Published on June 3, 2026
Amplify’s Artist Alley: Summer Edition is Back with a Night Market this July!
Craft vendors and musicians... the hunt is on for an array of artists to help celebrate all-things visual art at this year’s Artist Alley, taking place on July 4 , 2026, in St. Albert Place. Entering its fourth year, the Artist Alley is hosted by Amplify—the City’s youth arts development program—with the goal of shining a spotlight on the skill and creativity of our community’s young visual artists.
Combing an artisan market and beginner visual art workshops, Artist Alley has quickly become a dynamic exploration of the work of aspiring artists. However, this year the Amplify Advisory Committee has moved the event from the heart of winter to the heat of summer, adding the energy of long summer nights to an already vibrant event.
“This event has truly become a lively celebration of the visual arts, which is an artform that often doesn’t take center stage like music or theatre tends to,” explains Kathleen Bell, Community Cultural Coordinator and Amplify’s City liaison. “We started this event with the idea that we wanted to make artists feel as special and valued as our musicians or poets feel at our other live events. This is an event where our young painters, crafters, photographers and more, get to take a bow.”
New this year, Amplify’s annual Art Battle will take place in conjunction with the Artist Alley.
“The Art Battle is a very friendly live-painting competition,” says Bell. “It often brings visual artists out of their comfort zone, but I can’t recommend it enough. While it might be scary to let an audience watch you work, the public appreciates the experience so much—most people never get the chance to see a painter paint and they are blown away by the process and just how quickly a piece can come together.
Interested artists can apply to participate in a few ways: they can apply to be a vendor in the craft market and/or register to paint in the Art Battle. Additionally, if you are a musician who performs as a soloist or as duo, Amplify is looking for performers to add some vibrancy to the craft market through their music.
“Even if you only have one song to share, we will slot you in—the Artist Alley is a great place to try sharing your music,” says Bell. “The whole event is about sharing—when we share our art, it’s truly a gift to the audience and the community.”
Art Battle, Craft Market and Worshops all take place on July 4, 2026 at St. Albert Place.
For more information and to apply, visit Amplify's Website
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Last edited: June 3, 2026