A new photography exhibition at the artsPlace Canmore HUB Gallery offers a glimpse into Edmonton’s changing neighbourhoods through images of abandoned homes. “Between Then and Eventually: Edmonton Abandoned Houses by Kay Peters” runs from June 24 to August 5, 2026, and is free to attend.
Kay Peters is an emerging Alberta artist completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Art & Design at the University of Alberta. Their work uses painting, printmaking, and found objects to capture houses, many from the 1950s, that sit empty in Edmonton’s inner ring. Peters revisits the same sites over time, documenting the stillness before the buildings are torn down or redeveloped.
The show is part of the RISE Emerging Artist Program, an annual mentorship and exhibition opportunity run by artsPlace. Selected artists receive a $1,500 honorarium and mentorship from a local art professional to help build skills in exhibiting, selling, and promoting their work.
Edmonton itself has been tackling derelict homes in recent years. The city’s Problem Property Initiative has seen 470 properties demolished in nearly three years, with 263 of those lots either redeveloped or under permit. A special tax class now charges owners of derelict houses three times the regular residential rate to encourage redevelopment or sale.
Viewers in Canmore will see a record of homes that might soon disappear. A closing reception with an artist talk by Peters is set for Wednesday, August 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., giving residents a chance to meet the artist and discuss the work.
