NEW OTTAWA ART GALLERY UNVEILS CONTEMPORARY BEACON IN HEART OF DOWNTOWN OTTAWA

For Immediate Release

Mayor Watson calls new gallery a “premier hub for our rich, vibrant and diverse Arts Community.”

OTTAWA ON, APRIL 28, 2018 – Today the new Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) opened to the public, offering a new centre for culture in the city. The inauguration marks a significant moment for Ottawa’s cultural landscape and artistic community, as the new OAG houses galleries for special projects, a permanent collection and the Firestone Collection of Canadian Art. Along with the expanded space, the OAG debuted a spectacular exhibition showcasing the region’s rich art history. Àdisòkàmagan / Nous connaître un peu nous-mêmes / We’ll all become stories, is a landmark exhibition of unparalleled scale honouring over 6,500 years of art making in Ottawa-Gatineau.

“The province welcomes this exciting addition to Ottawa’s cultural scene,” said Daiene Vernile, Ontario Minister of Tourism Culture and Sport. “The new, expanded space allows the Ottawa Art Gallery to provide an inclusive place to showcase the wonderful breadth of historic and contemporary Canadian art.”

‘’The opening of the new Ottawa Art Gallery marks a significant moment in our city’s history and culture. The newly expanded facility will serve as Ottawa’s premier hub for our rich, vibrant and diverse Arts Community. Congratulations to our local arts leaders who worked tirelessly with the City to turn this 30-year-old dream into a reality. Through the collaboration between OAG, community partners and all three levels of government, Ottawa now has a new home for its most important works of arts; an exciting space to share these Canadians treasures with residents and visitors from around the world.’’ – Jim Watson, Mayor, City of Ottawa

A major cultural investment, the new OAG spans six floors and more than 55 000 square feet of programmable space. The stunning contemporary new building offers glimpses of the urban core and includes rotating galleries for historical, contemporary and touring exhibitions, an art studio, two rooftop terraces, a large multi-purpose room and a café all provided within a barrier-free environment complete. The new OAG has fully accessible entrances, gender neutral washrooms and offers free child-care Wednesday evenings and during vernissages. Admission to the new OAG is always free and its operating hours are 9 am to 9 pm, every day.

‘’The new Ottawa Art Gallery has been designed with a sense of interconnectivity, manifested not only in the beautiful architecture, but also in its approach to community. You will see a gallery that is accessible, breaks down barriers to participation, a gallery that is free and open when you need it to be, a gallery that embraces diversity, a gallery for you.’’ -Alexandra Badzak, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ottawa Art Gallery

The OAG is part of a multi-use complex that also incorporates an exciting private sector mixed-use residential complex, Arthaus condominiums by DevMcGill, and a boutique hotel by Groupe Germain Hotels.

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For media enquiries, or to set-up interviews please contact:

Véronique Couillard
Ottawa Art Gallery
613-233-8699, x244
613-291-1358
vcouillard@oaggao.ca

Andrea Chrysanthou
Global Public Affairs
416-797-8194
achrysanthou@globalpublic.com

Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG)
OAG is Ottawa municipal’s art gallery and cultural hub. Located in Ottawa’s downtown core, the expanded Gallery is a contemporary luminous cube designed by KPMB Architects and Régis Côté et associés.