Festival Awesome Arts/ Arts en folie

When I say AWESOME, you say ARTS!

This is the call and response chant that can usually be heard coming from the MC and the audience during the Awesome Arts/Arts en Folie Festival! This year, though the chant was present, it was much quieter due to the limited number of attendees who could be at the Ottawa Art Gallery for the in-person event.

Earlier this year, Awesome Arts/ Arts en Folie was back for its 10th year in Sandy Hill and, as usual, we worked with Viscount Alexander Public School, our long-time partner. This year, our programming partner MASC received funding from the Association des Communautés Francophone d’Ottawa (ACFO), specifically for Francophone workshops which allowed for an extension of the program to École élémentaire publique Francojeunesse, where several other workshops such as a Mural with Nicole Bélanger, Spoken Word with Wise Atangana, and Bollywood Dance with Kuljit Sodhi were offered.

In Strathcona Heights and at Viscount Alexander Public School, participants attended workshops with BBoyizm (Dance), Just the Jaamal the Poet (Spoken Word), Tina LeMoine (Animation), Jacqui Du Toit (Story Telling) and again Kuljit Sodhi, the creator of the world music ensemble Galitcha, a visionary group that performs original compositions based on Indian folk music. This was the first time that Awesome Arts/Arts en Folie worked with Kuljit Sodhi and his crowd-gathering. Bollywood dance choreography had most people off of their feet at the Festival!

While we look forward to the return of the after-school version of Awesome Arts/Arts en Folie, as well as the raucous in-person Festival, we’re grateful that another successful program was able to be held.

Many thanks to the following funders: Government of Ontario, ACFO, Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, Riverside Park Community Association, Cultural Human Resources Council, Ottawa Markets and the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, as well as to our partners: MASC, Viscount Alexander Public School, Christie Lake Kids, École élémentaire publique Francojeunesse, Ottawa Community Housing, York St. Public School, and École élémentaire catholique Sainte-Anne.

Take a look at this amazing mural created by MASC artist Nicole Bélanger, with the help of kids from l’École Élémentaire publique Francojeunesse! Find it at Ottawa Art Gallery!

- by Gerald Dragon Community Development and Engagement Team Leader