ACTION LABS IN PROGRESS: → Shared Ground Initiative (click to learn more)
Action Labs respond to emerging priorities in the arts community, with direction from our Community Advisory Members (CAM) and support from a Core Leadership Circle that stewards the process, strengthens connections, and helps amplify the impact.
More about the Core Leadership Circle
The Core Leadership Circle acts as a catalyst for activation, formed around each of our Action Labs. These purpose-driven groups bring together individuals, organizations, and advisors from both within and beyond the arts to support, shape, and champion the work being done. Each CLC is dedicated to exploring a key issue in the arts, offering insight, strategy, and connections, and is dissolved once that phase of the work evolves. Through its leadership, the CLC will help guide outcomes from Action Labs such as Shared Ground (which explores the potential of underused spaces as cultural hubs) and the Arts Ottawa Awards (which celebrate and elevate the contributions of local artists and cultural leaders).
More about Action Labs
Action Labs are central to how we address key issues in the arts community. Each Lab focuses on a specific topic identified as important to artists and the community by our CAM. They may take the form of research groups, planning teams, advocacy hubs, or spaces for idea-sharing and collaboration. Each Lab is supported by a Core Leadership Circle, a group that helps guide the work and ensure its impact is shared with those who can drive broader change. Labs are formed in response to clear needs and conclude once their objectives are achieved, such as completing a project or sharing insights with the community.
A Dual Approach to Change
Project-Based Labs: These labs are designed to achieve specific goals, such as organizing a campaign or launching a new initiative. They have defined timelines and objectives and disband once the project is completed, or the goals are successfully met.
Issue-Based Labs: These labs focus on ongoing challenges or policy-related issues. While they often operate on longer timelines, their purpose and impact are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain relevant and effective.