The Calgary Stampede announced a new era for public art to entice and welcome visitors, with three new public artworks set to adorn the Erlton, Stampede Trail, and Flores LaDue Parade entrances to the park.

Jason Carter, known for his public artwork at the Calgary International Airport as well as sculptures and canvases across Alberta, was selected by the Stampede to create the three works.

Works The Buffalo, The Horse, and The Bull, will be installed in April to be ready for the more than 20,000 guests to the 2025 Rotary International Convention in June, and more than one million to the Stampede in July.

Carter said that being selected to create the new entrance artworks was a dream come true.

“I think, for any artist, you hope to create something that people are drawn to and they’re able to see, and you’re able to spread the work as far and wide as possible. Having visitors come into the Calgary [Airport] and see the work there, and then—it’s inescapable now—they come to the stampede, and it’s there as well,” Carter said.

“It’s truly an honour as an urban Indigenous kid to be here in front of all of you and celebrating the work, celebrating Calgary, and knowing that they’re hopefully going to be here for much longer than I’m here. Knowing that the last entry features were here for 70 years, I’m hoping they’re here for at least 15.”

He said that when designing the three statues, he wanted to capture the concept of the herd through the three animals, and how that embodied the goal of literally capturing the sense of gathering at the Stampede.

“These three entry features highlight the story of Calgary and Calgary’s present, past and future, with each animal overseeing their respective entrances as stewards of the land,” he said.

He said that he selected pinks and purples for the plains buffalo to reflect the wisdom and spirituality of that animal, blue for the quarter horse for stability and bravery, and orange as a power colour for the bull.

“It really reflects the future, and our hopes and dreams as a community and as Canadians. So it really all kind of came together very organically, especially working with the team that we had behind us,” Carter said.

Stampede public art to welcome visitors

The statues will be fabricated by local firm F&D Scene Changes Ltd., which has produced theatrical, film, and experience fabrications internationally for Netflix, HBO, and Universal Studios, but was also the fabricator for the Elbow River Camp Tipi and more recently, the Stampede’s wine cork YAHOO that was unveiled in 2024.

Woolsey Structural Engineering will be providing the structural design and analysis for the installation locations.

The entrance pieces will each be nearly 20 feet tall, and will have vibrant colours that lend themselves to being viewed, and likely Instagrammed, day and night.

Kerri Souriol, Vice President, Park Development and Major Projects at the Calgary Stampede said that was an important element as part of the selection process, as Stampede Park was no longer just a nine-to-five destination.

“We have events, many events during the evening. It was really important to include the lighting element into these because so many of our guests are here at the park at night as well,” Souriol said.

“They really act as a beacon. We’re really excited, in particular, with this submission. One of the strongest parts about this submission was the interplay between the colours and the light and the ability to be read at night as well.”

The selection process was undertaken as a competitive RFP, that was overseen by three voting members of the Calgary Stampede, one member from the Stampede’s volunteer public art committee, and one non-voting member from the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation.

“The committee has undertaken several initiatives, the latest being our involvement in the selection process for these wonderful new entry features during the selection process. We were incredibly impressed with the boldness of the proposal that Jason and the F&D team put forward,” said Neil MacKimmie, Chair of the Calgary Stampede’s volunteer Public Art Committee.

“The pieces will not only create a new sense of crossing the threshold into Stampede Park, but are also certain to become a meeting place and a spot to gather with friends on the way in or out of the park.”