June 25 2025, from 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm

"WIP: Work In Process" is a space for BIPOC creatives to find collaborators, share resources, and build community.

Whether you're a racialized artist, designer, filmmaker, poet, musician, cultural worker, DJ, photographer, writer, stylist, performer, producer, a hybrid of the above, or still finding your lane, this one's for you! ✨

Inspired by Skill 4 Skill, "Work In Process" is the perfect place to get you out of that creative rut, writer's block, or motivation dry spell. Bring your unfinished ideas, insights to share, and desire to learn from and with your fellow creatives.

"Work In Process" is a space where each attendee brings and leaves with something valuable, whether that's a new idea, skill, or connection.

What's on the menu?

5:30 PM | Doors open

6:00 PM | Screening: Showcasing video works by participants of the Frugal Filmmaking workshop

6:20 PM | Collab4Collab: Have photography skills but need help with copywriting on a project? Know your way around a CDJ but want to learn video editing? Need a second (or fifth) pair of eyes on your screenplay? This is your chance to present your idea / concept / project / skills and find your next collaborator, mentor, or muse.

7:00 PM | Chitchat: Join us in The Loop workshop room for food, fine tunes, and friendly conversations with your fellow creatives.

9:00 PM | Goodbyes 🥲 

Location: The Digital Arts Resource Centre's (DARC) Microcinema is located on the first floor of the Arts Court building. The address is 67 Nicholas St, Ottawa ON K1N 7B9 Canada.

Cost: Work In Process is a Pay-What-You-Can (PWYC) event, and no one will be turned away due to lack of funds.

Accessibility: This event will take place in the Arts Court building, which has an accessible ramp, accessible and all-gender washrooms, automated doors, and an elevator. Arts Court also offers transport chairs and walkers free of charge by reservation. Visit the Arts Court's Visitor Info page to learn more.

Here are the specifications for the chairs in the Microcinema: 1¼” foam padded seats with 3/4″ backrest, 16 x 16″ fabric padded cushion, 18” high, 300lb capacity.

September 10-21

Nightly at 7:30pm (no show September 16)

Elevator Theatre Company presents Dogfight: An Intimate and Immersive Musical Experience

In a world teetering on the brink of war, a single night becomes a turning point for a group of young marines and those they encounter. At the heart of the chaos is an unexpected connection between a hardened soldier and a kindhearted waitress, revealing the transformative power of vulnerability and compassion. Dogfight is a deeply moving story of redemption, humanity, and the courage to seek connection in the face of uncertainty.

For this production, Live on Elgin will be stripped down to half capacity, creating an intimate, 360-degree immersive experience that surrounds you with the raw emotion and powerful storytelling of Dogfight. With its stirring music and an electrifyingly close connection to the performers, this is theatre like you've never seen before.

Doors at 7pm, Show at 7:30pm. 

Location: Live on Elgin, 220 Elgin St #2, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L7

Cost: $25-$48

Accessibility: *Unfortunately, this venue is not wheelchair accessible. It is located on the second floor, accessible only by stairs. We sincerely apologize for this limitation.

June 18 Preview @ 7:30PM

June 19 Opening Night @ 7:30PM 

June 24 Pay-What-You-Can @ 7:30PM 

June 25 @ 7:30PM

June 26 @ 7:30PM 

June 27 @ 7:30PM

June 28 @ 2:30PM and @ 7:30PM

Finally, an Ayckbourn play for the 21st century!

“It’s like Pulp Fiction without the violence.” – Alan Ayckbourn

"But it's more like Love Actually with brains." – David Whiteley

“Rueful, funny, touching and altogether wonderful.” – The New York Times

Written a year after Love Actually and echoing some of it's best elements, but better: where Love Actually is all heart and belly laughs, Private Fears has heart, belly and brain. Sir Alan has previously tickled Gladstone audiences with his well-known early hits How the Other Half Loves, Bedroom Farce, Absurd Person Singular, and The Norman Conquests. In this more mature work, “Britain’s Neil Simon” trades in the artifice of his earlier plays for a contemporary, film-like style as he depicts the loneliness of life in the big city. Though the style may be new, Ayckbourn’s genius shines bright as ever. With his trademark mix of humour, insight and compassion, Sir Alan deftly interweaves three stories about six Londoners searching for love, sex, and a decent apartment.

This show contains mild coarse language and sexually suggestive audio.

The run time for this show is approx 2 hours and includes an intermission.

Location: 910 Gladstone Avenue Ottawa ON K1R 6Y4 boxoffice@thegladstone.ca +1 (613) 233-4523 

Cost: Ticket Pricing: 

Regular: $41

Regular (65+): $37

Student/Artist/Unwaged: $26

Preview: $24

*Angel: $75

PWYC Tuesday: $5-$75

Accessibility: The Gladstone Theatre is wheelchair accessible; air-conditioned; PWYC on Tuesday 

June 25 | 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Join BEING Studio for our 2025 Open House and learn more about how we support artists with developmental disabilities through a variety of arts programs. From our core programming to Tuesday evening workshops and Saturday sessions, we’re growing, and we want you to be part of it.

Location: Room 304, 211 Bronson Avenue, Ottawa, ON

Cost: Free.

Accessibility: The Bronson Centre is an accessible venue. The studio is located on the third floor, Room 304 and can be accessed by elevator. 

July 11, 2025 at 7 pm

July 12, 2025 at 2 pm

June 13 at 8pm 

June 14 at 2:30pm 

June 17 at 7:30pm 

June 19 at 10pm 

June 21 at 2:30pm 

June 22 at 6pm

"How far would you go to belong?" DNA is a dark, pressure-cooker comedy in which 10 teens live in a climate of fear and the constant quest for for safety. They find themselves caught in a situation that gets out of control. Terrified by what they may have done, one choice leads to another, then another, and… “What’s more important: the individual or the group?”

DNA: a cautionary tale with a big longing heart. 

Location: LabO Theatre (enter through 2 Daly Ave or 60 Waller Street), Ottawa 

Cost:  $14.00 plus Ottawa Fringe Pin 

Accessibility: Accessible to wheelchair users, A/C or heating.

Saturday, June 14th, 2025 | 1- 4 pm

Rain date Sunday, June 15th, 2025

ART AND MERCHANDISE FOR SALE Handcrafts, wearables, paintings and prints, wood bowls, sculptures, photography, digital art, locally

grown produce, and much more.

ENTERTAINMENT FOR EVERYONE Musicians playing a variety of music - jazz, rock,

folksy, printmaking for kids of all ages, and more.

Location: Britannia Village, starting at Britannia & Howe

Cost:  Free 

Accessibility: Outdoor, driveways, mostly wheelchair accessible, limited shade. Pricing done by artists. Admittance is free. Lengthy route to go the whole Crawl (~1 hour).

Saturday June 7th, 2025 10 am - 12 pm

Saturday June 14th, 2025 10 - 12 pm

Join us for a magical, inclusive, and interactive arts experience designed especially for little ones in Grade 2 and under! ✨

BOP: Bella’s Outdoor Project is a joyful, multi-arts dance performance crafted for children and their families in the Ottawa area. Kids will journey through five themed stations led with live music and a Pied Piper Dancer:

Queen and Castle,

Doggie’s Delight,

Topsy Turvy,

Fanciful Flowers

Art Creation Station

Each station features a short dance performance followed by interactive movement where children can join in the fun! The experience ends with an art creation station where little ones can view Bella's art and be inspired to make their own! 🎶💃

BOP celebrates contemporary inclusive dance, showcasing a talented, multigenerational cast of dancers of various abilities and a musician who improvises live.

Bella Bowes, a beloved dancer and educator, brings years of experience working with kids to this imaginative, participatory piece that’s all about creativity, connection, and wonder.

Location: Strathcona Park, 25 Range Road, Ottawa, ON K1N 8J4

Cost:  Free 

Accessibility: BOP is an outdoor event for children that is designed to be accessible and welcoming to individuals of all abilities. The event space includes a designated area for attendees using mobility aids, ensuring everyone can comfortably enjoy the performance. The cast features talented dancers, including 3 with disabilities, and the show is intentionally created to reflect and celebrate diverse abilities. Coordinated by leaders with extensive experience working with children, BOP prioritizes both safety and inclusivity. Tickets are completely free to ensure everyone can participate. RSVPing is encouraged to help us provide adequate support, materials, and accommodations for all attendees.

Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 6:30 pm

Experience the magic and music of OrKidstra this spring at what Ottawa is calling the “BEST Concert!” Join us on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at 6:30 PM as the Ottawa community comes together to celebrate the joy of music at our annual Centre Hub End-of-Year

 Concert at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre (355 Cooper Street). 

Featuring over 150 talented young musicians onstage, this FREE concert is a family-friendly event for all ages. Join us for a not-to-be-missed uplifting celebration of music and community as our young musicians share their hard work, passion, and talent

 with you! 

Limited street and lot parking is available, and the venue is conveniently located a short walk from Parliament Station or accessible via the 11 or 14 bus. A free livestream of the concert will be available via our YouTube channel—click here to Subscribe now! 

Location: Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre (355 Cooper Street) 

Cost:  Free– donations in support of OrKidstra’s mission to empower kids and build community through music are welcome (tickets not required). 

Accessibility: wheelchair accessible and online livestream.

For more information on the event, call 613.233.0166 or email devcomm@orkidstra.ca. 

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 7 PM 

I’m Carolina Gallegos, a Mexican theatre creator and newcomer to Canada. I’d love to invite fellow immigrant and newcomer theatre artists to join me for a relaxed gathering to reflect on creative life in a new country and connect over the challenges and joys of rebuilding our artistic voices.  

Artists from all disciplines—and anyone interested in listening and reflecting with us—are warmly welcome.

Light refreshments provided

Location: GCTC Upper Lobby – 1233 Wellington St. West

Cost:  Free Please RSVP to caro.gaco@gmail.com by May 26  — and feel free to reach out with any questions.

Accessibility: wheelchair accessible, step-free, light refreshments provided

Friday, May 30, 2025 7-10 PM 

Join us at Beyond the Pale on May 30th at 7pm for another fun night of bingo. Our Full Moon Bingo Fundraiser was such a success we had to do it again! 

Doors: 7PM 

Bingo: 7:30PM

Our fundraiser this month just happens to fall on National "Hole in my Bucket" Day, so we are embracing the joy and the wackiness of a celebrated children's folk song and bringing you "There's a Hole in my Bucket" Bingo! Featuring fun and silly prizes with unbelievable backstories that will be shared with you by some of Skeleton Key's very talented friends, what better way is there to spend National Hole in my Bucket day?!

Want to win some extra Bingo cards? Well then, BYOB (Bring Your Own Bucket)! Bring your very best bucket to be judged by our expert panel of bucket judges. Got a bedazzled bucket? Or a hand painted pail? Or perhaps your own holey bucket that's been going strong for years? We want to see them all! The winner of the best bucket will get 10 FREE BINGO CARDS! 

Bring your cash or cards because more bingo cards will be available for purchase all evening. You can play as many cards as you can handle each round!

Bingo Card Pricing:

$5 for 4 cards

$10 for 10 cards

$20 for 24 cards

Bring your buckets and fill it up with bingo cards and prizes!

"There's a hole in my bucket, oh Liza, oh Liza"...then come to bingo and celebrate National Hole in my Bucket day!

We can't wait to see you there! 

Location: Beyond the Pale (250 City Centre Ave  Ottawa, ON K1R 7R7, Canada)

Cost: Pay-What-You-Choose starting at $15.00

Accessibility: We have pay what you chose tickets starting at $15.00, which includes a ticket to the event and six bingo cards. 

Sat, May 31, 2025 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM EDT

Thugs Need Love Too is a community art showcase by community, for community, happening May 31st, 2025, in Heatherington Road , Ottawa’s gem and the nighborhhod I call home.

This event is rooted in the radical idea that love—💛 as food security, dignified housing, land sovereignty, mutual aid, and affection—is not a luxury, but a necessity. Inspired by the plotlines in trap music and hip-hop that often paint love as elusive or irrelevant in the hood, this gathering dares to challenge that narrative: What if love is exactly what we need to survive? What if it’s the glue, the through line, the goal?

We'll come together to share art, food, memory, and music—a space where local artists can yearn, imagine, and build beyond survival. The evening will also feature a community-built ancestral altar 🕯️, performances 🎤, local food by Bon Goût Lakay 🍽️, and tangible resources to support wellness, connection, and care.

This showcase was born from personal grief and collective dreaming. It asks:

Who are we when we're not in pain? Who could we become if love was abundant and survival wasn’t the only goal? 🌱

Location: Taggart Parkes Family Clubhouse - BGC Ottawa (1770 Heatherington Road Ottawa, ON K1V 8T8)

Cost: $0 – $27.96 - The showcase is pay-what-you-can because accessibility matters. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds. If you can afford to give more, those funds will go toward paying local artists, feeding the block, and building a space rooted in love and abundance.

Accessibility: Yes! The venue is wheelchair accessible, has washrooms on site, and is close to OC Transpo routes. If you have specific accessibility needs, please reach out — we want to make sure everyone feels safe and supported. 

Thurs. May 15, 2025  7:30-10:00 PM

A new play by award-winning Ottawa playwright Ron Davies, "Last Known Well" tells the story of an estranged son who returns home after a stroke leaves his lawyer father unable to make himself understood and his mother unable to cope. The reading is directed by Geoff McBride and features John Koensgen, Mary Ellis, Will Somers and Ananya Antony. There will be a talkback with the artists after the reading.

Location: Great Canadian Theatre Company Studio, 1233 Wellington West

Cost: Free

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

May 9th - 6pm to 10:30pm, May 10th - 4pm to 10:30pm

Celebrate Tactics at our Sunset Season!

Come join us at LabO Theatre for a weekend filled with new, independent theatre created by local Ottawa artists. Celebrate Tactics by enjoying three local shows - The Coven (A Staged Reading), No More Mr. Rice Guy and Nuit, and between shows check out EXA, an intimate performance installation. And join us on Saturday at 5pm to rejoice and reflect on over 10 years of Tactics at our Tactics Tribute, a reception hosted by Jacqui Du Toit reflecting and honouring Tactics' work over the past 12 years.

Sunset Season Schedule:

*All shows take place in LabO

Friday, May 9th

6PM to 7:30PM: The Coven - A Staged Reading

8PM to 9PM: No More Mr Rice Guy

9:30PM to 10:30PM: Nuit

Saturday, May 10th

4PM to 5PM: No More Mr Rice Guy

5PM to 7PM: Tactics Tribute

7:30PM to 9:00PM: The Coven - A Staged Reading

9:30PM to 10:30PM: Nuit

Throughout the weekend, check out EXA. A ticketed performance installation that allows only one audience member at a time in this 10 minute experience. EXA will be presented in Room 1201 (60 Waller St., Ottawa) - just down the hallway from LabO!

Ticket Information:

Tickets for each show are pay what you chose between our Discount rate of $10 or our Arts Supporter rate of $20. You can also purchase our Festival Pass for $50 which includes one ticket to each show, and one ticket to EXA.

100% of the ticket sales go back to the artists.

*Tickets will be available online or at the door by cash or card.

Show Descriptions

The Coven (A Staged Reading):

The Coven is an intergenerational magical realist play set between 1800s Guyana and modern-day Canada. The play follows Renette, the first free woman in her family, as she seeks vengeance against her former master. But the curse she casts carries a terrible cost—one that reaches her unborn child. In the present day, teenage Thea is navigating her parents' divorce and finds herself haunted by that same curse.

As past and present blur, The Shadow—a ghostly embodiment of the curse—emerges through contemporary dance and ensemble movement terrorizing generations. Only Thea can guide her family to heal generations of pain and uncover a path to forgiveness - before the darkness consumes them all.

With moments of blocking, choreography, and music, this unconventional staged reading brings the world of The Coven to life, and provides a window into this dynamic new work.

No More Mr. Rice Guy:

This witty comedy tells the story of a Canadian-born high school student of Chinese descent who enters a rap music contest in the hopes of fulfilling his dreams of becoming a famous rapper. The full-length world premiere of No More Mr. Rice Guy integrates all the ingredients that worked so well for its shorter format: the humorous references to Asian culture are innocent, the dialogue is original and quirky, and Franco is as skilled and exceptional as ever in his performance, even from what is presumably his bedroom in Richmond Hill. - Review from Apt 613, Livia Belcea

Nuit:

Have you ever wanted to join in on the fun of live theatre? Now you can – with Nuit’s Heckle Night! We invite the audience to yell, give suggestions, tell their own jokes as our performers take to the stage. Get ready for a never before and never again seen version of Nuit!

Does your clubbing experience need more theatre, comedy, and choreographed dance numbers? Then Nuit is the spot for you! This award-winning story follows four queer characters as they stumble and sing their way through a night out: the cycle of partying on full, messy display. Bright lights, funky moves, deep talks and hilarious pit stops showcase themes of sapphic romance, friendship and identity. Winners of The Ottawa Fringe and the Prix Rideau Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance, this cast will make you feel like you are part of the adventure. So get ready for a night you’ll never remember!

EXA:

EXA is the fortune teller of the future– a divining machine from the end of time brought back to the modern day, inspired by the coin operated fortune-dispensing machines of the past. Enter the studio alone and have your Tarot read by the inexorable, ineluctable EXA. In just five short minutes, you can learn what the future has in store for you.

When you consult modern forms of divination, such as Tarot and astrology, what answers do you expect or hope to receive? When posed with such sensitive questions, how can diviners provide proactive, meaningful and responsible answers?

Ultimately: If you could know your future, beyond any doubt, would you want to?

Tactics Tribute: A Farewell Reception (Free)

Join us in LabO for a reception hosted by Jacqui Du Toit to reflect, remember and celebrate 12 incredible years of independent theatre. Walk down memory lane to honour all of the beautiful work and talented artists who have worked with Tactics since 2013.

Celebrate with light refreshments, snacks and good friends.

Doors: 5PM

Reception & Presentation: 5:15PM

Come and give Tactics a standing ovation with us.

Thank you for your support!

Location: LabO Theatre - 10 Daly Ave

Cost: $10 to $50

Accessibility: There is an accessible entrance from 10 Daly Ave and the theatre is situated on the ground floor. There are physically accessible washrooms across from the theatre. 

Each show has two ticket prices - a discounted rate of $10 per show, and a arts supporter rate of $20. 

Content Warnings for Each Show are listed below:

The Coven (A Staged Reading)

non-graphic reference to sexual assault, intergenerational trauma, minor visualization and discussion of slavery, stylized violence, witchcraft, the occult, abuse, colonialism, and horror themes

Nuit

Coarse language, substance use (drinking)

EXA (A Performance Installation)

Content warnings: Audience participation. Potential exposure to flashing lights, as well as reference to war, sex and sexuality, racism, and explosives. May contain depictions of grief and loss.

Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 7:30-9:00pm

Conductor and harpsichordist Alexander Weimann joins Thirteen Strings in a program celebrating the power and the beauty of nature. The music in this concert will represent the calm and the wild sides of nature, the sun, light and joy! Soprano Magali Simard-Galdès, praised everywhere for her clear, crystalline voice, joins Thirteen Strings for the first time.

Location: Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, 355 Cooper St., Ottawa, K2P 0G6

Cost: $10 student to $45 reserving seating; discount for groups 

Accessibility: wheelchair accessible, A/C, comfortable airy setting.

May 31 and June 1; 10am - 4pm daily

The Red Trillium Studio Tour is a free, self-guided driving tour that invites visitors to explore the studios of local artists and fine craftspeople in the scenic countryside of West Carleton, Ontario.  Visitors can explore an inspiring variety of art mediums—from pottery, glass, and woodwork to painting, textiles, jewellery, photography, and mixed media.

Location: 12 different studio locations across West Carleton, ON

Cost: Free self-guided driving tour

Accessibility: Accessibility information is listed on our website. Redtrilliumst.com

Jan 24, Feb 22, Mar 28, Apr 19, May 17 

Show: 7:30 - 9:30 pm Doors: open at 7:00 pm

Comedians bring their new (and tried-and-true) comedic material* to win the audience's affection and a chance to headline a future show! All comedic types (improv, sketch, standup, music, etc.) and experience levels welcome. 

Location:  Arts Court, Atelier Studio - 2 Daly Ave, Ottawa ON

Cost: $15; Discount down to $5 for Jan 24

Accessibility: Arts Court is a mobility accessible venue; COVID-Safer - This is a masked (KN-95/N95) mandatory event for the audience