About Trap\door:
Trap\door is a non-profit artist run centre founded in 2004. Dedicated to the promotion of contemporary visual art which is challenging and critical, the purpose of Trap\door is to encourage experimentation by artists whose work explores creative production outside of an institutional framework. As an artist-run centre without a fixed and permanent venue, we are interested in developing strategies to situate art in spaces where creative producers and the public can intersect. Historically, we have done this with pop-up galleries, ephemeral public artworks, and relational projects. Working with a limited budget, Trap\door deliberately dedicates the majority of our funds to artist’s fees, exhibition expenses, and the direct costs of providing public access to contemporary art. We collaborate with other venues and institutions, sharing resources and developing symbiotic relationships.
Trap\door has had several iterations, and numerous Boards with various areas of focus and direction. Notable historic initiatives include the Gushul Studio Residency (which ran for many years and brought contemporary artists to the Gushul Studios in the Crowsnest Pass), The Artist\Talk Speaker Series, the 3x8x10 Fundraiser, plus many pop-up exhibitions. The current incarnation of Trap\door has been active since November 2022, and is excited to imprint its vision of contemporary art on the Lethbridge community.
Board of Directors:
Brad Goruk (President)
Stacey McRae (Secretary)
Natalia Smith
Joan Erickson
Emma Aubie (VP)
Darcy Logan (Treasurer)
.
Katie Marie Bruce
Annual Reports:
2023 Annual Report:
Message from the Board Chair
The Trap\door Artist Run Centre saw significant successes and notable failures in the last year. Trap\door exists for artists, and the value of the organization is solely based on the value it has to the artist community. I would to thank all the artists that contributed their work, time, and discussion to the year’s activities.
Trap\door hosted its first exhibition since the COVID-19 pandemic with Carrying Baggage in the latter half of the year. Trap\door is an artist run centre without the centre, and Carrying Baggage was designed to highlight that fact by creating a traveling exhibition that encouraged artists to focus on themes of movement, the baggage they carry and travel. The call resulted in a number compelling submissions with five artists being selected for the exhibition.
The work of Heather Kehoe, Harley Morman, Kalina Nedelcheva, Noble Seggie, and Arianna Richardson were showcased in multiple venues from September through December. Thanks to the help of community partners, Carrying Baggage was showcased at the Casa Arts Centre, University of Lethbridge, The Lebel, Lethbridge City Hall, the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, and Lethbridge Public Library. The engaging work of the artists brought great feedback and enthusiasm from the audiences that were able to take in the show.
The second half of Trap\door activity included a critique night. This allowed artists to attend and present their work, complete or in-progress, for an evening of discourse around their practice. Personally, I can’t express the importance being within a creative environment, with active conversation, to my own artist endeavours. I am hopeful that Trap\door can continue to fill that gap for the community.
Finally, I would like to thank the board directors that volunteered their time this past year. A working board like Trap\door’s can be time- consuming, and their efforts are noted. As new members join the board in the coming year I hope the organization continues to grow.
2022 Annual Report:
Message from the Board Chair
2022 marked the revival of the Trap\door Artist Run Centre after a COVID-19 slumber. Like many organizations, Trap\door struggled with a displacement of directors and activities as the global pandemic upended far more than the local art community. In late 2022, an interim board of community members was formed to ensure that Trap\door regained its status in the province’s registry.
While the majority of the year was spent on less than exciting tasks such as revising bylaws and filing past returns, a December brainstorming “Mix and Mingle” allowed people to begin engaging with Trap\door again. The event was respectably attended, and gave past and present members a chance to enjoy looking through archives of the Trap\door’s nearly twenty-year existence. They were also able to relay ideas for the incoming board to review and discuss.
As the outlook for Trap\door is trending positively for 2023, optimism for a strong year is felt throughout the board