Big Marble to host first professional art exhibition

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on October 10, 2025.

Normally visitors of the Big Marble Go Centre go to work up a sweat, throw on their skates or take a dip in the pool, however beginning this week the recreation facility will host an “urban graffiti, rhythmic art” exhibition in its main hallway.

For the first time in Big Marble’s history, it will host a professional art exhibition featuring the work of David Harrison, a Calgary-based artist who used chips of fallen graffiti to create abstract, rhythmic artwork.

The solo travelling exhibit called “pal-imp-sest” has been installed in the main hallway near the entrance to the fieldhouse and will be on display until Nov. 4.

The exhibit has been made possible through a collaboration between the city and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts’ Travelling Exhibition (TREX) program.

“We are always looking for ways to enhance the recreation visitor experience and promote the amazing people, landscapes and history of southern Alberta,” said Michael Ractliffe, superintendent of recreation. “There are strong links between art’s, recreation and well-bring – adding TREX exhibitions is a great way to bridge arts and recreational environments and build on the fundamental community focus of our facility.”

According to a city release, Big Marble is the only recreation facility in southeast Alberta to host a TREX art exhibition, which are normally held in schools, libraries and health-care centres.

Big Marble has also successfully collaborated with the Medicine Hat Public Library to host a micro library which opened last October in the foyer.

Next year the Big Marble will continue to serve as a host for TREX exhibitions periodically throughout the year.