The new art that will soon welcome visitors to the Calgary Stampede

Visitors to the Calgary Stampede will be greeted by three new works of art this summer, and they represent animals that are a big part of western heritage.

The Calgary Stampede has unveiled the new larger-than-life art that will soon be on display at three park entrances.

Designed by artist Jason Carter, each of the installations are colourful depictions of animals that call Alberta home.

The pieces – called The Buffalo, The Horse and The Bull – will be installed at the park’s north entrance on Stampede Trail, south (Erlton) entrance at 25 Avenue and Macleod Trail S.E., and the west entrance on 17 Ave/Flores LaDue Parade and Macleod Trail S.E.

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The Stampede says the art highlights the story of Calgary and the Calgary Stampede’s past, present and future, with the animals “overseeing their respective entrances as stewards of the land.”

“We are thrilled to bring these three captivating entry features to Stampede Park where they will welcome community members and visitors to Stampede Park in a meaningful way,” said Kerri Souriol, vice president of park development and major projects at the Calgary Stampede.

Carter is an Indigenous artist originally from Alberta’s Little Red River Cree Nation, and a graduate of both the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and MacEwan University in Edmonton.

His art is featured in venues throughout Alberta, including both the Calgary and Edmonton international airports, and he was the only Alberta artist to have a solo show at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

“It’s been an honour to be selected as the artist,” Carter said. “I was inspired by the concept of the ‘herd’ and selected these animals, which I felt figuratively embodied the Calgary Stampede’s western heritage and sense of gathering, while more literally capturing the Stampede’s celebration of agriculture, western events and cultures.”

The art will be fabricated by Calgary-based F&D Scene Changes Ltd., a company that has installed projects for clients like Cirque du Soleil, Universal Studios, HBO, Netflix, Apple and Disney.

The three new pieces join the 14 already included in the Stampede’s public art collection.

The art should be installed just in time for the 2025 Calgary Stampede.