Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Prairie Art Gallery begin?
In 1974 a group of concerned citizens began the process of establishing an art gallery in Grande Prairie. By-laws and a constitution were drawn up and submitted to the provincial government.
On June 5, 1975, The Prairie Art Gallery was established under the Societies Act of the Province of Alberta.
The Prairie Art Gallery’s first home was an old chemistry laboratory provided by the Grande Prairie Regional College. Uncertain of how long the space would be available, the Gallery decided to move to a downtown location. The Gallery stayed downtown for a few months before returning to the old chemistry lab. The chemistry lab became the home of the Prairie Art Gallery until July of 1981.
On July 3, 1981, The Prairie Art Gallery opened in a new location. The Minister of Culture, Mary LeMessurier, cut the ribbon to open the former “Speke Hall”. The building was transformed from a dull church hall to a well-lit and spacious gallery. The rent of the facility was generously donated back to the Gallery’s operational budget by Top Realty. This move was a stepping stone for The Prairie Art Gallery. The hard work of many volunteers and the financial support of the private sector proved that the Gallery was here to stay.
The Central Park High School building was declared an Historical Site by the Provincial Government in 1984. After an extensive fund raising drive, restoration and renovations to the high school location began. The Prairie Art gallery officially opened the doors of its current home on February 9, 1985. It is a facility with internationally recognized environmental standards and a reputation for excellence among the art community within Alberta, Canada, and other parts of the world.
In 1993, The Prairie Art Gallery was designated under Category A by the department of Canadian Heritage, due to its high standards of collections management in order to provide tax incentives for Canadians to donate works of art of outstanding significance and national importance to the Gallery. Since then 16 such works have been added to the collection and certified as Cultural Properties.
Where is the Prairie Art Gallery located?
The Prairie Art Gallery is currently located on the corner of 97 Avenue and 99 Street. If travelling by Grande Prairie Public Transit take bus routes 1, 2, 3, or 4 to the Towne Centre Mall Platform, walk one block south on 99 street, the Gallery is on your left.
#103, 9856 - 97 Avenue,
Grande Prairie, AB
T8V 7K2
Phone: (780) 532 - 8111
Fax: (780) 539 - 9522
Hours (effective September 21, 2007)
Saturday - Thursday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
Closed Statutory Holidays
What’s happening with the new Montrose Cultural Centre?
The Prairie Art Gallery is expanding! The historic 1929 Central Park School, despite being unexpectedly damaged in a roof collapse in March 2007, will form the cornerstone for the new Montrose Cultural Centre, a new gathering place for all, and the new home to the Grande Prairie Public Library. When this newly expanded (and repaired) complex opens in Spring 2009, the Gallery will offer more than double the exhibition space and more than double the educational space than it did in the Central Park School building alone up to 2007.
The elegant Prairie Art Gallery will feature an expansion of 8,000 square feet. The Prairie Art Gallery will continue its commitment to excellence in showcasing the works of the finest visual artists from the Peace Country and around the world. Already one of Alberta’s few Category A Art Galleries, it houses a permanent collection of more than 500 works of art.
With the expansion, the Gallery will:
• continue to be a resource for visual arts to many communities
• create an opportunity to present many more exhibitions to the city and surrounding area
• incorporate a children’s gallery
• continue to develop and expand a more diverse contemporary visual arts audience,
• continue to add to the quality of life of the north
• attract artists seeking to exhibit in our gallery spaces
• strengthen the cultural and social relevance of exhibitions through exploration of art and culture
• provide barrier free access for those with mobility issues
• complement the heritage building
For more information on the expansion of the Prairie Art Gallery, please visit
and to view the progress of the construction, visit
City of Grande Prairie’s Webcam
Do you still have art classes?
The Prairie Art Gallery offers a wide range of exciting art classes and programs for all ages. We have children’s classes in drawing, painting, and cartooning, as well as youth and adult classes. You can now register and pay for all of our programs online. To view all of the Prairie Art Gallery’s current and upcoming art classes, please visit our Programs and Events page.
*All class dates and times are subject to change. Please call the gallery or refer to the website for all current information.
What are the benefits to becoming a member?
The greatest benefit of membership in the Prairie Gallery Society is the service that you assist us in building and sharing the art experience. Members guide the institution democratically at the Annual General Meeting each year, serve the Gallery in many volunteer roles, and form the core of the Gallery’s growing community.
For a complete pricing list, visit our Membership page.
How can I be notified when new information is added to the website?
The Prairie Art Gallery regularly updates it’s website and you can subscribe to an RSS feed to receive the latest information about the Gallery on your computer - for FREE. Updated information from our website is automatically downloaded to your computer and can be viewed in Internet Explorer and other programs.
Subscribe today and stay connected!