Avenue Magazine

Art Squatters of the East Village

Wires hang loosely from the ceiling, a dust-covered forklift rests in the corner, and the semi-pungent smell of old fish haunts the entire building. Welcome to Calgary's newest guerilla artspace.

The abandoned Seafood Market (located on 6 St. and 7 Ave. SE) will host a bevy of local art collectives over the next three months, beginning with i-ROBOT Theatre, produced by Swallow-a-Bicycle Theatre on May 5. The 24,000 sq. ft. building is slated for destruction sometime this summer, but until then the space is wide-open for shows.  

The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) and the Calgary Arts Development Authority (CADA) are hoping to establish the East Village as a vibrant artistic community by implementing new projects such as this one, which will hopefully encourage local theatre, music and art groups to plant roots in the re-invented community. "We felt it was a really unique way to draw people into the neighbourhood and see how the area is changing," said Chris Ollenberger, President and CEO of CMLC in a press release today. "Our vision of East Village includes the arts community as a future anchor tenant, so we think of this as a preview of sorts.” 

Manager of Events and Marketing Communications for the CMLC, Clare Nolan says that while there is "no definite date for demolition" the Seafood Market will act as an important gauge for future artistic initiatives in the "new" East Village. "This is slated as a three month pilot project and based on the success it may continue," Nolan said.

Swallow-a-Bicycle performers Jennifer Roberts and Scott Morris run through a scene from i-ROBOT Theatre, which plays May 5 - 15 at the vacant Seafood Market in the East Village.