Public Art commissions bring nature, technology and community together

Feature story

From butterflies carved from fallen wood to motion-reactive digital installations, Ottawa’s Public Art Program is in full bloom this construction season. Across the city, new commissions are taking shape with each one telling a unique story about the landscape, history, and people that inspired them.

This year marks a special milestone: the 40th anniversary of the City of Ottawa’s Public Art Program. Since 1985, the program has brought artwork into public spaces, making art accessible for everyone and embedding creativity into daily life.

Jennifer Anne Kelly, Rewilding, 2025, Trend-Arlington, photo: David Barbour

At Trend Arlington Park, a symbolic project was recently installed. Artist Jennifer Anne Kelly’s Rewilding (2025) features 18 butterflies made from stainless steel and salvaged wood collected by local residents after the 2018 tornado. The installation serves as a celebration of renewal and resilience, suspended from the rafters of the community’s central pavilion.

Downtown, anticipation continues for Ādisōke, the new Ottawa Public Library – Library and Archives Canada joint facility, set to open in 2026. The atrium space will be activated by an installation from artist, Jason Bruges Studio. In addition, there will be multiple artworks exploring Indigenous perspectives, history and storytelling including artists such as the Brascoupé sisters and Mary Anne Barkhouse. Fabrication is currently underway for the artworks, with installations to begin over the next year.

Amy Thompson, Signal Pine, 2024, Laroche Park, photo: David Barbour

In Mechanicsville, Amy Thompson’s Signal Pine (2024) is already turning heads in Laroche Park. This piece represents the neighbourhood’s rich industrial history, and the sculptural tree symbolizes the pine trees that once grew in the area. In Vanier, a new piece by Studio KCA will soon mark the corner of Montreal and North River Roads, part of the area’s revitalization through the Montreal Road Redevelopment project.

Referencing historical steam train travel in a contemporary setting, is Ternary Motion (2023), a dynamic digital artwork by Jason Bruges Studio. Installed across three stations of the Trillium LRT Line, this interactive piece uses sensors to detect changing levels of human and train activity throughout each station, which is reflected by the varying speeds of the digital lights.

The City continues its support for artists through programs like the Artist in Residence in Government program, which recently featured artist Olivia Onuk working with the City’s Integrated Neighbourhood Services Team and is preparing for an exhibition by Jordan Danger, who is working with Solid Waste Services, in the new year.

With installations rolling out across the city, these public art commissions invite residents to pause, reflect and reconnect with their environment and community.

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