The BreakFest Blog
News about Ottawa Festivals and our Member festivals, special events and fairs.
Theatre column: Why can’t local theatre get its act together?
Patrick Langston, The Ottawa Citizen
An unusual thing happened at Ottawa Little Theatre last week: Members of Ottawa’s professional and non-professional theatre communities gathered with a common purpose.
In this case, it was the annual Capital Critics Circle awards at which Ottawa reviewers, myself included, honour the previous season’s best in professional and community theatre. This year, winners included NAC English Theatre, Orpheus Musical Theatre Society and others (you can find a list of nominees and winners at capitalcriticscircle.com).
Ottawa theatre companies, like most other arts organizations, are eternally eager to generate more buzz, bigger audiences, increased funding. In fact, one of this year’s professional winners, Third Wall Theatre, had to cancel its current season because of financial problems.
So here’s the question: If these skilled and ambitious folks can pull together to applaud each others’ achievements, whether professional or non-professional, why don’t they do the same to heighten the overall profile of theatre in Ottawa, attract more residents who don’t normally go to live theatre, and scoop up a healthier chunk of Ottawans’ entertainment dollars?
Hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights to brighten Canada’s Capital Region
[Source: NCC press release]
Magical evening will officially kick off the holiday season
Canada’s Capital Region ─ The National Capital Commission (NCC), in collaboration with Manulife Financial, is pleased to invite members of the public and of the media to the launch of the 27th edition of the Christmas Lights Across Canada program. The official illumination ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 6 pm on Parliament Hill.
Russell Mills, Chair of the NCC, Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, and Donald Guloien, President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Financial, will be joined by special guests as they officially switch on the thousands of light bulbs that will illuminate Parliament Hill as well as many institutions, monuments, and other prominent landmarks located along Confederation Boulevard, in the heart of Canada’s Capital Region.
An important national component of the Christmas Lights Across Canada program: many provincial and territorial capitals are also holding their own lighting ceremonies.
“The NCC is proud to work in collaboration with all the provinces and territories to bring their holiday messages to Canadians,” said Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer of the NCC. “This link of lights is a symbol of peace, respect, and hope.”
Hub Ottawa joins global trend for meeting of minds
Carolyn Thompson, The Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA — The floor is rough concrete. Fluorescent lights and large metal tubes drape from the ceiling. The walls are painted in bright red and yellow, littered with post-its and hand-written signs. A few tables are scattered through the space, and a mish-mash of chairs surround a computer projecting onto the wall.
Right now, its an open, industrial space on the 6th floor of a building at 71 Bank St. But by next February, this will be the newly designed home of Hub Ottawa.
It’s part of a global chain of Hubs — places where people interested in social innovation can come to work, share ideas, and network. And this weekend was the first time that Hub Ottawa was open to the public.
“We’re in the business of catalyzing ideas for a better community,” says Vinod Rajasekaran, the managing director for Hub Ottawa. Rajasekaran was studying in Bristol, England, when he first discovered the Hub there. He was so impressed with the place that he decided to open one in Ottawa once he returned to Canada
Read more on the Ottawa Citizen website: Hub Ottawa joins global trend for meeting of minds
Funding cut to Canada Day jazz programming
Joe Lofaro, Metro Ottawa
Organizers of the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival are looking for new sponsors for their 2012 Canada Day programming after the National Capital Commission (NCC) said it’s pulling its funding.
Funding from a second sponsor, Galaxie, is also up in the air according to the festival’s executive producer, Catherine O’Grady.
The NCC has partnered with the festival since 2005 to provide funding so that it could offer free jazz programming and a Jazz Youth Summit on Canada Day.
Last year, the NCC gave the festival $45,000 and $60,000 the year before. Next year, all funding will be withdrawn.
Read more on the Metro Ottawa website: Funding cut to Canada Day jazz programming
When We Were Young
[Source: Saw Video press release]
OTTAWA – November 24, 2011 – On Thursday, December 8th, SAW Video will celebrate its 30th anniversary with the screening, When We Were Young: Videos and Stories from the SAW Video Youth Program
Launched in 1997 and consisting of 6 editions until 2006, SAW Video’s full-time video training program for youth aged 18-30 was highly successful and stands as a model for such programs across the country. During its time at SAW Video, the youth program fostered a whole new generation of videomakers who transformed the face of the centre. Former youth program participants include Bear Thomas, a rising star in Canada’s art scene, Ryan Stec, new media artist and Artistic Director of Artengine, as well as past and present SAW Video staff and board members Ariel Smith, Linda Norstrom, Ashleigh Horricks, Kerry Campbell, and Maria Belisario who are just 7 of the more than 85 participants who took part in the program.
Funded by the Government of Canada, the program offered full-time training to underemployed youth and youth-at-risk for nearly a decade. According to SAW Video Director, Penny McCann: “As part of our 30th anniversary, we wanted to celebrate a program that truly transformed lives. The purpose of the program was to build skills in digital media, what it really did was open up a whole new world for the youth who participated.” Many of the participants still work in the field in Canada and internationally. Some have gone to the Canadian Film Centre and the Berlin International Film Festival Talent Lab, while others are now working for film festivals, galleries and broadcasters, including CBC, TVO, the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation and CPAC.
Join us for a reunion of these talented individuals and a special screening of some of the fantastic work made through the program, curated by SAW Video Youth Program alumni Jason St-Laurent & Anne Clarke.
Screening details:
When We Were Young: Videos and Stories from the SAW Video Youth program
Thursday, December 8th
Arts Court Theatre & Studio, 2 Daly Avenue
Screening 8pm
Free admission
Event sponsors: Sparrow Floral Design, Kichisippi Beer
TIAC Announces Recipients of 2011 Canadian Tourism Awards
OTTAWA, November 24, 2011 – Fourteen organizations and individuals were honoured tonight by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) as recipients of the 2011 Canadian Tourism Awards, presented by The Toronto Star.
The awards were presented earlier this evening at a gala ceremony at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa.
“TIAC wishes to congratulate the fourteen recipients of the 2011 Canadian Tourism Awards,” said TIAC President and CEO David Goldstein. “This outstanding group of individuals and organizations have demonstrated ingenuity, perseverence and determination on the path to success and are a testament to the strength of Canada’s tourism industry. We are very pleased to recognize them as organizations and individuals who help make Canada a world-class destination.”
Give the Gift of Comedy this Holiday Season!
[Source: Ottawa Arts Court press release]
‘Tis the season to “laugh your arts off!” And the Ottawa Arts Court Foundation has the perfect gift! Tickets to the must-see event of 2012!
Canadian superstar comic, John Wing Jr. will take on prominent Ottawa Lawyer, Mark Ertel in Law & Disorder – A Legal Comedy Debate on March 29, 2012 from 5 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Arts Court Theatre (2 Daly Ave.). This fantastic new event is sure to entertain, all the while raising funds for the Ottawa Arts Court Foundation (OACF), the charitable organization responsible for the provision of leading facilities, programs and services for the local arts community.
John Wing Jr., who has toured North America extensively, has over 200 television appearances including the Tonight Show, Just For Laughs, and Comedy Now specials under his belt, will have his hands full as Lawyer Mark Ertel of Bayne Sellar Boxall puts into practice his years of experience defending everything from parking tickets to first degree murder.
Hosted by Ottawa actor and playwright, Pierre Brault, this event will be sure to keep you laughing, no matter what side you take. It’s Art vs. Law, in a battle of wit and will that benefits the local arts community no matter the debate’s outcome.
Ottawa Tourism launches Bonus Booking Offers
Third night free offer coming soon!
[Source: Ottawa Tourism press release]
OTTAWA, November 22, 2011—Ottawa Tourism has just launched Bonus Booking Offers, a program that gives visitors customized offers based on total hotel value at participating hotels. For example, a stay valued at $200 might offer free breakfast while a stay valued at $300 might offer free parking. Bonus offers are managed by individual hotels on the www.OttawaTourism.ca website’s booking engine and are available for new reservations at participating hotels.
Another enticing offer is just a couple weeks away from being launched: as of November 30, visitors to Ottawa can indulge in a Third Night Free at participating hotels for bookings and travel between November 30, 2011 and March 31, 2012.
Both options make it extra-easy to plan an Ottawa getaway to enjoy holiday cheer, skate on the Rideau Canal, attend the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game festivities or indulge in Winterlude activities.
“We strive to keep our offers fresh and enticing,” says Noel Buckley, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “By working closely with our hotel and attraction partners the new Bonus Booking Offers allow hotels to provide value-added options to consumers who, as a result, may end up staying longer for less and enjoying more, especially when combined with the Third Night Free promotion.”
Ottawa Tourism provides industry leadership and destination marketing to service the travel media and attract visitors, tours and conventions to Ottawa and Canada’s Capital Region. Visit Ottawa Tourism at www.ottawatourism.ca
Seventh Annual Research Forum In Gatineau Park
[NCC press release]
The Friends of Gatineau Park, in collaboration with the National Capital Commission (NCC), will be hosting the seventh annual research forum on Saturday, November 19, 2011, from 9:30 am to 3 pm at the Gatineau Park Visitor Centre, located at 33 Scott Road in Chelsea. This is a great opportunity to attend a variety of free presentations in French and English on research conducted in Gatineau Park.
The Friends of Gatineau Park support research, through the granting of bursaries to young researchers. This year’s recipients will present the results of their work.
- Isabelle Lavoie, a post-doctoral researcher from the Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre of the INRS (Institut national de la recherche scientifique), will present an assessment of water quality in the Park, including her methods of assessment.
- Jean Faubert of FloraQuebeca will be giving a talk on the bryophytes of the Eardley Escarpment.
- Researchers from the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, as well as Park biologists, will talk about the Park’s watersheds, forest growth and disturbances, the importance of ecological corridors, and the results of a study on visitor use.
Admission is free, but participants are encouraged to make a donation in support of research. Lunch will be provided. Advance registration is required, as space is limit.
Research grants are funded through the sale of raffle tickets. Prizes this year — a kayak, a tent with accessories and a bicycle — were donated by Paddle Shack, Camp de base and Vélo des Ronds-Points. Tickets are available at the Gatineau Park Visitor Centre or through the Friends of Gatineau Park. The draw will be held on the day of the forum (November 19, 2011).
Research results provide a tool to support decision making in the management of Gatineau Park, as well as a source of valuable information for the interpretation and educational programs hosted by the Friends of Gatineau Park.
For more information or to register, contact the Gatineau Park Visitor Centre at 819-827-2020 or visit the Friends of Gatineau Park website friendsofgatineaupark.ca.
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SeptiÈme FORUM annuel de la recherche au parc de la Gatineau
Les Amis du parc de la Gatineau, en collaboration avec la Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN), tiendront leur septième forum annuel de la recherche le samedi 19 novembre 2011, de 9 h 30 à 15 h, au Centre des visiteurs du parc de la Gatineau, situé au 33, chemin Scott, à Chelsea. C’est l’occasion d’assister gratuitement à des présentations en français ou en anglais sur des recherches faites au parc de la Gatineau.
Les Amis du parc de la Gatineau offrent des bourses à de jeunes chercheurs dans le but d’appuyer la recherche au Parc. Les récipiendaires de cette année présenteront les résultats de leurs travaux.
- Madame Isabelle Lavoie, chercheuse postdoctorale au Centre Eau Terre Environnement de l’Institut national de la recherche scientifique, présentera une évaluation de la qualité des eaux du Parc et la méthode employée pour obtenir ces résultats.
- Monsieur Jean Faubert de Flora Quebeca nous fera découvrir des mousses et des hépatiques de l’escarpement d’Eardley.
- Des chercheurs de l’Université Carleton et de l’Université d’Ottawa ainsi que des biologistes du parc de la Gatineau parleront des bassins hydrographiques du Parc, de la croissance et des perturbations des forêts, de l’importance des corridors écologiques et des résultats d’une étude sur les visiteurs du Parc.
L’entrée est gratuite. Les participants seront toutefois invités à faire un don qui servira à appuyer la recherche. Un dîner sera servi. Les places sont limitées; il faut donc s’inscrire à l’avance.
Les bourses de recherche sont financées par la vente de billets de tirage. Les prix de cette année — un kayak, une tente et ses accessoires et un vélo — sont offerts par Paddle Shack, Camp de base et Vélo des Ronds-Points. On peut acheter des billets au Centre des visiteurs, à Chelsea, ou auprès des Amis du parc de la Gatineau. Le tirage aura lieu le jour du forum, le 19 novembre 2011.
Les résultats de recherche sont à la fois un outil d’aide à la prise de décisions de gestion du parc de la Gatineau et une source inestimable d’information servant à alimenter les programmes d’interprétation et d’éducation qu’offrent les Amis du parc de la Gatineau.
Pour plus de renseignements ou pour s’inscrire, on communique avec le Centre des visiteurs du parc de la Gatineau, au 819-827-2020, ou avec les Amis du parc de la Gatineau, au amisduparcdelagatineau.ca.
Capital BIXI Season Coming to an End
Returning next year on April 15, 2012
[NCC press release]
Canada’s Capital Region — With winter fast approaching, November 15 at 10 am will mark the end of the first season of the Capital BIXI bike share service. After this time, users will still be able to return their BIXI bike back to a station, but it will no longer be possible to rent one. The NCC also plans to remove all ten BIXI stations on November 15 for winter storage.
The NCC thanks all Capital BIXI users for contributing to making the bike sharing system a valuable transportation alternative in the region. The use of active modes of transportation has a positive impact on public health, the environment and transportation costs while enhancing the vibrancy of the Capital Region.
From May 18 to November 13, 2011, the Capital BIXI service generated 21,658 cycling trips stemming from 173 monthly and yearly subscribers and 7,384 distinct occasional users.
Capital BIXI Key ― Members can keep their Capital BIXI key for the 2012 season as it can be reactivated for upcoming seasons.
VIA Rail ― Members can also choose VIA Rail for their next trip in Canada and take advantage of a 10% discount on VIA’s best rate. To reserve your trip, visit your personal space at https://capital.bixi.com.
A BIXI for Christmas ― Gift certificates for yearly and monthly memberships are available online at http://boutique.bixi.com/.
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