THE 525
About
The 525 was assembled when a group of friends realized their shared love for intimate artistic experiences.
In recognizing their diverse backgrounds and experiences, the team at the 525 bonded through a passion for exploring and experiencing art.
The 525 stands as a non-profit art organization grateful to their encouraging connections, striving to support Saskatchewan artists and the community at large.
Our Mission
Hosting pop-up art exhibitions that connect emerging artists from Saskatchewan with a wider audience.
Our Vision
Making art central to Saskatchewan’s cultural identity.
RECENT SHOWS
My Bones: Hailey Weber
626 Broadway Ave, Saskatoon /
2024
Our Origin Story
"The 525 started during a crossroads in my life. I had just left a kushy yet stagnant sales job at a tech company. I had no other job prospects and leaving was a risk, yet I knew I had to leave for my own well being and growth.
My girlfriend, now wife, who I met at the tech company had since left too to pursue her own dreams of starting a flower truck business. Watching her pursue her dreams and build a business from scratch was motivating to witness.
Her creativity and gumption must have worn off onto me. I too was surrounded by creative and talented people in Saskatoon. I wondered if I could use my skills of bringing people together to showcase the artist's talent around me.
The inception of the idea of The 525 is hard to pinpoint. During my leave from work, being unemployed, I gave myself the time to just live, to enjoy the places and activities that I wanted to do. Life almost gives you the answers when you are living freely. when your mind is not constrained by the tasks of work. Looking back on that time in my life, It could be categorized by a sense of romanticism. Few cares, taking in the simple pleasantries around me. Visiting art galleries, sitting on the 3rd floor of the newly opened Remai and spending whole afternoons reading and looking over the river. Viewing the works of the Group of 7, Picasso and Canadian artists. I felt a sense of deep connection to these artworks, as if my viewing experience was a continuation of the ideals of art; that art connects us through time and space. Simply being at these galleries gave me a sense of purpose.
It was during this time that I had the idea of turning my extremely small 1 bedroom apartment into a pop up art exhibit. At no point did I think the idea absurd or improbable. I knew enough local artists who would love to showcase their work to their friends and family. I had done artistic video work with NOM and saw other friends bring artist together. My good friend, Adam Bosley, was visiting from Toronto that summer and I could have him, "adamtheillustrator," formerly "ghosteface adam," be the central artist, while also having him create the first ever 525 exhibition poster. I could easily move all my belongings into my bedroom (and hallway which was actually a huge fire hazard). All of these factors, coupled with the inspiration I received from watching my girlfriend pursue her own creative endeavours and many art gallery visits, contributed to the origins of The 525.
It should be noted that I was also hoping to visit my girlfriend that summer to see her flower truck in bloom. Since I was unemployed, I needed some funds to make the trip out to Kelowna. There was an underlying sentiment to make money while promoting local artists. With all of these factors in place, I pulled the trigger on hosting an art show for the first time at my tiny apartment at 525 20th Street on Friday, August 31st in 2018. And the rest, as they say, is history."
-Shawn Setyo, Founder of The 525
Until 2024, The 525 operated as a trio following Shawn's first few apartment shows. In 2021, The 525 was picked back up by new ownership that brought with them greater intentions. Kehan Fu (The 525's current Principal Director) and Isabel Bacalao (former Co-Founder of The 525) started planning the first show of its kind in years, once again in an apartment. DONDA (2021), featured a broad range of local artists, one being Rowen Dinsmore, a BFA student on the cusp of graduating. Following DONDA, Rowen took on a new role as The 525's Creative Director, and together the trio planned the second show of The 525's new era; this time in a house.
Since then, Isabel, Kehan, and Rowen went on to execute seven exhibitions together, eventually outgrowing the house party aesthetic and taking The 525 to the next level. As the team, board, and collaborations have grown beyond their wildest dreams, The 525 is forever rooted in an idea between friends to make art accessible and central to Saskatchewan.
PROGRAMMING TEAM
Principal Director
Kehan Fu's journey in the arts began with his passion for bringing people together and a visit to a tiny apartment where he witnessed the magic of the very first 525 pop-up exhibition. He took on the role of Volunteer Coordinator for Nuit Blanche Saskatoon in 2022, steering the festival through its post-COVID comeback and now chairs its fundraising committee.
Kehan's ties to The 525 deepened in 2021 when he co-hosted its first pop-up. Since then, he's joined the City of Saskatoon's Public Art Advisory Committee and the board of Makerspace Saskatoon, where his fundraising skills are put to good use. A firm believer in the power of grassroots and community-led arts projects, Kehan is dedicated to using his experience in nonprofit leadership to create platforms where art and culture thrive. His background in project and relationship management makes him a valuable asset to larger artistic endeavours, proving that passion and community can lead to excellence.
Curatorial & Creative Director
Rowen is a BFA Honours graduate from the University of Saskatchewan (2022) and is a studio artist currently working and living in Saskatoon. In addition to her artistic practice, she specializes in creative direction and social media content creation. These passions led to her career as a Content Creator for ENSEMBL in 2022 and more recently at LMNO Consulting and the 30 Birds Foundation.
Following her participation as an artist in The 525’s first house-show, DONDA in 2021, Rowen has been a working member of the board as well as the Curatorial and Creative Director for The 525. Rowen is passionate about creating opportunities for emerging artists and hopes her work in these spaces will contribute to the vibrance within Saskatoon’s artistic community as a whole.
Project Coordinator