2026 Mayoral Debate: Arts & Culture in Ottawa
The future of Ottawa’s arts and culture is a municipal issue.
What does Ottawa need to build a thriving, sustainable, and inclusive arts and cultural sector?
Join Arts Ottawa for a non-partisan mayoral debate focused on the priorities, challenges, and opportunities identified by Ottawa’s arts community.
Hear directly from mayoral candidates about their experience, values, vision, and plans for arts and culture, and discover how they would support the artists, cultural workers, organizations, and communities that make Ottawa vibrant.
This conversation is shaped by the voices of the sector through Arts Ottawa’s Community Forum process. It’s an opportunity to listen, ask questions, compare perspectives, and make an informed choice at the ballot box.
This is a conversation grounded in community priorities
This debate is designed to support informed civic participation, not to endorse candidates or promote a particular political position.
Arts Ottawa is committed to creating a space where candidates can share their perspectives fairly and where members of the arts community can engage in meaningful, respectful dialogue.
The conversation will be guided by four principles:
Fairness: All participating candidates will have equitable opportunities to respond and participate.
Accessibility: We will work to reduce barriers and create an inclusive environment for attendees and participants.
Transparency: We will communicate clearly about the format, participation process, and outcomes of the event.
Respect: We expect candidates and attendees to engage thoughtfully, listen to different perspectives, and contribute to a safe and welcoming civic conversation.
Your voice matters
Ottawa’s arts and cultural community has identified the issues it wants municipal leaders to address. Now it’s time to hear how the candidates would respond.
Come listen. Ask questions. Compare perspectives. Make your voice heard.
Join us for the 2026 Mayoral Debate and take part in the conversation about the future of arts and culture in Ottawa.