Festival Updates and News
News about Ottawa Festivals and our Member festivals, special events and fairs.
The National Arts Centre announces Prairie Scene – 500 artists, 80 events, 30 venues, 13 days
Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) has announced the first programming details of Prairie Scene, an eclectic, multi-disciplinary arts festival featuring 500 of the best established and emerging artists from Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Prairie Scene will present 80 different events in music, theatre, dance, visual and media arts, literature, film and culinary arts in more than 30 venues in Ottawa-Gatineau from April 26 to May 8, 2011.“We’re planning a Prairie invasion of the nation’s capital,” said Heather Moore, Producer and Executive Director of Prairie Scene. “It’s the largest gathering of Prairie artists ever assembled outside of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and we’re proud to present their performances and work on the national stage.”
Prairie Scene is the fifth in a series of national festivals produced by the NAC showcasing the wealth of arts and culture in different regions of the country. It all began in 2003 with Atlantic Scene, then Alberta Scene in 2005, Quebec Scene in 2007, and BC Scene in 2009. Now the NAC and its partners – including Presenting Partner MTS Allstream – will be turning over their performance and exhibition spaces to Prairie artists.
Part of the goal of the Scene festivals is to propel the careers of young artists by introducing them to a group of well known presenters from all over the world. Since 2003 the NAC has invited 314 presenters from 27 countries to travel to the Scene festivals to discover and book new talent, which has resulted in over 275 performance bookings and more than $1 million in fees for artists. More than 50 national and international agents, presenters and talent scouts will be there to see Prairie talent in action. Their sole mission is to find new artists for their audiences across Canada, the U.S., Europe and Asia.
Online Auction Fundraiser for Music and Beyond
Looking for a unique item for that special someone? How about a piano lesson with Angela Hewitt, a week in France, the beach in Barbados, a new CD, or an original piece of art that has been “Inspired by Music”? We already have over 130 lots and are adding more items daily. You’ll find something for everyone on your shopping list and a special treat for yourself too!
Visit the auction to support Music and Beyond, Canada’s newest classical music and multi-disciplinary arts festival and help make sure that next year’s festival (July 7 to 17) is better than ever!
Inspired By Music, An Art Auction Fundraiser for Music and Beyond
November 27th – Mark your calendars!
Exhibition: Inspired By Music, An Art Auction Fundraiser for Music and Beyond
21 visual artists contribute work to support Music and Beyond!
Location: Wall Space Gallery, Westboro Village 358 Richmond Road, Ottawa, ON
Dates: Saturday, November 27th, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
* Doors open at 6:30.
* Tickets $25 (includes reception)
* November 20-27, preview of the art for auction
Wall Space Gallery is hosting “Inspired by Music”, an Art Auction Fundraiser on November 27th. In collaboration with Julian Armour, Artistic Director of Music and Beyond, local and gallery artists have been asked to create pieces that link their visual art with music that has affected their work. The artists who are involved to date include David Alexander, Anne Barkley, Laura Culic, Alison Fowler, Barbara Gamble, Katherine Jeans, David W. Jones, Carmella Karijo Rother, Orli Kessel, Andrew King, Isaiah King, Tanya Kirouac, Guy Lemaire, David Merrit, Dan Metcalfe, Lori Richards, Paul Robert Turner, Anthony Tremmaglia, Marjolyn van der Hart and Nava Waxman.
Festival partnership means more for Ottawa music fans
Photo courtesy of Kevin Rutkay, used under Creative Commons license
Ottawa Folk Festival (OFF) organizers today announced a plan to propel the 17-year-old music festival into the future. After long deliberations and discussions with several organizations over the past several weeks, the OFF has gratefully accepted a generous loan from Ottawa Bluesfest organizers. This will allow the OFF to pay existing creditors and keep the festival on track for August 2011, and for the foreseeable future.
“For 17 years the Ottawa Folk Festival has delivered a festival that is much-loved in the region, but which has struggled to achieve financial success,” says OFF spokesperson, Bob Ledrew. “This arrangement puts us in a position—thanks to this loan—in which we can be bold in our approach to programming and to staging the event while we move forward. It gives us the ability to do things an organization can do when it’s in good financial shape rather than tenuous shape.”
The OFF explored several options, meeting with representatives of the folk community, with the government agencies that provide funding, and with several sponsors to explore ways of putting the organization on a stronger financial footing for the future. Ledrew says none of these options came close to providing the support that this arrangement has to offer.
“We are also restructuring the OFF’s Board. Several new directors, who bring years of expertise from Bluesfest and other organizations, have been invited onto the Board. Their contacts and knowledge of how to run a crowd-pleasing, successful festival will be invaluable,” adds Ledrew.
“In addition, many others within our extended community of volunteers and organizational partners will work to ensure the festival stays true to its ideals and the longstanding tradition of Canadian community-based folk festivals. We are confident that the unique elements of the Ottawa Folk Festival will remain substantially unchanged.
“We don’t expect to see major changes to the nature of the Ottawa Folk Festival itself. The principles and values that define our festival—and the unique Canadian folk festival traditions of community, family-friendliness, active participation, and social and environmental consciousness—will very much be preserved.
“Staff and Board are now focused on working toward a 2011 music festival that will not only retain the tried-and-true formula for this well-loved Ottawa festival, but will also be an artistic and financial success,” concludes Mr. Ledrew.
U.K. WINS BIG AT 2010 OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) comes to an end with a highly anticipated closing ceremonies which were held this evening at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. OIAF organizers announced the 2010 winners of the official competition during the ceremonies.
This year’s OIAF, which were held from October 20 to 24, was a tremendous success. The festival was packed with special screenings, sold out workshops and high profile networking events such as TAC (Television Animation Conference) and the “Students-for-Hire” Animation School Fair.
The OIAF is a major international film event that attracts more than 27,000 film buffs, art lovers, producers, and cartoon fans from around the world. Although the final numbers are not yet officially in, there are strong indications that this year’s festival reached the highest attendance to date.
Ann Connors Named Acting Executive Director For The Magnetic North Theatre Festival
The Magnetic North Board of Directors is pleased to announce that long-time Festival Managing Director Ann Connors will assume the role of Acting Executive Director immediately. She will serve as Executive Director until the Board appoints a new Artistic Director to replace out-going Artistic Director Ken Cameron in 2011. “Ann has been a part of Magnetic North almost since its inception and has served as Managing Director of our past three festivals” says board chair Dale Turri. “She continues to be a strong leader and brings a wealth of knowledge, not only of the festival, but of the broader communities – national and international – that this festival serves.” Read more
Ottawa International Animation Festival Starts Today
The Ottawa International Animation Festival’s (OIAF) opening ceremonies is scheduled to take place today at 9:15 p.m. (ByTowne Cinema), with a special screening of The Illusionist (France) by Sylvain Chomet at 7 p.m. (ByTowne Cinema). The opening ceremonies will be followed with a presentation of the first of five Short Competitions taking place during the festival in addition to two competitions for films and TV shows made for kids.
OIAF attendees also have a chance to meet with animation filmmakers from around the world during the “Meet the Filmmakers” breakfast to take place at the Arts Court studio from Thursday, October 21 to Sunday, October 24 at 9 a.m.
OIAF 2010 features the best new animated movies, short films, and music videos from Canada and around the world, and a guest list to match. This year’s extravaganza of screenings, workshops and special events are taking place at venues such as Bytowne, the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Arts Court, and Empire Theatres – Rideau Centre.
Selected from this year’s 2091 entries, the Official Competition screenings collect 90 of the top, new animated works. Attendees of the festival get a chance to view Oscar-winning films such as, Logorama, a highly entertaining film which illustrates everyone and everything as advertising logos.
This year, the “Feature Competition” includes: The Illusionist (France) by Sylvain Chomet, a follow-up to Chomet’s Oscar-nominated film, The Triplets of Belleville; Goodbye Mister Christie (Canadian Premiere) by Phil Mulloy (United Kingdom); One Piece Film Strong World (Canadian Premiere) by Munehisa Sakai (Japan); Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then (Canadian Premiere) by Brent Green (U.S.A.); and Midori-Ko (World Premiere) by Keita Kurosaka (Japan).
There are also many great films that are not in competition but are being shown through the OIAF’s “Out-of-Competition” Showcase. Audiences have a chance to view films such as the National Film Board of Canada’s award-winning Lipsett Diaries by Theodore Ushev; Pixar’s acclaimed new short, Day and Night; and the ever-popular Walt Disney’s latest short, Tick Tock Tale.
Also this year, the OIAF is paying homage to Japanese animation with a four-part program showcasing independent filmmakers, including the godfather of Anime, Osamu Tezuka.
The following are the other highlights of the OIAF 2010 “Special Screenings”:
- “Furniture of My Mind,” an engaging look at our relationship with our furniture;
- “Let’s Go Crazy,” a selection of films and new independent shorts about mental health;
- “XX in Animation: Taking a Peek at Work by Women,” a collection of films by women, about women;
- “Winnipeg DIY Animation: Improvised Art Explosions or Cheap Skates,” focuses on Winnipeg’s overlooked animators, those who chose to improvise and create animation on the cheap rather than get left behind;
- “The Inappropriate for Children Show,” a midnight movie collection of wild and unsettling cartoons originally meant for kids, but almost too strange for adults;
- “Solve Et Coagula: Surrealism and Magic Realism in Czech Animation,” a unique collection of films by Czech animators who infuse personal style, political and social beliefs into their work;
- “Under the Sun: BravoFACT! at 15,” features highlights from Bravo!FACT’s animation oeuvre, from breakout hits like the Oscar®-nominated I Met The Walrus through mobile phone delights like Theodore Ushev’s, Sou.
OIAF 2010 Family Activities
The OIAF is offering an Animation School Fair for anyone interested in a career in animation on Saturday, October 23 and Sunday, October 24 at the Arts Court. Teens are FREE on Saturday, Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can also attend a FREE hands-on workshop presented by the National Film Board of Canada, “Introduction to Animation.” Teens must obtain an Adobe Toon Apprentice pass in advance by contacting the OIAF before October 14 or they can pick up a pass in-person at the OIAF box office on October 18. Pre-registration is required for the workshop by calling: (613) 232-8769.
Bring your kids to the “Short Films for Kids” competition (October 23 and 24), the “TV for Kids” competition (October 21 and 23), and the FREE hands-on workshop at the Arts Court on October 24. Pre-registration is required by calling: (613) 232-8769.
Plus, get a free sneak peak of the new Teletoon series, Skatoony, and participate in an interactive activity, “Get Your Skatoony Game On,” on Sunday, October 24 at the Arts Court.
Tickets to the festival are $12 (adults) and $7 (children) at the door. You can also purchase a flexible animation six-pack (6 tickets at the cost of 5 tickets) to avoid the line-ups.
For more information or a complete list of films, schedules, special screenings, workshops, and events at this year’s festival, please visit the OIAF website at: www.animationfestival.ca or call: (613) 232-8769.
About the Ottawa International Animation Festival
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is one of the world’s leading animation events providing screenings, exhibits, workshops and entertainment since 1976. OIAF is an annual five-day event bringing art and industry together in a vibrant hub. More than 27,000 film buffs, art lovers, producers, and cartoon fans are expected to attend the OIAF, the largest animation event in North America. OIAF 2010 is taking place in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada from October 20 to 24.
6 Concert Extravaganza in one night with all-star Canadian musicians!
Ottawa (Thursday, October 14, 2010) – The Ottawa Jazz Festival has programmed the most sublime Canadian jazz artists performing back-to-back in six concerts in one evening on Saturday, November 6, 7:30pm at the National Arts Centre Fourth Stage for only $15.
In concert with the annual CAPACOA (Canadian Arts Presenting Association/l’Association canadienne des organismes artistiques) conference, this is a rare opportunity to see some of the finest young talent on the touring circuit today: Read more
Magnetic North Theatre Festival
he Magnetic North Board of Directors is pleased to announce that long-time Festival Managing Director Ann Connors will assume the role of Acting Executive Director immediately. She will serve as Executive Director until the Board appoints a new Artistic Director to replace out-going Artistic Director Ken Cameron in 2011. “Ann has been a part of Magnetic North almost since its inception and has served as Managing Director of our past three festivals” says board chair Dale Turri. “She continues to be a strong leader and brings a wealth of knowledge, not only of the festival, but of the broader communities – national and international – that this festival serves.” Read more
OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL OFFERS FAMILY-FRENDLY ACTIVITIES
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is offering a variety of family-friendly activities at this year’s festival, which runs from October 20 to 24, 2010.
The following is a list of special workshops, activities and events for parents to consider:
- 3 February:
- 17 February:
- 8 March:
- 28 March:
- 7 April:
- 26 April:
- 3 May:
- 4 May:
- 11 May:
