Dozens of new murals have popped up in Ottawa during the last decade. Some like the 2-storey French Bulldog on Stirling Avenue, which caused controversy in October 2018. Another of this blog’s favourites has been the bright Embassy of Imagination mural which adorns a building on George Street.
Of all these fresh murals, a whopping 74 (and counting) were by painted by youth artists; commissioned by the City of Ottawa’s Paint It Up! program. It’s a brilliant initiative which supports the creation of new outdoor murals with an average contribution $5,000 per project.
Since 2010, the program has engaged more than 2,000 youth (12 to 25 years) to put up large-scale artworks across the city. The constructive learning process is thought to deter graffiti—and if nothing else, has resulted in beautiful public art Ottawa kids can be proud of.
A call for applications is open until April 2, 2019 at 4pm. Info sessions are taking place on February 25, 2019 at City Hall (2nd floor councillor’s lounge, 1:30pm–3pm) and again at the Overbrook Community Centre (meeting room, 5:30pm–7pm). Prospective artists are encouraged to attend.
Visit ottawa.ca for more details and application guidelines.