Leveling up during a downturn

 The pandemic has closed many doors this year. It has also uniquely spurred the opening of one here in the Ottawa arts scene. With a creative enthusiasm behind it, a growing roster of talent and a game plan set to play off the collective’s strength in numbers, Music.Art.Ppl is primed

Centretown’s Pressed: Gone but not forgotten

 Above: Whether stopping in for an afternoon coffee or checking out a band at night, Pressed will be missed by all Ottawans. ILLUSTRATIONS BY COLIN WHITE Another pillar of the Ottawa arts scene has shuttered. And in many ways, we are left with more questions than answers. Centretown’s Pressed, the popular café, bar,

Surveying the playing field

 ABOVE: Matías Muñoz and Anthony Cardozo of Cinqhole, a live music venue in Hintonburg. The future of events and performance series: Cinqhole, The Art House Café, LIVE! on Elgin When the centres of cultural cultivation close, communities suffer. The patrons who find themselves in these brick and mortar environments have undoubtedly felt the

Living through it by laughing at it

 Photo: Luke Barry The future of events and performance series: Abdullah Usman  Some say laughter is the best medicine. Many might heed this advice in the throws of an anxiety-provoking state of emergency. Abdullah Usman respectfully disagrees. “I always say laughter is the second best medicine, Xanax is the first

Local artist turns lockdown sketch into lasting tribute

 For many creatives, the inspiration for their art reflects the reality of life around them. In the case of local illustrator and muralist Dom Laporte, a trip through South East Asia cut short due to the novel coronavirus is now enshrined as a tribute to front line workers. Laporte’s ten