Temporary exhibits
Explore the art that adds warmth and vibrancy to the streets, parks and plazas of Ottawa–Gatineau. Temporary exhibits in Canada's Capital Region showcase artistic achievements from across the country, celebrate our diversity and highlight significant milestones in Canadian history.
Tulip Legacy Exhibit
Learn more about the Tulip Story by visiting the Tulip Legacy Exhibit at Commissioners Park. You’ll find out about:
- Princess Juliana of the Netherland’s stay in Ottawa,
- The birth of Princess Margriet at the Ottawa Civic Hospital,
- The role of Canadian soldiers in helping to free the Netherlands during the Second World War, and
- The Capital’s tulip tradition.
Art in the Capital
Many factors contribute to shaping an impressive capital region and public art is one of them. The Art in the Capital program showcases public artworks created by Canadian artists. These exhibits are temporary and change regularly.
A number of thought-provoking, evocative and fun installations are exhibited in Ottawa and Gatineau in 2024.
"he(art)work” – Pedestrian Tunnel Exhibit New
In the fall of 2024, Canadian Heritage and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) partnered to present an exhibition featuring eight large-scale reproduction artworks, curated by Franchesca Hebert-Spence. The exhibition, “he(art)work”, showcases selected works from CIRNAC’s Indigenous Art Collection. You can admire these works in the West Pedestrian Tunnel near the Portage Bridge until September 2026.
ByWard Market Courtyards Exhibit
The Sussex Courtyards are a sequence of five courtyards located in the ByWard Market in Ottawa. They are popular during the summer season and offer an oasis of tranquility and shade for visitors and locals, as well as providing seating areas, café terraces and boutiques. The Courtyards also provide the setting for outdoor exhibits of Canadian art across a range of themes.
We Are Seeds
We Are Seeds is an outdoor mural created in August 2021 by Claudia Gutierrez and presented by Canadian Heritage in collaboration with Zibi. Gutierrez, a Latin-Canadian artist, draws inspiration from the Mexican proverb: “They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.” The mural responds to this time of crisis by celebrating the restorative power of perseverance and resilience. Two nurturing hands grasp a vase with foliage abundantly growing from its top and roots breaking free from its bottom. As we cautiously look forward to a time of reactivation and regeneration, the single falling leaf reminds us of the fragility that will always persist.
Claudia Gutierrez is an Ottawa-based artist who has specialized in painting and printmaking. More recently, she has pivoted to textile-based work to challenge the boundaries between art and craft. We Are Seeds was created with the assistance of Kiana Meness and Jose Palacios.
The mural is located at the intersection of Eddy Street and Alexandre-Taché Boulevard in Gatineau and will be on display for the next several years.
Our Shepherds
Our Shepherds depicts two shepherds standing face-to-face atop two sheep. The figures are notably connected by a long Pinocchio-like nose, a seeming indication of their deceitful intentions. The playful blue colour and simple, symmetrical structure of the sculpture act as an enticement to consider deeper meanings. Our Shepherds speaks of those who take power and those who are led, inviting viewers to question who are the shepherds and who are the sheep.
Our Shepherds was created by Montreal artist, Patrick Bérubé. It will be displayed at the Tin House Courtyard in the ByWard Market in Ottawa until October 2025.
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