Awesome Ottawa

Awesome Ottawa $1,000. no strings attached. srsly. Awesome Ottawa awards $1,000 every month to forward the interest of awesome in the universe.

November’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Allan André to support public, co-created art.“Opncnvs is building a public art ...
12/29/2025

November’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Allan André to support public, co-created art.

“Opncnvs is building a public art studio where anyone can create, connect, and explore the creative mindstate,” says Allan. “So far, we’ve hosted activations at Nuit Blanche, Geary Art Crawl, and Future Block Vanier, as well as pop-ups at Grounded Kitchen and Drip House.”

“Our next project,” he continues, “is a month-long creative exhibition where every canvas begins blank and evolves through public participation. Each label will feature a title prompt, and participants will sign their names as co-creators. The works will grow over time, then be auctioned to raise funds for our first permanent public studio.”

“Rooted in Ottawa’s creative community,” says Allan, “opncnvs believes every blank canvas is an invitation to connect, create, and reimagine what art can be together.”

Allan (Art Life André the Art of Allan André) is a multi-disciplinary artist known for his murals and live painting. He is also a founding member of the Ottawa Black Art Collective.

Need $1,000 to make your awesome idea a reality? Get your application for December's award in by Sunday.
12/04/2025

Need $1,000 to make your awesome idea a reality? Get your application for December's award in by Sunday.

The second of two Awesome Ottawa awards for October goes to Channing Rodman and the Brewer Park Community Garden to supp...
11/29/2025

The second of two Awesome Ottawa awards for October goes to Channing Rodman and the Brewer Park Community Garden to support a new accessible circle garden.

“The volunteers at Brewer Park Community Garden,” explains Channing, “are transforming our old dome garden into an accessible circle garden – a space for gardeners with mobility issues and vision impairments.”

“We believe gardens are for every body,” she continues, “and it’s time to grow our accessible spaces: 64% of Canadians live with a disability or care for someone with a disability.”

The team is rebuilding raised beds with water access, smooth pathways, tool access, signage, and seats – and will come together to tackle this big project over several days this fall, so as to be able to welcome new gardeners in the spring.

Channing is one of 60 gardeners who have a plot in Brewer Park Community Garden – which she notes has grown from 25 to 60 beds since 2012!

The first of two Awesome Ottawa awards for October goes to Pamela Nga to support empowerment of BIPOC entrepreneurs thro...
11/29/2025

The first of two Awesome Ottawa awards for October goes to Pamela Nga to support empowerment of BIPOC entrepreneurs through BYB Brunch.

“BYB Brunch, or Build Your Brand Brunch,” explains Pamela, “is a community-driven event that empowers BIPOC entrepreneurs and creatives in Ottawa-Gatineau through networking, training, and celebration.”

“The Summer 2025 edition gathered 27 attendees,” she continues, “featured three expert-led workshops on graphic design, content creation, and marketing and sales, and received support from local business sponsors. The event provided participants with skills, visibility, and meaningful connections.”

“Looking ahead, the next edition aims to expand to 30-40 attendees, bring in additional skilled trainers, and continue building a twice-yearly platform that uplifts diverse communities.”

Pamela is a communications professional, content creator, and community strategist, and the founder of BYB Brunch.

September’s belated Awesome Ottawa award goes to David Dean to support a hockey-themed Capital History Kiosk.“They’re ea...
11/19/2025

September’s belated Awesome Ottawa award goes to David Dean to support a hockey-themed Capital History Kiosk.

“They’re easy to spot when you’re walking along any of Ottawa’s busy streets,” says David. “Not the drab traffic control boxes themselves, but the colourful history lessons that have been applied to them to remind you of what Ottawa used to look like 10, 50, or 100 years ago, and to tell the story of a significant event that took place near each box.”

“Capital History Kiosks,” David continues, “consists of over 60 installations across the city telling stories of neighbourhood histories through a dynamic image wrapped around a traffic control box with a QR code taking visitors to the website capitalhistory.ca, where they can read, listen, and see more. Many of the images on the kiosks are archival, while others were commissioned from local artists. Audio files on the website were scripted and performed by actors or extracted from oral history interviews.”

David is a retired Carleton University history professor who is passionate about Ottawa's history. Under his leadership, the stories associated with the Capital History project were identified, researched, and written by over two hundred Carleton graduate and undergraduate students over five years, working with community partners and individuals. “The project,” says David, “demonstrates my strong belief that bringing research, teaching, and community activism together enriches all of our lives.”

“I will use the money from Awesome Ottawa to repair the installation on Elgin Street about the early Ottawa Senators, which has been damaged by glue posting,” he says. “I want to take the opportunity to also go beyond the Senators and tell the story of women's hockey in Ottawa, celebrating our wonderful new Ottawa Charge team that has so captivated all of us these past two seasons.”

Need $1,000 to make your awesome idea a reality? Get your application for November's award in by Wednesday.
11/10/2025

Need $1,000 to make your awesome idea a reality? Get your application for November's award in by Wednesday.

August’s belated Awesome Ottawa award goes to Shireen Faza and CRC Rideau-Rockcliffe CRC's RRCRC incubator13, to support...
10/31/2025

August’s belated Awesome Ottawa award goes to Shireen Faza and CRC Rideau-Rockcliffe CRC's RRCRC incubator13, to support the FAB Festival – a celebration of everyday creativity.

FAB Festival is a free community-based event being held Saturday, November 22, at the former Rideau High School, inspired by the former Ottawa Mini Maker Faire.

“There has been no comparable celebration of do-it-yourself creativity in Ottawa since 2018,” says Shireen, “when the last maker faire was organized by Artengine.”

“Our community resource centre understands that celebrating everyday creativity represents an ideal activity for bringing people together from all walks of life to enjoy and be inspired by the creativity and ingenuity of fellow community members.”

“A key consideration of the FAB Festival,” she notes, “will be providing under-represented members of the community an opportunity to showcase their creative talent and projects. This will help to develop a sense of belonging, for example, for recent immigrants and other community members who feel disenfranchised.”

You can get your free ticket to the FAB Festival at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fab-festival-2025-tickets-1552770110199

Shireen is Project Officer at Incubator13, and herself an immigrant to Canada.

Need $1,000 to make your awesome idea a reality? Get your application for October's award in by Tuesday.
10/03/2025

Need $1,000 to make your awesome idea a reality? Get your application for October's award in by Tuesday.

Need $1,000 to make your awesome idea a reality? Get your application for September's award in by Monday.
09/03/2025

Need $1,000 to make your awesome idea a reality? Get your application for September's award in by Monday.

July’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Liz Wheeler to support the Secondhand Stories chicken sanctuary’s second annual open...
08/27/2025

July’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Liz Wheeler to support the Secondhand Stories chicken sanctuary’s second annual open house.

“As one of the only sanctuaries in Canada devoted exclusively to chickens,” explains Liz, “we offer care and advocacy for a species often overlooked in animal welfare conversations.”

“Last year,” she continues, “our open house welcomed more than 250 guests, and this year we’re expanding with new youth-focused, culturally inclusive programming. Kids and teens will enjoy hands-on activities like a chicken origami workshop, an Indigenous-led dreamcatcher workshop, and children’s story time with the chickens.”

“We're aiming to inspire empathy and introduce humane education through craft, storytelling, and direct interaction with rescued chickens,” she says.

The open house takes place Saturday, August 30, near Perth, with tickets still available at secondhandstories.ca.

Liz is a long-time animal advocate, mental health activist, and self-described passionate believer that kindness and compassion begin when children connect with animals.

Need $1,000 to make your awesome idea a reality? Get your application for August's award in by Sunday.
08/08/2025

Need $1,000 to make your awesome idea a reality? Get your application for August's award in by Sunday.

June’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Colleen Gray and the Ottawa High Hookers to support the local arm wrestling communit...
07/22/2025

June’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Colleen Gray and the Ottawa High Hookers to support the local arm wrestling community.

The Ottawa High Hookers are a wrestling club operating out of an inconspicuous suburban garage in Nepean. Club members get together twice a week not only to practice but also for pot-lucks, BBQs, and more.

“We celebrate birthdays, special occasions, and even a marriage through our club,” says Colleen. “I actually married my best friend, who is also an arm wrestler!”

The club is holding their first annual High Hookers Day celebration on July 26, with food, drinks, music, and, of course, lots of arm wrestling.

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