{"id":69933,"date":"2026-06-01T17:51:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T17:51:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/69933\/"},"modified":"2026-06-01T17:51:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T17:51:08","slug":"queer-art-in-calgary-the-scene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/69933\/","title":{"rendered":"Queer Art in Calgary – The Scene"},"content":{"rendered":"

KAT SIMMERS<\/p>\n

Originally from Bashaw, Alta., Kat Simmers is a muralist, author, and multidisciplinary artist who brings bold colour and storytelling to Calgary\u2019s ever-evolving visual arts scene.<\/p>\n

An artist since she was young, Simmers first put pencil to paper and later expanded across media during her post-secondary studies. Her knowledge of the arts is backed by a diverse educational background, including multiple majors at Red Deer Polytechnic, Sheridan College, and the Alberta University of the Arts, as well as a semester-long exchange at the Rhode Island School of Design.<\/p>\n

While Simmers always knew art was an interest of hers, she didn\u2019t initially imagine herself painting large-scale murals or working across so many mediums.<\/p>\n

\u201cArt? Yes. Murals, not necessarily. Comics, not necessarily, but art for sure, I\u2019ve been drawing since I was a teenager,\u201d says Simmers.<\/p>\n

With her deep connection to Calgary, Simmers\u2019 work is not only rooted in artistic expression but also in her community. Creating queer art for queer people is a big part of Simmers\u2019 practice and identity, as shown in projects ranging from rainbow murals and pride projects to her graphic novel series Pass Me By. Her mural work has been featured prominently at the BUMP Festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel so rooted here, I love my community here, the people and places that make me feel at home here are so important to me that I want to stick around and try my best to make a difference, to make it better for all the people who visit those spots,\u201d says Simmers. \u2018But it\u2019s complicated being a trans artist in Alberta, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

See Kat Simmers\u2019 mural work at katsimmers.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Landon Krentz in A World Without Them. Photo: Mike Tan
\nLANDON KRENTZ<\/p>\n

With a specialization in physical theatre and visual vernacular, Landon Krentz creates immersive work that explores the human experience and connects deaf and hearing audiences. Through performance, Krentz explores queerness, Deaf culture, and inclusion to bridge gaps in the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing deaf has deeply shaped the way I experience language, storytelling, and connection through signed language and Deaf culture,\u201d says Krentz. \u201cQueerness added another layer to that experience, especially around communication, intimacy, vulnerability, and consent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting started as an artist wasn\u2019t exactly a straightforward path for Krentz, as he didn\u2019t realize that theatre could be more than just attended by Deaf artists. After landing a job at a dance touring company as an administrative assistant, Krentz realized he was helping fund performances he couldn\u2019t fully access as a Deaf audience member. This kicked off his mission to create Deaf-led work.<\/p>\n

\u201cI honestly believed that artists were mostly hearing people, and that Deaf people were meant to support the arts rather than lead them,\u201d says Krentz.<\/p>\n

After having experience creating spaces for both Deaf and queer audiences, Krentz hopes emerging artists know there is value in the unique perspectives they bring to their work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are stories, experiences, and ways of seeing the world that only you can bring. I think the challenge is learning how to fight for your place in the industry while also protecting your peace, your joy, and your sense of self,\u201d says Krentz.<\/p>\n

Learn more about Landon Krentz at landonkrentz.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Mike Hooves. Photo: Cy Yang
\nMIKE HOOVES<\/p>\n

Born and raised in Calgary, Mike Hooves is an illustrator, animator, designer, and filmmaker who colours outside the lines with every medium they touch.<\/p>\n

Hooves has been drawing since childhood, and decided to pursue the arts at a young age.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn grade three, I met a teenager who showed me her sketchbook, and from there I was hooked on drawing. I took art classes throughout school, and I graduated with a BDes in illustration from AUArts. Art is always on my mind,\u201d says Hooves.<\/p>\n

After teaching animation to children, Hooves began using cheap markers to connect with the creativity and lack of pressure of childhood. Alongside illustration, they\u2019ve also brought their playful style to murals, painted with house paints and sprays.<\/p>\n

Hooves continues to make art that fully embraces queerness. Their work features soft, androgynous characters, body hair, and moments of queer love and kinship.<\/p>\n

\u201cI focus on joy; a gentle queer joy that can be accessed by all viewers,\u201d says Hooves.<\/p>\n

Regardless of one\u2019s ability or expectations, Hooves wants people to know that art is a form of communication and doesn\u2019t have to be perfect as long as you\u2019re communicating your ideas.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the rise of AI, I believe crusty, rough-around-the-edges art is needed more than ever,\u201d says Hooves.<\/p>\n

Check out Mike Hooves\u2019 illustrations at mikehooves.ca.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"KAT SIMMERS Originally from Bashaw, Alta., Kat Simmers is a muralist, author, and multidisciplinary artist who brings bold…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":69934,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[92,51],"class_list":["post-69933","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-calgary","tag-art","tag-calgary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69933","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69933"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69933\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69934"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}