TRUCK Contemporary Art

What TRUCK Contemporary Art does

TRUCK Contemporary Art (legally Second Story Art Society) is a non-profit artist-run centre founded in 1983 in Calgary, Alberta. It operates three gallery venues at 2009 10 Ave SW: a 1,319 sq ft Main Space Gallery (a converted industrial garage with direct loading bay access), a 207.58 sq ft PARKADE Project Space (sound-satisfied for media arts), and a 416 sq ft U-HALL Community Space on the second floor used for the Emerging Curatorial Residency program and rentable programming. The organization presents rotating exhibitions, artist residencies, and community events free of charge, with programming spanning contemporary visual art, performance, drag, and curatorial practice.

The business model is grant-dependent and multi-stream. Primary revenue comes from institutional arts grants: Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Calgary Arts Development, and the City of Calgary. Secondary streams include an annual TRUCKer membership (sold via Zeffy) granting AGM voting rights, exclusive event access, and shop discounts; ticketed events priced $15-$20 sold via Showpass; merchandise and artwork sales through the on-site TRUCKshop; and space rental. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, email newsletters, the truck.ca website, and word-of-mouth within the Calgary arts ecosystem.

The organization is currently in a state of governance crisis and turnaround. Over recent years prior to 2026, TRUCK suffered serious mismanagement resulting in inconsistent programming, Canada Council 'Concerned Status' and Alberta Foundation for the Arts 'Fair Notice' citations, and loss of CRA charitable status. A new six-member Board of Directors was constituted on February 10, 2026, immediately removed the previous three board members, and as of March 2026 the gallery is temporarily closed while committees work to reconcile finances, restore CRA status, revise bylaws, and rebuild community trust. The operating team comprises an Acting Director, an Arts Programmer, a Gallery Preparator, a Communications lead, and a Bookkeeper.

Name

TRUCK Contemporary Art

Legal name

Second Story Art Society

Website

https://truck.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TRUCK Contemporary Art (Second Story Art Society) is a Calgary-based non-profit artist-run centre, founded 1983, that presents free contemporary art exhibitions and residencies across three gallery spaces for local artists and the Calgary community. It is currently closed for governance restructuring as of early 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artist-Run Contemporary Art Gallery

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (71211), Art Dealers (459920)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA)

Keywords

• Contemporary art gallery
• Artist-run centre
• Exhibition programming
• Visual arts residency
• Community art space

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government and Foundation Grants: Primary revenue from arts funders including Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Calgary Arts Development, and The City of Calgary. These major grants support core operations and programming.
2. Membership Program: Annual memberships (TRUCKers) valid for one year, providing voting rights at AGM, invitations to exclusive events, and discounts at the TRUCKshop and events.
3. Event Tickets and Programming: Revenue from ticketed events such as performances and exhibitions. Object Runway tickets priced at $15-$20. Chambers' Ring exhibition events including film screenings.
4. Shop Sales: TRUCKshop sells artwork and merchandise, with members receiving discounts on purchases.
5. Space Rental: U-HALL community space offered as rentable community space. Currently utilized for Emerging Curatorial Residency program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

TRUCK Contemporary Art operates as a non-profit artist-run gallery providing exhibition opportunities, residency programs, and community programming in Calgary. It runs three distinct gallery venues — the Main Space Gallery (1319 sq ft), the PARKADE Project Space (207.58 sq ft), and the U-HALL Community Space (416 sq ft) — along with the TRUCKer annual membership program and the Emerging Curatorial Residency. Programming centers on contemporary art exhibitions, performances, and free-admission cultural events for the Calgary and Treaty 7 region community.

Product overview

TRUCK Contemporary Art is a non-profit artist-run gallery operating as a single unified offering centered on exhibition spaces and community programming. The organization provides three distinct gallery venues: the Main Space Gallery (1319 sq ft), the PARKADE Project Space (207.58 sq ft), and the U-HALL Community Space (416 sq ft). Programming includes rotating exhibitions, the Emerging Curatorial Residency program, membership benefits (TRUCKer program), and community events. TRUCK maintains free admission as a core value, prioritizing accessibility to contemporary art for all.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Space Gallery 1,319 sq ft converted industrial garage space with concrete floors, exposed beam ceiling, and direct loading bay access. Houses the bulk of TRUCK's exhibition programming and serves artists presenting contemporary art to the Calgary public.
• PARKADE Project Space 207.58 sq ft small black-painted media arts space with sound-insulated walls, located on the main floor next to the Main Space. Designed for presenting media arts projects and small exhibitions.
• U-HALL Community Space 416 sq ft rentable community space on the second floor of TRUCK, currently utilized for the Emerging Curatorial Residency program. Available for community use and small programming.
• TRUCKer Membership Program Annual membership program valid for one year from purchase. Provides one vote at the Annual General Meeting, invitations to TRUCKer-only events, and discounts at the TRUCKshop and ticketed events. Sold through the Zeffy platform.
• Emerging Curatorial Residency Artist residency program providing emerging curators with studio space in the U-HALL Community Space and hands-on mentorship to develop works for upcoming TRUCK exhibitions.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• EMMEDIA Gallery & Production SocietycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 July 2025EMMEDIA co-presented events associated with 'Chambers' Ring' exhibition, including the 'Right to Fight' documentary screening on August 15th, 2025 at their venue (2005 10 Ave SW).
• Calgary Boxing ClubsecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 July 2025Calgary Boxing Club partnered for 'Chambers' Ring' exhibition programming, providing venue for free all-women's boxing lessons on August 17th and 24th, 2025. Instructors Kandi 'Krush' Wyatt and Jessica Sparrow led sessions.
• Rogelio BoxingsecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 July 2025Community partner supporting 'Chambers' Ring' exhibition, contributing to boxing-themed programming and events exploring the history and spectacle of boxing.
• Carvel CreativesecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 July 2025Creative partner supporting 'Chambers' Ring' exhibition, one of multiple supporters including Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Calgary Arts Development, City of Calgary, and EMMEDIA.
• Alberta Foundation for the ArtscoreOthers · 14 June 2025Provincial arts funder providing grants supporting TRUCK's core operations and programming including 'Chambers' Ring' exhibition. Previously cited TRUCK with Fair Notice status.
• Ghost River TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2025Ghost River Theatre, Calgary-based devised theatre leader for over 30 years, partnered with TRUCK for 'Object Drag + Object Runway' exhibition featuring artist Robin Leveroos as GRT's 2024-25 Artist-in-Residence. Collaboration combined high fashion, drag culture, and mechanical magic in theatrical performance at TRUCK's gallery space.
• Canada Council for the ArtscoreOthersNational arts funder providing major operational grants. Previously cited TRUCK with Concerned Status due to governance and management issues requiring remediation.
• Calgary Arts DevelopmentcoreOthersMunicipal arts funder supporting Calgary arts organizations and programming including exhibitions and events at TRUCK.
• The City of CalgarycoreOthersMunicipal government providing arts funding support for TRUCK's programming and operations in Calgary.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mercer Union: Toronto artist-run centre exhibiting contemporary visual art, sound, and new media. Comparable in artist-run model, exhibition programming structure, and Canadian public-funder funding architecture.
• Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art: Winnipeg-based artist-run centre for contemporary art, also heavily reliant on Canada Council funding. Comparable as a peer-category organization (artist-run centre) navigating similar public-funder dynamics and exhibition/residency programming.
• Western Front: Vancouver-based artist-run centre with a long history of contemporary art exhibitions, residencies, and multi-disciplinary programming. Comparable in operating model, residency programs, and reliance on Canada Council for the Arts.
• Stride Gallery: Calgary-based artist-run centre exhibiting contemporary art with a parallel mandate to TRUCK. Directly comparable as a same-city, same-model (artist-run) peer competing for the same artists, audiences, and municipal/provincial grant pool.
• Dunlop Art Gallery: Regina Public Library-affiliated gallery presenting contemporary art exhibitions with community programming. Comparable as a publicly-funded regional contemporary art venue with exhibition, education, and residency offerings.
• AKA Artist-Run Centre: Saskatoon artist-run centre supporting Indigenous and contemporary artists through exhibitions, residencies, and events. Comparable in artist-run model, programming scope, and reliance on federal/provincial arts funding.
• Or Gallery: Vancouver artist-run centre focused on contemporary art, particularly experimental and time-based work. Comparable as a small-team, exhibition-and-programming-driven organization reliant on public arts funding.
• The New Gallery: Calgary artist-run centre focused on contemporary art exhibitions, residencies, and community programming. Closely comparable in operating model, scale, and reliance on Canada Council / Alberta Foundation for the Arts funding.

Regional players

• Contemporary Calgary: Larger Calgary contemporary art institution operating from a converted historic building. Operates in the same city and overlaps in contemporary art programming but at meaningfully larger scale and with broader institutional funding, making it a regional benchmark rather than a direct artist-run peer.

Emerging players

• Griffin Art Projects: Contemporary art space on Vancouver Island presenting curated exhibitions of Canadian and international artists. Comparable as a small programming-focused contemporary art organization, though with a private/collector dimension that differentiates it from a pure artist-run model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeYouTube.com/@truckcontemporaryart3282
• Facebookfacebook.com/truckcontemporaryart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/truckcontemporaryart
• Instagraminstagram.com/truckcontemporaryart

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TRUCK Contemporary Art