REGINA — On a quiet corner of the Cathedral neighbourhood, known for its murals, music and annual arts festival, a rainbow-painted fence has become an unlikely public gallery where children’s artwork brightens the street for anyone walking by.
Known as the Gallery on 14th, the outdoor display features children’s artwork framed and mounted along a rainbow-painted wooden fence, creating a small but beloved public gallery that anyone walking past can enjoy on the corner of 14 Avenue and Montague Street.
The project has existed for several years and gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic when many indoor cultural spaces were closed. For residents taking neighbourhood walks, the fence became a small but welcome burst of colour and creativity.
Today, the tradition is continuing under a new homeowner who discovered the gallery came with the house.
“I’m the inherited owner of the Gallery on 14th,” said Ehren Gadzella, who purchased the Cathedral home in June 2025.
When she first saw the property listing, the fence immediately stood out.
“I saw all the frames on this rainbow fence and started wondering what the Gallery on 14th was,” she said. “I learned it was a children’s art gallery the previous owners had created for the community.”
The gallery began when the former homeowners secured a small Cathedral community micro-grant to purchase frames and install them along the fence. They invited neighbourhood children to submit drawings based on seasonal themes, then laminated and displayed the pieces outdoors for anyone passing by.
Over time, the idea grew into a small neighbourhood tradition.
The previous family lived in the home for about a decade and built strong connections in Cathedral’s arts community. When they moved to a larger home nearby, the gallery remained.
“They’re still very involved in the neighbourhood and they’ve been really supportive in helping me keep it going,” Gadzella said.
Artwork for the rotating exhibition can be dropped off in waterproof bins placed on the home’s front step when new installations are announced.
One bin holds previous artwork for artists who want to retrieve their pieces. The other collects new submissions that will appear in the next display.
The gallery is open year-round and free to view.
Gadzella says the reactions from people walking past have convinced her the project is worth continuing.
“Even when I’m hanging art up or taking it down, people stop to talk,” she said. “They’re excited to see that the gallery is still going.”
The fence itself adds to the display. Painted in bright colours, it turns the entire property line into a canvas that makes the children’s artwork stand out along the street.
Gadzella has also added solar lights so the artwork remains visible during the long Saskatchewan winter evenings.
The next installation is expected this spring, with organizers planning to collect new artwork in April so a fresh display is ready in time for the Cathedral Village Arts Festival, one of Regina’s largest annual celebrations of local arts and culture.
During the festival, thousands of people walk through Cathedral’s streets, many discovering the small gallery for the first time.
For Gadzella, the project captures something important about the neighbourhood.
“Cathedral really has a strong arts culture,” she said. “Whether it’s music, visual art or community events, creativity is a big part of what makes this area special.”
She believes the small gallery also reflects something deeper about community life.
“People stop on their walks, they look at the art, and they talk about it,” she said. “Those little moments help turn a neighbourhood into a community.”
In a city filled with large public art projects and formal galleries, Gallery on 14th remains something different. It is not curated by professionals or displayed behind museum walls. Instead, it is a neighbourhood tradition where children’s drawings become public art and a simple wooden fence becomes a gallery that belongs to everyone who walks by.
