Attention musicians: #ottmusic applications now open to feature your music tracks

If you are an Ottawa-based musician and you want your original tracks to be heard by residents, applications are now open for 2026 #ottmusic programs, which include Music on Hold, City Sounds and O-Buskers.

The Music on Hold program plays select local music whenever you phone the City, like 3-1-1, and are put on hold. This year, 25 songs will be selected by a committee of musicians and industry professionals. In addition, a playlist of this program is available each year on ottawa.ca/ottmusic for those who want to listen uninterrupted. 

City Sounds is a playlist that you can stream for free from SoundCloud. It was created to shine a spotlight on local talent and is updated every autumn. The 2025 City Sounds playlist is also available on ottawa.ca/ottmusic. 

Music tracks will take on a whole new meaning with OC Transpo’s O-Buskers program, anticipated to start in 2026. This program will help bring local musical entertainment to create a vibrant environment and community spirit to select O-Train stations.

All O-Buskers artist submissions will be reviewed by OC Transpo, as well as a committee of musicians and industry professionals from the Ottawa area. 

To be eligible, applicants must be 18 years or older and Ottawa artists. You can learn more about how to apply by visiting ottawa.ca/ottmusic. For O-Buskers application information, visit octranspo.com.