John V. Hicks (1907 – 1999)
John V. Hicks was Prince Albert’s former Poet Laureate. Hicks left a legacy of contributions to the arts and culture of Canada, Saskatchewan and Prince Albert. Although he never formally taught poetry or music, he participated in afternoon teas at the Margo Fournier Arts Centre almost daily where he served as a mentor for aspiring artists. Here, his ability to recognize talent drew many young people to him for a review (or a preview). It was Hicks who encouraged the tenor Jon Vickers to pursue a singing career. It is for these contributions that the art gallery at the Margo Fournier Arts Centre was named in honour of John V. Hicks.
About
Located on the second floor of the Margo Fournier Arts Centre in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, the John V. Hicks Gallery is a vibrant community exhibition space dedicated to celebrating the work of local, regional, and provincial artists. The gallery is organized by the Prince Albert Council for the Arts, with exhibitions professionally programmed in partnership with the Mann Art Gallery. This long-standing collaboration provides opportunities for emerging and established artists to share their work while enriching the cultural life of our community.
The gallery presents a year-round schedule of changing exhibitions, featuring artwork from individual artists, local guilds, community organizations, and travelling exhibitions from the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC). Through these exhibitions, visitors can experience a diverse range of artistic styles, mediums, and perspectives while discovering some of Saskatchewan's finest creative talent.
Originally known as the Little Gallery, the exhibition space served as the home of Prince Albert's public art gallery before the gallery relocated to its current location. Following the move, the space was renamed in honour of John V. Hicks, recognizing his extraordinary influence on the arts community in Prince Albert.
Born in London, England, John V. Hicks (1907–1999) immigrated to Canada with his family, settling in New Brunswick before eventually making Prince Albert his home. A poet, musician, mentor, and passionate advocate for the arts, Hicks became one of the city's most respected cultural figures. Although he never formally taught, he spent countless hours encouraging and mentoring local artists, writers, and musicians at the Margo Fournier Arts Centre. His generosity, wisdom, and ability to recognize potential inspired generations of artists, including internationally acclaimed Canadian tenor Jon Vickers. His lasting legacy continues through the gallery that proudly bears his name.
Today, the John V. Hicks Gallery continues that tradition by providing an accessible, welcoming space where artists can exhibit their work, connect with the community, and inspire future generations. Admission is always free, making the gallery an inviting destination for residents and visitors alike to experience the richness and diversity of Saskatchewan's visual arts.
The gallery presents a year-round schedule of changing exhibitions, featuring artwork from individual artists, local guilds, community organizations, and travelling exhibitions from the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC). Through these exhibitions, visitors can experience a diverse range of artistic styles, mediums, and perspectives while discovering some of Saskatchewan's finest creative talent.
Originally known as the Little Gallery, the exhibition space served as the home of Prince Albert's public art gallery before the gallery relocated to its current location. Following the move, the space was renamed in honour of John V. Hicks, recognizing his extraordinary influence on the arts community in Prince Albert.
Born in London, England, John V. Hicks (1907–1999) immigrated to Canada with his family, settling in New Brunswick before eventually making Prince Albert his home. A poet, musician, mentor, and passionate advocate for the arts, Hicks became one of the city's most respected cultural figures. Although he never formally taught, he spent countless hours encouraging and mentoring local artists, writers, and musicians at the Margo Fournier Arts Centre. His generosity, wisdom, and ability to recognize potential inspired generations of artists, including internationally acclaimed Canadian tenor Jon Vickers. His lasting legacy continues through the gallery that proudly bears his name.
Today, the John V. Hicks Gallery continues that tradition by providing an accessible, welcoming space where artists can exhibit their work, connect with the community, and inspire future generations. Admission is always free, making the gallery an inviting destination for residents and visitors alike to experience the richness and diversity of Saskatchewan's visual arts.
Current Exhibition
Atim Maskikhiy (‘Dog Medicine’ in Cree) presents works of seventeen artists local to the La Ronge tri-community area in Northern Saskatchewan. The multimedia pieces represent the artists’ interpretations of the dog-human relationship as expressed through preliminary findings of a community-driven research project conducted in the community. This unique marriage of art and science allows knowledge translation to a broader audience than typical of peer-reviewed research. Highlighting the need for improved access to animal health and welfare services in northern, remote and Indigenous communities everywhere, this gallery represents a call to action for systemic change at the human-dog interface. Through their works, the artists confirm that dog-human bonds are highly valued and often critical to human life and well-being in the north, and current approaches to ‘fixing’ dog problems in communities without regular access to care ignore important contributors at the root of the issue.
This exhibition is curated by Dr. Jordan Woodsworth, Director, Northern Engagement and Community Outreach, Western College of Veterinary Medicine. The artists featured in this exhibition are: Andrea Cowan, Caron Dubnick, Donna Langhorne, Hilary Johnstone, John Halkett, Larissa Muirhead, Miriam Koerner, Molly Ratt, Myles Charles, Nancy Lafleur, Terri Franks, Sammi Kopeck, Abigail Clarke, Annalisa Heppner, Jade Roberts, Jasmine Grondin, and Wendy Cleveland.
Atim Maskikhiy (‘Dog Medicine’ in Cree) presents works of seventeen artists local to the La Ronge tri-community area in Northern Saskatchewan. The multimedia pieces represent the artists’ interpretations of the dog-human relationship as expressed through preliminary findings of a community-driven research project conducted in the community. This unique marriage of art and science allows knowledge translation to a broader audience than typical of peer-reviewed research. Highlighting the need for improved access to animal health and welfare services in northern, remote and Indigenous communities everywhere, this gallery represents a call to action for systemic change at the human-dog interface. Through their works, the artists confirm that dog-human bonds are highly valued and often critical to human life and well-being in the north, and current approaches to ‘fixing’ dog problems in communities without regular access to care ignore important contributors at the root of the issue.
This exhibition is curated by Dr. Jordan Woodsworth, Director, Northern Engagement and Community Outreach, Western College of Veterinary Medicine. The artists featured in this exhibition are: Andrea Cowan, Caron Dubnick, Donna Langhorne, Hilary Johnstone, John Halkett, Larissa Muirhead, Miriam Koerner, Molly Ratt, Myles Charles, Nancy Lafleur, Terri Franks, Sammi Kopeck, Abigail Clarke, Annalisa Heppner, Jade Roberts, Jasmine Grondin, and Wendy Cleveland.
This exhibition is curated by Dr. Jordan Woodsworth, Director, Northern Engagement and Community Outreach, Western College of Veterinary Medicine. The artists featured in this exhibition are: Andrea Cowan, Caron Dubnick, Donna Langhorne, Hilary Johnstone, John Halkett, Larissa Muirhead, Miriam Koerner, Molly Ratt, Myles Charles, Nancy Lafleur, Terri Franks, Sammi Kopeck, Abigail Clarke, Annalisa Heppner, Jade Roberts, Jasmine Grondin, and Wendy Cleveland.
Atim Maskikhiy (‘Dog Medicine’ in Cree) presents works of seventeen artists local to the La Ronge tri-community area in Northern Saskatchewan. The multimedia pieces represent the artists’ interpretations of the dog-human relationship as expressed through preliminary findings of a community-driven research project conducted in the community. This unique marriage of art and science allows knowledge translation to a broader audience than typical of peer-reviewed research. Highlighting the need for improved access to animal health and welfare services in northern, remote and Indigenous communities everywhere, this gallery represents a call to action for systemic change at the human-dog interface. Through their works, the artists confirm that dog-human bonds are highly valued and often critical to human life and well-being in the north, and current approaches to ‘fixing’ dog problems in communities without regular access to care ignore important contributors at the root of the issue.
This exhibition is curated by Dr. Jordan Woodsworth, Director, Northern Engagement and Community Outreach, Western College of Veterinary Medicine. The artists featured in this exhibition are: Andrea Cowan, Caron Dubnick, Donna Langhorne, Hilary Johnstone, John Halkett, Larissa Muirhead, Miriam Koerner, Molly Ratt, Myles Charles, Nancy Lafleur, Terri Franks, Sammi Kopeck, Abigail Clarke, Annalisa Heppner, Jade Roberts, Jasmine Grondin, and Wendy Cleveland.
Upcoming Exhibition
2026 Gallery Schedule
- January 1 - March 23: From 50
- April 1 - 23: Janaya McCallum
- May 1 - 23: Gabriela Garcia-Luna residency
- June 1 - 23: Gabriela Garcia-Luna residency
- July 1 - August 23: Atim Maskikhiy ('Dog Medicine' in Cree)
- September 1 - 23: Northern Image Photographers - reception September 8th at 7:00pm
- October 1 - 23: Studio 1010
- November 1 - 23: Labours of Love, Under Lamplight
- December 1 - January 23: A Selection of Specimens
2025 Exhibitions
- January 1 - 23: The Spirit of Nature - Looking Beyond Yourself - Phyllis Poitras-Jarrett
- February 1 - 23: Surface all the Way Through
- March 1 - 23: George Glenn
- April 1 - 23: George Glenn
- May 1 - 23: Connie Freedy
- June 1 - 23: Connie Freedy
- July 1 - August 23: Propagation
- September 1 - 23: Northern Image Photographers
- October 1 - 23: Studio 1010 members
- November 1 - 23:
- December 1 - January 23: Omentum
2024 Exhibitions
- June 1 - 23: Moving Landscapes - Eddie Marshall
- July 1 - August 23: Tepakohp/7 - curated by Melanie Monique Rose
- September 1 - 23: Northern Image Photographers
- October 1 - 23: Studio 1010 members
- November 1 - 23: All Conditioned Things - Jared Boechler & Nic Wilcon
- December 1 - January 23: The Spirit of Nature - Looking Beyond Yourself - Phyllis Poitras-Jarrett
LOCATIONSecond Floor of the Margo Fournier Arts Centre
1010 Central Ave. Prince Albert, SK S6V 4V5 |
Exhibit at the John V. Hicks Gallery
The John V. Hicks Gallery is proud to support emerging and established artists by providing opportunities to share their work with the community. If you are interested in exhibiting, we would love to hear from you. Exhibition schedules are typically planned up to two years in advance, so we encourage you to complete the application form to be considered for future exhibition opportunities.