Shared Ground - Arts Ottawa

SHARED GROUND: A Framework for Cultural Co-Design in Downtown Ottawa
 

On June 25th, Arts Ottawa will host the first event under our new initiative, Shared Ground—a day of learning and collaborative design, where we’ll begin shaping a collective vision for arts sector readiness.

Our learning day will be hosted at “Place de ville” —a unique pace connected to the Lyon LRT station.

Together, we’ll map, prototype, and model sustainable, arts-forward space activations through community visioning and participatory design. Learnings will inform an upcoming charette focused on transforming vacant urban spaces into cultural assets. This day also launches the Community Leadership Circle, calling-in leadership to contribute to  Shared Ground as it identifies strategies and pathways to bridge the gap between artists and revitalization projects.  

We will explore how we can future-proof arts spaces as places for community gathering, creativity, and collaboration—grounded in cultural co-design, community expertise, and the power of imagination in city-building. 

Presented by Arts Ottawa in collaboration with ArtsBuild Ontario, Memetic Media, and the Ottawa Art Gallery ACE District Initiative. 

ABOUT SHARED GROUND

In response to the call for a downtown that is vibrant, resilient, and inclusive, Arts Ottawa is convening artists, community and business leaders, and creative thinkers to imagine what’s possible when arts and culture are embedded into the fabric of our city.  

This initiative is part of a broader vision to explore - and take action on - sector readiness for cultural space developments, and reframing underused spaces. This action starts at Place de Ville, a unique former cinema connected to the Lyon LRT station.   

Key Outcomes

• Spark conversations on leadership for cultural land use and space creation 

• Sector-readiness insights, identify what supports or services are needed in the short term 

• Engagement of diverse voices in community leadership 

• Test results of replicable arts-forward activation model 

• A draft activation model for 300 Sparks