Upon entering Carter-Ryan Gallery and Live Theatre, tourists and locals alike are greeted by sandstone animal sculptures and walls of colourful paintings by Indigenous visual artist Jason Carter.
While that’s reason enough to visit the downtown Canmore space, there’s another artistic treasure tucked inside: a 51-seat microtheatre run by creative director Bridget Ryan, which has staged everything from an Anne of Green Gables-inspired comedy to a new musical created by Ryan that pays homage to iconic Canadian snack Hawkins Cheezies.
Carter and Ryan, who are business and life partners, own and run both this creative hub and an art gallery in Banff. The pair met in Edmonton while working together on Citytv’s Breakfast Television as a camera operator (Carter) and on-air host/producer (Ryan). Carter was pursuing his art at the same time, and the two worked on children’s books together. On a trip to Canmore in 2011, they were struck by the quality of art and photography galleries, and decided to open their own gallery.
While it was the artistic community that originally attracted the pair to plant roots in Canmore, it’s not surprising that the mountain setting has come to influence Carter’s signature style.
“When we first opened, I hadn’t really done that many landscape pieces, and it just really opened my eyes to the natural world, of where we are, the beauty of it,” Carter says. “Now, when I’m in the mountains and I’m looking at the landscape, I’m seeing these broad lines. I can see my paintings when I’m looking at the mountains now.”
Spaces like Carter-Ryan Gallery and Live Theatre just scratch the surface when it comes to incredible art experiences in the Rocky Mountains. Community theatre companies like Canmore’s Pine Tree Players have graced the stage for nearly 50 years, while Symphony of the Kootenays just celebrated its golden anniversary in Cranbrook. Popular events like the Canmore Folk Music Festival have drawn music fans to the mountains for decades, while mural festivals have brought new vibrancy to towns like Jasper and Nelson, B.C., over the last several years.
One of the most established art spaces in the Rockies is the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, which is focused on the arts, leadership and mountain culture. Locals and visitors reap the rewards of the organization’s artistic draw, which has brought in artists and leaders from around the world to learn, perform and hone their crafts.
That artistic exploration of local mountain culture is reflected back out into the world through major events like the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival & World Tour. Banff Centre’s president and CEO, Chris Lorway, has met people with memories of the festival in their cities around the globe.
“It’s one of the things that connects us universally to other parts of the world who share a similar culture,” says Lorway on why it’s important to share mountain stories and art beyond Banff.
“Mountain culture [is] not dissimilar to the arts. When you start to break it down, you realize that it’s a small, I would say impassioned, community of people who love to share stories, and the same thing applies to the mountain culture piece. It’s a particular way of living and feeling connected to nature. The same way that people are connected to oceans, people are connected to mountains, and their stories are somewhat universal,” continues Lorway. The Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival & World Tour shares these stories on an international level.
Ryan says the local arts landscape in Alberta’s Bow Valley has “exploded” over the last 15 years as more people come to visit and live, and as arts organizations grow and expand their offerings.
“Because it’s an international destination with international visitors, there’s an expectation that there’s an international level of arts, both visual and theatrical,” says Carter. “I think we conveniently slot right in there perfectly. We found ourselves in this situation where there was a sudden influx of people, and we happened to be here with an offering at the exact same time.”
“We don’t know if this would work in any other place,” adds Ryan about the local community support the gallery and theatre receive. “[The Bow Valley] is a really special place in that respect.”
How to Experience the Arts in the Rocky Mountains
A look at some of the arts companies, organizations and festivals offering theatre, visual art, music and more in the mountains.
artsPlace
This community arts hub is bursting with artistic experiences. Simply head inside to check out free exhibits, or make plans to watch a film in the black box theatre, take workshops covering everything from ceramics to adventure sketching, listen to live music performances, and more.
950 8 Ave., Canmore, 403-609-2623, artsplacecanmore.com
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
Artists and leaders from around the world have been coming to the Banff Centre for more than 90 years to learn, explore and showcase their talent. The public can take in concerts and live performances, see art exhibitions in the Walter Phillips Gallery and catch major events like the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival & World Tour, kicking off Oct. 31.
107 Tunnel Mountain Dr., Banff, 403-762-6100, banffcentre.ca
The Langham
Run by The Langham Cultural Society, this provincial heritage site, dating back to 1896, is full of culture and history. Visit the building’s 70-seat theatre, two art gallery spaces and The Langham Japanese Canadian Museum, which honours the stories of interned Japanese Canadians during the Second World War (some of whom were interned in The Langham building) through archival photographs, artifacts, a Japanese garden and more.
447 A Ave., Kaslo, B.C., thelangham.ca
Pine Tree Players
This community theatre company has been entertaining audiences with exciting theatre productions, one-act play festivals, the Canmore Summer Theatre Festival and more for nearly 50 years.
Canmore Miners’ Union Hall, 738 7 St., Canmore, pinetreeplayers.com
UpLift! Jasper Mural Festival
Since launching in 2022, this festival has introduced more than 20 large-scale outdoor murals to the Jasper community. Take yourself on self guided mural tours year-round and check out the festival each May for special events, workshops and new murals being freshly painted.
Jasper, upliftfest.ca
Nelson International Mural Festival
Nelson, B.C., is bursting with colourful murals by local and international artists thanks to the Nelson International Mural Festival, which celebrated its ninth anniversary in 2026. Visit during the annual August festival and check out some of the 50-plus murals on a self-guided audio tour with the help of the Kootenay Lake Road Trip app.
Nelson, B.C., ndac.ca/programs/nelson-international-mural-festival
The Whyte
Founded by Peter and Catharine Robb Whyte in 1968, this museum explores mountain culture through a mix of permanent and rotating exhibits that showcase a range of art forms, historical items, archives and more. Check out the Thick as Thieves and When our eyes touch exhibitions until Nov. 8. You’ll also find the only locally owned bookstore in Banff here.
111 Bear St., Banff, 403-762-2291, whyte.org