Learning

On Sept. 20, a new immersive art experience–Databells–will be unveiled at Salon Des Bananes. I talked to artist Rich Loen and got a sneak preview of Databells.

July’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Liz Wheeler to support the Secondhand Stories chicken sanctuary’s second annual open house.

Project WARP is back for a fourth and final cohort, and applications are now open until Sept. 7 at 11:59pm.

The Central Experimental Farm is a well-loved jewel in the heart of the city, boasting a rich and fascinating history, as well as a key role in Canada’s agricultural science. In a new five-session Speaker Series, the Friends of the Central Experimental Farm are sharing their horticultural and historic knowledge with the public, aiming to provide locals with a deeper understanding of the farm’s history and the fundamentals of horticulture that can be applied at home. Teaming up with scientists from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the free speaker series will cover different aspects of the farm’s relevance to the city, from invasive insects to famous women horticulturalists in history. The series has something for everyone.

Mādahòkì Farm is opening their doors to the wider public by introducing new visitor experiences, starting today. Apt613 was welcomed to tour the farm, take part in their equine assisted learning (EAL) program with Ojibwe spirit horses, and taste some new Grab & Go Indigenous offerings prepared by Mādahòkì Farm’s culinary team. 

The Ottawa Design Club hosted a successful panel and interactive arts party last week. Don’t worry if you missed it—the engaging format will return soon.

The rich history and traditions of Korea are on full display at the Korean Cultural Centre’s new exhibition, highlighting the country’s past and present. It’s much more than just K-pop and Squid Games.

In June 2022, historian Tara Sypniewski opened the Ottawa Trans Library. Almost a year and a half later, the place has transformed in all aspects. Apt613 sat downwith Sypniewski and talked about all the things going on in the library, from its ever-growing book collection to the events it regularly puts on.

February IS the happiest month of the year! Happiness Habits 613, a grassroots local wellness group, is back for another 29 days of free community experiences in February to dig deeper into cultivating happiness for the entire city. Through free indoor and outdoor community events, the nine pillars of happiness are showcased to everyone and anyone.

Ottawa Architecture Week is happening September 25–29. This year’s theme is “City of Play: Fun in the Capital?”

“Beyond the Mark,” organized by Ottawa Design Club (ODC) highlighted three local artists and designers. This late-February event allowed us to learn how to integrate community into our work beyond our craft, as demonstrated by the event speakers.

December’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Mykola Apetyk and Sofia Zhestokova, both young people living in Lviv, Ukraine, to support their efforts to help other young people turn ideas into reality.

The latest season of the podcast To Be Continued: Troubling the Archive launches today for any ears willing to listen. From protest action to generating creative community spaces to celebrating queer and trans Black communities, these discussions are about Ottawa-based Black, Indigenous, people of colour, diasporic and queer archives of longing, memory and inheritance in arts-based practices.

A new exhibition called Unexpected! Surprising Treasures From Library and Archives Canada is out of all to see from December 9, 2022, to November 26, 2023. This partnership agreement between the Canadian Museum of History and Library and Archives Canada (LAC) provides Museum visitors with unprecedented access to some of Canada’s founding documents while also fulfilling their mandates as national memory institutions.

In November, the Ottawa Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada invited Dr. Hilding Neilson to present “Space is part of the Land: Indigenous Knowledges and Colonization by Light and Satellite Pollution”. Apt613 interviewed Dr. Neilson about his presentation and invited him to elaborate on the ideas he shared.