In 1970, Barbara Leighton had big dreams. She dreamed of turning her beautifully crafted home into an art gallery where people could feel comfortable and inspired – and never intimidated by the art that surrounded them. She dreamed of moving the historic little red school house across the road onto her property and fixing it up with the help of neighbours, to turn it into an amazing art studio that would be open to the public. She dreamed of creating a space for people to explore, appreciate, and create.

When Barbara Leighton called on her neighbours to help her start The Leighton Foundation, these were her dreams. She and many generous volunteers worked hard to turn those dreams into a phenomenal legacy that we are still enjoying today!

Leighton Art Centre, situated in A.C. Leighton and Barbara Leighton’s original home, is an art gallery, museum and arts education centre located on 80 acres just outside of Calgary, near Millarville in the Alberta’s Foothills County. Now a provincially designated Historic Resource, this unique Arts and Crafts inspired home was designed by A.C. Leighton in the 1950s and boasts some of the most breathtaking mountain views in Southern Alberta. We grow artists.