{"exhibit":{"title":"Stampede Cowboy: Myth Building of Masculinity ","description":"<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Exhbit Currated By Katelyn Liakos <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">The myth of the Calgary cowboy stands tall in the identity of the city itself. While the image of the cowboy is deeply rooted in American history and folklore\u2014embodying ideals such as rugged individualism and frontier spirit\u2014it has also become central to the cultural ethos of the Canadian Prairies, particularly in Calgary, Alberta.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">This connection is due in part to Alberta\u2019s own ranching history and economic development. However, a significant force behind the cowboy's prominence in Calgary\u2019s identity is the Calgary Stampede and its visionary founder, Guy Weadick. An American promoter, Weadick organized the first Stampede in 1912 as a one-time celebration of the pioneer spirit, with backing from local businessmen. Over time, the event evolved into a cornerstone of Calgary\u2019s civic identity. Its stories, images, and characters became embedded in the city\u2019s cultural fabric\u2014and no figure looms larger than the cowboy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Through popular media and promotional culture, the Calgary Stampede has helped construct and sustain the myth of the Calgary cowboy. By analyzing archival materials produced by the Stampede up until the 1960s, this exhibit reveals how the event became a powerful site of cultural myth-making\u2014where the cowboy identity was continually curated, reshaped, and reimagined to reflect shifting values in Calgary from its inception.<\/span><\/p>","credits":"","featured":0,"public":1,"theme":"thedaily","theme_options":"a:1:{s:8:\"thedaily\";a:18:{s:17:\"button_background\";s:7:\"#EE312B\";s:11:\"button_text\";s:7:\"#000000\";s:17:\"eb_nav_background\";s:7:\"#FFFF00\";s:11:\"eb_nav_text\";s:7:\"#000000\";s:19:\"featured_background\";s:7:\"#FF230D\";s:13:\"featured_text\";s:7:\"#FFFFFF\";s:21:\"home_intro_background\";s:7:\"#000000\";s:15:\"home_intro_text\";s:7:\"#FFFF00\";s:22:\"top_nav_highlight_text\";s:7:\"#EE312B\";s:4:\"logo\";N;s:12:\"header_image\";N;s:16:\"header_image_alt\";s:0:\"\";s:22:\"homepage_text_position\";s:3:\"top\";s:11:\"footer_text\";s:0:\"\";s:24:\"display_footer_copyright\";s:1:\"0\";s:19:\"use_advanced_search\";s:1:\"0\";s:11:\"other_media\";s:1:\"1\";s:17:\"navigation_scroll\";s:1:\"1\";}}","slug":"samcentre-exhbits","added":"2025-10-21 16:57:47","modified":"2025-11-24 17:13:32","owner_id":69,"use_summary_page":1,"cover_image_file_id":9289,"id":3},"item":{"item_type_id":6,"collection_id":null,"featured":0,"public":1,"added":"2025-07-30 19:30:36","modified":"2026-01-15 20:52:01","owner_id":68,"id":18165}}