SURFACE AND SOW: Fall 2026 Fundraiser + Fine Art Auction at Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre

Images (left to right): Evan Brien, Little House on the Prairie, 2024, carving and coffee on found material, 16.5 x 27 in. Heather Leier, Patchwork (Trial), 2025-2026, screenprint, recycled vinyl, Gampi, Okawara, and Stonehenge paper, 8 x 10 in. Mao and Chris, Early Worm # 3, 2022, Stoneware Ceramic, under glaze, glaze, fired to cone 6, 10.5 x 2.5 X 7 in. All three artworks will be available as part of the KOAC Fall Fundraiser Auction.

A Fundraiser to Sow Seeds of Creativity

Fall Gala Fundraiser: Saturday, September 12, 2026, 2 – 6pm
Online Auction Runs: September 12 – 26, 2026, LEVIS Fine Art
Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre, Calgary AB
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The Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre (KOAC) invites artists, supporters, and art collectors to get their tickets today and join the garden gala party of the year at SURFACE AND SOW, KOAC’s annual fall gala and fundraiser taking place on September 12, 2026, 2pm – 6pm.

Set within KOAC’s unique 20-acre outdoor sculpture park, artist studios, and gardens, the afternoon will feature live DJ music, passed hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar by Salon Catering, along with a live art activation by artist Michelle Atkinson.

Join KOAC for an afternoon of art, food, music, and community while experiencing the remarkable cultural and ecological landscape that flourishes at KOAC. Proceeds from ticket sales and the Fine Art Auction directly support the Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre and its ongoing artistic and public programming.

Guests will have the opportunity to experience a special exhibition curated by Shelby Charlesworth and Ash Slemming, featuring works selected from the archives and collection of KOAC co-founders Katie Ohe and Harry Kiyooka. The afternoon will also importantly offer an exclusive preview of KOAC’s Fine Art Fundraising Auction, presented with event partner LEVIS Fine Art Auctions and Appraisals.

Fall Gala Fundraiser: Saturday, September 12, 2026, 2 – 6pm
Online Auction Runs: September 12 – 26, 2026, LEVIS Fine Art

General Admission Price: $95.00 [August 15 until September 12] + GST and Eventbrite fees

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NASARIMBA, Subject Abstract II, 2025, mixed media. Artwork will be available as part of the LEVIS Fine Art Auction, with opening bids beginning on September 12.

Inspired by creative and ecological processes, SURFACE AND SOW explores what lies beneath the surface and what can emerge when ideas, relationships, and communities are thoughtfully cultivated.

As KOAC’s largest annual fundraiser, SURFACE AND SOW supports year-round artist residencies, public programming, and the stewardship of our 20-acre sculpture park and ecologically significant grounds.

We gratefully acknowledge Sheila O’Brien and Lee Richardson as this event’s Gold Sponsor and Carvel Creative as a Silver Sponsor, along with event partners Salon Catering and LEVIS Fine Art Auctions and Appraisals.

Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact community@koartscentre.org to learn more.

Michelle Atkinson, Fairy Forest, 2025, silkscreen on paper, 23 x 35 in. Artwork will be available as part of the LEVIS Fine Art Auction.

Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre and Sculpture Park is a publicly accessible non-profit arts centre that focuses on lectures, symposia, workshops, programs, and exhibitions of local and international contemporary art. Established in 2007, the focus of the sculpture park’s distinguished permanent collection of Canadian and European modern sculpture is on large abstract works from the 1960s to the present. The goal is to preserve and showcase important carefully selected quality works of art. Among the monumental pieces already in place are those by Ray Arnatt, Roy Leadbeater, Michael Sandle (British), Charles Robert Boyce, Alex Caldwell, Katie Ohe, just to name a few.

244034 Horizon View Road
Calgary, AB T3Z 3M5
koartscentre.org
info@koartscentre.org
(587) 391-9837

Instagram @kiyookaoheartscentre
Facebook @kiyookaoheartscentre

Accessibility:
Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre (KOAC) is partially accessible. Please note that the sculpture park includes loose gravel pathways and areas of uneven terrain, which may present barriers for some visitors. For more information about accessibility or to discuss your visit, please contact KOAC at communications@koartscentre.org.

Image Descriptions:
1. Three contemporary artworks displayed side by side: a layered wood construction by Evan Brien, a delicate mixed-media patchwork on paper by Heather Leier, and a pastel coloured sculptural ceramic worm by artist duo Mao and Chris.
2. Colourful mixed-media abstract artwork by NASARIMBA featuring bold geometric shapes, organic forms and repeated patterns in bright yellow, peachy orange, lime green and dark grey.
3. Abstract artwork by Michelle Atkinson featuring layered organic shapes, looping lines and textured forms in purple, pale green, white and pink against a soft grey background with silver accents.