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.
A new 2018 mural in Lowertown. Photo courtesy of the City of Ottawa.
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.
Charles. H. Hulse Public School in Alta Vista. Photo courtesy of the City of Ottawa.
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.
