
The Shenkman Arts Centre is a dynamic creative hub, and a community focal point where artists and audiences of all ages gather to create and explore the arts. It will provide a forum for a myriad of activities under one roof in both English and French. The Centre will make a profound impact on the cultural life of the city. It will play a vital role in ensuring artists are given the forum they need to nurture creativity and audiences are given access to dynamic and thought-provoking arts programming in a facility that matches creative excellence.
Imagine a dynamic centre in which a visual artist has access to the latest equipment and technology in specialized studios; a budding artist can learn pottery, painting or dance; a local theatre group is holding rehearsals for its next play; a school group is enjoying an interactive exhibit in the gallery; and community members are listening to the inspiring music of a chamber orchestra.
The goal of the Shenkman Arts Centre is to establish a creative hub that will:
Construction of the Shenkman Arts Centre began in the Fall of 2007. This slide presentation features snapshots of the Centre's development since then.

















The public expressed interest in an east-end arts facility about 20 years ago. City staff defined the need and the process culminated in the development of a P3 (public-private partnership) strategy in 2004, which was refined with the input of east-end arts groups. City Council approved staff’s recommendation for a new facility in June 2005, and the search for a private-sector partner was launched.
Following requests for qualifications and proposals, an extensive evaluation process determined that the proposal submitted by Orléans Town Centre Partnership (OTCP) best met the requirements of the RFP. The partnership agreements between the City of Ottawa and OTCP were concluded in April 2007.
More information is available at http://www.forum-flp.com/.
Find out how the partnership works.
To develop and promote the multidisciplinary arts through the provision of professional facilities, and to present bilingual programs and services that attract, educate and entertain a diverse public within a unique framework of artistic collaborations.
The Shenkman Arts Centre is Ottawa's east end creative hub for bilingual multidisciplinary arts.