The BreakFest Blog
News about Ottawa Festivals and our Member festivals, special events and fairs.
Le Conseil approuve le Plan d’action pour les arts, le patrimoine et la culture
Le Conseil municipal a approuvé aujourd’hui le Plan d’action sur six ans pour les arts, le patrimoine et la culture. Ce plan renouvelé mise sur les forces d’Ottawa, reflète son identité distincte et authentique, vise à renforcer la fierté à Ottawa en tant que ville dynamique et culturelle et ouvre une voie qui permettra de tirer profit de chaque occasion.
« Les arts, la culture et le patrimoine nous permettent de nous rappeler nos origines, de célébrer notre identité actuelle et de rêver à notre identité de demain, a déclaré le maire Jim Watson. Ces trois domaines continueront de jouer un rôle déterminant dans notre succès, à l’heure où nous nous préparons à célébrer le 150e anniversaire du Canada en 2017. »
« Le processus de renouvellement a permis d’obtenir une diversité inégalée dans la représentation et la participation en matière de planification culturelle à Ottawa, a expliqué le conseiller Mark Taylor, président du Comité des services communautaires et de protection. Le nouveau plan permettra de réduire les lacunes en matière de culture, de répondre aux besoins émergents et de continuer à accroître l’investissement culturel dans la ville d’Ottawa. »
Le plan comprend quatre stratégies :
- Célébrer l’identité culturelle distincte d’Ottawa et rendre la culture accessible à tous.
- Préserver les lieux et les espaces culturels et créatifs et encourager leur développement.
- Faire connaître la culture locale dynamique et l’identité unique d’Ottawa.
- Investir dans la culture locale et renforcer le leadership culturel.
Ce processus a permis de rassembler des membres des Premières nations, des Inuits, des Métis et des groupes de leurs communautés, des représentants de la mosaïque culturelle anglophone et francophone, des résidents des diverses collectivités rurales, suburbaines et urbaines, des nouveaux Canadiens et des représentants du domaine des arts et du patrimoine et de l’industrie des foires et festivals.
Selon une étude économique récente, l’industrie culturelle d’Ottawa-Gatineau (à but lucratif et à but non lucratif) représente environ 4,1 % du PIB, soit 1,98 milliard de dollars. En 2010, la participation aux activités culturelles locales se chiffrait à 4,1 millions de participants, et 21 861 bénévoles ont offert au secteur culturel d’Ottawa 519 755 heures de bénévolat (d’une valeur de 9,1 millions de dollars).
Council approves action plan for arts, heritage and culture
Today City Council approved a six-year action plan for arts, heritage and culture. The renewed plan builds on Ottawa’s strengths, reflects its unique and authentic identity, aims to build pride in Ottawa as a vibrant, cultural city, and sets out a path aimed at leveraging opportunity.
“Arts, culture and heritage are about remembering where we come from, celebrating who we are today and dreaming about what we can be tomorrow,” said Mayor Jim Watson. “These will continue to be the keys to our success, especially as we prepare to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017.”
“The renewal process brought together the strongest diversity of representation and participation ever for municipal cultural planning purposes in Ottawa,” said Councillor Mark Taylor, Chair of the Community and Protective Services Committee. “The plan will close cultural gaps, meet emerging needs and continue to improve cultural investment in the City of Ottawa.”
The plan includes four strategies:
- Celebrate Ottawa’s unique cultural identity and provide access to culture for all
- Preserve and develop cultural and creative places and spaces
- Get the word out about Ottawa’s vibrant local culture and unique identity
- Invest in local culture and build cultural leadership
The process brought together First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals and communities, representatives of the Anglophone and Francophone cultural mosaic, diverse citizenry from rural, suburban and urban neighbourhoods, new Canadians and arts, heritage, festival and fair representatives.
A recent economic study reported that Ottawa-Gatineau’s cultural industry (non-profit and for-profit) represented approximately 4.1 per cent of GDP, totalling $1.98 billion. In 2010, attendance and participation in local cultural activity totalled 4.1 million, and 21,861 volunteers provided 519,755 volunteer hours (valued at $9.1 million) to the local cultural sector.
An arts plan for Ottawa
Phil Jenkins, Citizen Special
I mention all this art/community hand-in-hand stuff because city council will, in a few days, be voting on the municipal arts policy for us to enjoy and struggle with for the next five years. Back in 2003 the city consulted like crazy with art makers and art enjoyers and came up with a 20-year plan, that was to be reviewed and tinkered with and tuned-up or down in five-year chunks.
That review has been taking place online and inline and outlying over the last few months, and then a committee tried to put all that input into a policy paper, and that paper was unfurled a couple of weeks ago. In what I think may be a first, the policy received a rousing cheer from the attending crowd at City Hall. Head over to the city’s website when you have a moment and you can, on a good day, find the cheerful paper in all its detail and have a look, remembering that the primary function of elected councillors is to broker some portion of your hard-earned taxes towards the, to quote the city back at themselves, “development of a renewed Ottawa 20/20 Arts and Heritage Action Plan (which) will influence the future of Ottawa’s cultural development, identity, creative potential, sense of place, economic strength, environmental integrity, and the well-being of its residents.” That’s some lofty rhetoric, but if anything can make it happen it’s the arts and heritage community.
Read the full story: An arts plan for Ottawa
Grants Ontario is Live: Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport
Grants Ontario an online tool that provides one-window access to information about grants offered by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.
Grants Ontario supports elements of the 2011 Partnership Project report where non-profit organizations asked the Ontario Government to ‘… institute standardized application forms, timelines accountability and reporting requirements across ministries by moving as much as possible online.
Benefits of Grants Ontario
Simplified application process
By replacing antiquated software Grants Ontario now allows you to locate, draft and submit grant applications, check application status and manage reports – all online!
Grants Ontario’s automated features relieve the burden of repeated manual input of information which reduces the amount of time spent on submitting applications. Once you have registered, the system will automatically record your contact details such as name, address and title, and uses common application questions to simplify online submissions.
The addition of online report filing in April 2012 will further reduce workload and demonstrates a commitment to a cleaner environment. Payment processes to successful applicants will also be streamlined.
Secure information
Grants Ontario is a secure system that can only be accessed via the Government of Ontario’s encrypted ONE key log-in system. Until data is submitted to the ministry only the applicant will see it.
Get Ready for Grants Ontario
While program application material is not yet available, grant recipients and prospective applicants are encouraged to register on the Grants Ontario system to obtain their One-Key ID and password as soon as possible.
Applicants must complete the enrolment process on the new Grants Ontario before applying to any of the Ministry’s funding programs.
Find out more about Grants Ontario
Visit Grants Ontario ( www.grants.gov.on.ca) to access the online training material and a Frequently Asked Questions section. Technical support will be available during regular business hours.
All-Star game gives Ottawa a chance to shine
Rebecca Lindell, Global News
Ottawa is the host city for the 2012 NHL All-Star Game, the league’s annual showcase of talent pitting NHL heroes against each other in a game for fun.
The game will be televised in 150 countries and with such bright stars on home ice, it gives Ottawa a chance to shine.
“It’s a big spotlight for the city of Ottawa,” said Cyril Leeder, president of the Ottawa Senators.
The events around the All-Star game have been designed to take advantage of one of Ottawa’s unavoidable characteristics.
Read it on Global News: All-Star game gives Ottawa a chance to shine
Ottawa Tourism reallocates resources to convention attraction: One-time provincial funding unlikely to be renewed
Elizabeth Howell, OBJ
A fund used to bring large-scale conventions to Ottawa is expected to remain intact even though the provincial government appears disinclined to put more money on the table.
However, its continuation will likely come at the expense of other programs at Ottawa Tourism as the local agency uses “funds from within (its) current resources” to top off the convention attraction program, according to CEO Noel Buckley.
“What it means is we have to find a way to make this a sustainable program from a local perspective … that would allow us to properly compete in this competitive market segment,” he says.
Full story is available on the OBJ website: Ottawa Tourism reallocates resources to convention attraction
Mayor touts ‘new way of thinking’ about economic development
OBJ Staff
Mayor Watson said the creation of Invest Ottawa is proof that economic development will be a top priority for his administration.
Among other achievements, the mayor pointed to the Major Events Office that will operate in partnership with Ottawa Tourism. The office will try to bring major events, such as the NHL All-Star Game, the 2012 Juno Awards and possibly the 2015 FIFA Women’s Cup, to Canada’s capital.
Along with the new Convention Centre, he said these major events can help grow the city’s tourism sector.
Full story on the OBJ website: Mayor touts ‘new way of thinking’ about economic development
Festival by-law public consult Jan. 17
Joanne Chianello, Ottawa Citizen
If you’re the kind of person interested in the way the dozens of festivals in this city are regulated, or if you simply get a kick from public consultations, you may want to drop by Ben Franklin Centre next Tuesday, January 17 at 7 p.m.
That’s when the city’s Delores MacAdam, the program manager of event central office, will give a PowerPoint presentation on the draft by-law that will be tabled with the community and protective services committee next weekend.
City staff have been working trying to pass a by-laws for years, and it’s not such a bad idea. It would standardize the rules and requirements for holding a special event, and in particular, give city officials authority to penalize those who break the rules.
Full editorial: Festival by-law public consult
Hats off to the Ottawa Art Gallery
Patrick Langston, The Ottawa Citizen
The Ottawa Art Gallery might want to throw an appreciation party for its appreciation party, held Thursday at the Arts Court.
It got a big helping hand for the Hats off to You reception it hosted for 125 hatwearing guests. There were Christmas cocktails from Mercury Lounge, beer from Steam Whistle and wines from the Grange of Prince Edward. The OAG’s collection manager, Jennifer Gilliland, prepared the platters of food while U of O music prof Louis Trépanier played guitar.
If guests came bare-headed, no problemo; there were loaner hats from Ottawa Little Theatre.
Artist Jerry Grey’s lid, conveniently fashioned at the crafts table, was embellished by Judith Haney with “found art” in the form of a sprig of greenery plucked from a holiday arrangement donated by Monique Lachapelle.
Gallery director Alexandra Badzak wore a faux fur hat while artist Leslie Reid donned the real thing (a long-ago gift from her mom). Artist Mimi Cabri created her own whimsical chapeau while Stéphane Lauzon from the Council for the Arts in Ottawa talked about regifting his canine-styled cap – a last-second purchase at Paper Papier on Clarence Street.
Read more on the Ottawa Citizen website: Hats off to the Ottawa Art Gallery
Wi-Fi for downtown Ottawa, Gatineau delayed
CBC News
Plans to equip downtown Ottawa and areas of Gatineau with wireless internet are delayed for a few more months as the National Capital Commission scales back the idea.
The NCC has planned to launch free Wi-Fi Friday to help tourists browse the web on their mobile devices.
The original plan had large zones of free internet access but the costs were far beyond the budget, according to the NCC’s director of digital communications.
Instead, the WiFi will only be in small pockets on Parliament Hill, the National War Memorial and other major tourist sites in the nation’s capital. The new launch date is sometime in June.
“When we opened the financial envelope, it was not necessarily in line with our budget,” said Daniel Feeny.
Read more on the CBC News website: Wi-Fi for downtown Ottawa, Gatineau delayed
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