Celebrating Alexandra Badzak’s Receipt of the Order of Ottawa

We are thrilled to celebrate Alexandra Badzak, Director and CEO of the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG), for being awarded the prestigious Order of Ottawa. This honor recognizes her outstanding contributions to the cultural landscape of Ottawa and beyond.

Alexandra has been the Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ottawa Art Gallery since 2010, arriving at the Gallery following an exceptional period of leadership at the Diefenbunker. From her earliest days, she has been a trailblazer, setting an ambitious and visionary agenda that positions Ottawa as a cultural capital of global import, imagining and realizing cultural impacts and initiatives unseen before in the region. 

Over her 14 years at the Ottawa Art Gallery, Alexandra has greatly contributed to the cultural community in Ottawa, with such impact being seen with her leadership of the OAG Expansion project, one of the most important cultural infrastructure projects in Ottawa, which opened in 2018.  

“It’s an honour to have led and grown two cultural institutions—the Diefenbunker and the Ottawa Art Gallery—and to see the arts acknowledged for the critical role they play. It’s also been wonderful to work with such passionate artists and colleagues.”

Alexandra Badzak, Director and CEO, Ottawa Art Gallery

To celebrate this recognition, we wish to share some of the words from colleagues and partners alike on the impact Alex has had on culture, community, and the city of Ottawa.

“Alexandra’s inclusive and collaborative leadership has been felt in the important collaborations, exhibitions and programs that she also put in place. A shining example is Creative Space, the OAG’s flagship mental health program with The Royal, in operation since 2015, which has encouraged mental health and social inclusion through weekly drop-in and art-making workshops. This connected, authentic, and holistic approach to community and creativity-building can be seen in the work Alex has initiated in seniors programming (Artwise, Mine the Gap), 2SLGBTQIA+ supports, and in the truly organic and paradigm shifting partnerships with regional Indigenous nations and communities.”

Mark Schaan, Chair, OAG Board of Directors

“Alex is a cultural leader who brings transformational and significant change and growth while galvanizing support and collaboration with an inclusive myriad of individuals, organizations and partners. Alex is the face of the Ottawa Art Gallery. And what a face she has created for the Gallery and the City. Her accomplishments make her a truly deserving candidate for the Order of Ottawa.

Lawson Hunter, past OAG Board Chair

“Since her appointment in 2010, Alex has transformed the OAG into a vibrant cultural hub, reflecting her visionary leadership. Among her numerous achievements, she spearheaded the $38 million expansion of the gallery, which opened in 2018. This project not only redefined Ottawa’s art scene but also provided a welcoming space for diverse creative conversations and communities.”

Cheryl Sim, President, CAMDO & Catherine Lindquist, Executive Director, CAMDO

“Alexandra Badzak is a vocal champion and a tireless advocate who celebrates the true creativity of our community, someone who has created even greater platform for artists to showcase their important works and a heightened level of cultural awareness that contributes to the vitality of the Ottawa arts and cultural scene.”

Andrew Peck, Executive Director, Downtown Rideau BIA

“She plays a vital role in contributing to the city of Ottawa and to its cultural community with new approaches to arts funding and philanthropy, Indigenous arts leadership, and downtown revitalization, the most recent initiative being The Arts Corridor Project. As well, her vision and commitment to enhancing the city’s cultural landscape goes beyond the art community and reaches into the general community through innovative programming, talks, tours, art camps and studio sessions.”

Norman Takeuchi, Artist

Congratulations, Alex, on this well-deserved recognition. Your leadership continues to inspire us all, shaping Ottawa into a city of culture, inclusion, and innovation.