallery space.
Session 4: Zine-Making Workshop & Program Celebration
December 9
6 PM
Artist Blake McLeod leads a hands-on workshop exploring zines as dynamic tools for self-expression and storytelling. Participants will create their own small publications and celebrate the culmination of the program with an informal sharing session.
Blake (they/them) is the Creative Director and founder of CINIC Studio, a creative practice and studio space born from a desire for safety, freedom, and collaboration. Working across drawing, writing, illustration, photography, videography, screen printing, and digital design, Blake centers storytelling as a means to connect, heal, and share experiences. Through CINIC Studio, they bring together techniques, insights, and practices to support others in building confidence, fostering belonging, and exploring creative expression.
