Ottawa Art Gallery
The Gallery explores and interprets diversity and societal evolution through the lens of visual arts research, with a focus on the region, but extending internationally.
OAG is a municipal gallery that opened in 1988 at Arts Court. It houses a permanent collection of over one thousand works and offers community, educational, and public programming. You can find information on all of these and more by clicking here.
Bringing Art to Life
Situated on traditional Anishinabe Aki, the Ottawa Art Gallery is a well-respected establishment that houses a magnificent compilation of paintings, sculptures, graphic arts, photographs, and innovative media. The permanent collection of Canadian art is especially impressive, with contributions from the esteemed Group of Seven.
Designed by renowned architect Karim Rashid, the gallery’s form emerges from a small urban footprint and establishes a bold, contemporary civic presence. Its programmable full-spectrum LED facade and high ceilings provide the flexibility to curate dynamic exhibitions.
Enriched by the discovery of his father’s artistic gift during the throes of Alzheimer’s, neurologist Daniel C. Potts developed Bringing Art to Life, a course that offers undergraduate honor students from diverse majors an opportunity to spend a semester learning about dementia and exploring the expressive arts with people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of memory loss. Throughout the program, a special emphasis is placed on crafting leather-bound memoirs for participants to take home at the end of the semester.
OAG Expansion & Arts Court Redevelopment
The new OAG realizes the Gallery’s long-held dream of a stand-alone, state-of-the-art museum facility and establishes it at the center of a redeveloped Arts Court complex. Its white cubist form achieves a bold architectural presence and reinforces the OAG’s identity as a cultural hub and major destination in Ottawa.
The design is a series of interlocking volumes that create a complementary relation of new to old and city to the gallery. The OAG volume’s perforated cladding reflects the grouping of panels found on the Firestone family’s cherished Canadian art collection in Rockcliffe, while the new lobbies feature a restored and repurposed heritage staircase from the home.
The City’s 20/20 Arts & Heritage Plan identified a need for improved facilities for the OAG and Arts Court presentation spaces. This unique city-building project combines the construction of a new, museum standard OAG with the renovation of existing Arts Court spaces to meet these needs. It is a model for sensitive development that could be replicated in other parts of the City. Here is another spot to visit.
The Ottawa School of Art
Located in the Shenkman Arts Centre’s Orleans campus, this gallery features art by OSAO teachers and students. Exhibits often focus on contemporary art and include paintings, sculptures, and video installations.
OSA also offers a variety of art workshops and programs for adults, teens, and children in the community. These courses explore a broad spectrum of topics including life drawing, painting, photography, and clay and sculpture. Bursaries are available to assist with the cost of these courses.
The Ottawa School of Art offers a one-year certificate program, a three-year diploma program, and many general interest art classes. Applicants for the diploma program are required to submit a portfolio and attend an interview. Those interested in OSA’s credit programs should contact the Diploma Program Coordinator for more information.
Become an OAG Member
The free-entry gallery is home to the prestigious Firestone Collection of Canadian Art and provides community, educational, and public programming. It also serves as a cultural meeting place for the City of Ottawa-Gatineau region.
Become an OAG Member to support the continued work of the Gallery. Your membership helps to fund exhibitions, new acquisitions, and education programs. The Gallery is the City of Ottawa-Gatineau’s leading visual arts museum and is a national leader in Canada for presenting contemporary art.
All job openings are posted on the OAG Jobs Page within CAPPS Recruit, the State’s managed employment system. CAPPS Recruit offers users an easy and convenient way to apply for State employment. Detailed instructions for both creating an account in CAPPS Recruit and submitting applications can be found below. If you have questions about the application process, please contact the CAPPS Recruit Help Desk. The Help Desk is available Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. Click here for more interesting articles.
Driving directions from Ottawa House Painter to Ottawa Art Gallery
Driving directions from Ottawa Art Gallery to Confederation Park