College Amenities

The annual spring VASS show, "Pop Culture" will run from March 9 - 26. 

The annual spring VASS (Visual Arts Student Society) show is entirely run by students. The VASS team conceives of the theme and title for the show, sends out the call for artists, designs the poster, collects and installs the work, arranges for labels, and fine-tunes the lighting. It's a lot of work for these student volunteers, on top of a full course-load! But it's also great fun to work together as a team and see each individual artwork come together to create something new. This practical, hands-on experience supplements the Work Integrated Learning that is built into our program, while strengthening the sense of community within the students.

The gallery is open for viewing from 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and a public reception will be held on Thursday, March 12 at 7 p.m. with comments and awards announced at 7:30 p.m.

Grad Show - Dissonance
Exhibit: Apr. 13 - 24, 2026 | Reception: Apr. 11, 7 p.m.

Dissonance represents the 2026 graduating class of the Art and Design Program at Medicine Hat College. The exhibition explores the embodiment of many different voices, thoughts and creative approaches that come together to shape our collective identity as emerging artists and designers. What may appear chaotic at first glance opens space for deeper interpretation of strength, beauty and unity in the presence of contrast.

Students described dissonance as a word often connected to disagreeing in sound. A modern meaning refers to the clashing or tension created when unsuitable or opposing elements meet. While this may sound negative, there is beauty in weathering the dissonance. Our struggles create tension that can lead to extraordinary growth. As a group, we had much to disagree on at the start. Each of us is remarkably different from the others, from our personalities to the mediums we work in. Despite the clashes, we share the same end goal and have learned to move through this dissonance to create a meaningful exhibition.

The reception will be held Saturday, April 11th at 7 pm in the One on One Gallery, located in the Cultural Centre at Medicine Hat College, 399 College Avenue. The exhibition will run on campus until April 24th, 2026, with gallery hours Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4 pm.

A second exhibition location will be presented in the Gallery Foyer at the Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre (401 1st Street SE) in partnership with TREX Southeast from April 11th to April 25th, 2026.

Both exhibition sites invite visitors to experience how contrast, tension and harmony can coexist within creative practice. We welcome the community, prospective students, Medicine Hat College executives, faculty, staff and students, local businesses, friends and family to join us in celebrating the cultural importance of art and design. We hope guests leave inspired, reflective and excited to share their experience with others.

Download Calendar (pdf)

The MHC Art and Design Faculty Exhibition is now up at the Esplanade
Arts & Heritage Centre Art Gallery. Alongside the faculty exhibition, MHC Education
Instructor and local artist Deborah Forbes has an immersive interactive video
installation titled Sea Jellies: Next Generation in the gallery. Both shows run from
December 16, 2025 to April 18, 2026, with a public reception on Friday, January 16 at 7pm. Read more about the exhibitions at the Esplanade here.

These exhibitions highlight not only the professional art and design work created by our faculty, but also the ongoing collaborative relationship between the MHC Art and Design program and the City of Medicine Hat. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and the same can be said for an art student — education doesn’t happen in a vacuum! We are so grateful for the support of the local arts community and the Esplanade, offering diverse perspectives and first-hand experiences with a variety of approaches to art.