“The idea is that they can use their own money and they can purchase a piece to start their fine art collection or they can purchase a holiday gift for someone special,” said Kathy Brake, who is the gallery coordinator at the school.

The endeavour, called Kid’s Niche and intended for children under 12, is the latest addition to the school’s annual fundraising art sale which began Thursday night.

All pieces in the Kid’s Niche section of the sale range from $3 to $20. The art pieces include handmade Christmas ornaments, painted ceramic dishes and canvas paintings.

Brake said that the pieces are a mixture of donated works from local artists as well as donated pieces made by children who take classes at the school. The art made by these young students is identified with the label ‘Kids for Kids.’

The school’s administration officer Sheila Stark-Green said that not only is this an opportunity for children to buy and sell their art, but it encourages them to continue their artistic journey.

“We are trying to treat the children in the same professional manner and respect their art in the same way we would if they were adults,” she explained. “The Kid’s Niche was an idea that came from wanting to cultivate and nurture children in collecting and appreciating art.”

Stark-Green added that the initiative is an extension of what that the school already offers for kids, which include programs that run throughout the year.

“We have a large contingent of kids who take classes here and do our camps,” she said. “They’re not just learning the techniques, they’re learning the background. We felt this was an opportunity to help inspire them, to think about art as something they can acquire and continue to love.”

The Kids Niche is running alongside the annual art fundraiser that the school has put on for 39 years. The pieces in the general sale are all by members of the art school, and 65 per cent of the sale price goes back to the artist.

The other 35 per cent is retained by the school and is put towards bursary and outreach programs, Brake said.

Teresa Rozkiewicz, a third-year student at the art school and a volunteer at the sale, said that there seemed to be a lot of interest and excitement around the new initiative. 

“People seem really enthusiastic about it. There were three pieces from the Kids Niche that were already sold this morning,”  she said on Friday.

Brake emphasized that if the initiative is successful, the school will continue the idea next year and hopefully be able to move the Kids Niche display into its own room in the gallery. 

The art sale runs until Dec. 10 at the J.W Stellick gallery, which is located inside the Ottawa School of Art at 35 George St.

O’Keefe, a member of the Ottawa Gay Men’s Chorus since 2022, said that the mission of the choir is to provide love and light during what can be a dark time of year.

“The energy created between the choir and the audience during the performances is one of unity, and shows that no matter who you are and where you come from, love prevails.”

This holiday season, the Ottawa Gay Men’s Chorus and the Tone Cluster choir are two music ensembles made up of people from the LGBTQ community that are putting on events to bring people together and provide a safe space to celebrate the holidays, which can be a particularly lonely time of year.

While some people view the holiday season as the most wonderful time of year, others, especially some people within the LGBTQ community, may feel displaced and alone. The celebrations around the holidays are also distinctly organized around togetherness, but such joyous unity is not the reality for all people.

“We all have our unique hang ups around the holidays. That is especially true for LGBTQ+ people,” said Alexandra Mintha, a masters of anthropology student at the University of British Columbia, whose research involves queer theory and lesbian asylum seekers in Vancouver.

Mintha, who identifies as queer, emphasizes that notions of family gatherings are not viable for some people as they are not always safe or accepting spaces during the holidays.

“I think on top of that, you look at the iconography of Christmas, holiday movies, holiday music,” she added. “It’s all kind of heteronormative, heterosexist and that’s what you see displayed and idealized.”

“You wonder, as a queer person, where you fit into all of it.”

Promoting inclusion

Both the Ottawa Gay Men’s Chorus and Tone Cluster are hosting holiday-themed concerts at the Gladstone Theatre in December. Organizers say the concerts are a chance to gather and feel included, as well as enjoy the unique choral arrangements from these local groups.

The ethos of these concerts is to connect to as many people and emotions as possible, said Deirdre Kellerman, the artistic director and conductor of Tone Cluster. Kellerman added the choir is a diverse group of members from different generations and different cultural and religious backgrounds.

“It’s a really varied group of people and life experiences, and the thing that kind of holds it together is the fact that most members of the choir identify as queer and everyone loves to sing.”

“It’s a real community.”

Tone Cluster, which turns 30 next year, is putting on a Holiday Extravaganza concert, with performances by local drag artists along with the choir.

“Hopefully we’ve prepared a program that is really inclusive in music and tone, not just for the performers but also for the prospective audience,” Kellerman said.

Guy Delorme, the president of the Ottawa Gay Men’s Chorus, said that since it was founded, the choir has always been about building community – and, of course, music. The non-audition choir currently consists of about 40 choristers, most of whom identify as gay or transgender.

The choir has performed a holiday concert every year since its start in 1986. 

“It began during the AIDS crisis, with people still being in the closet and scared,” Delorme said. “There was a gay men’s choir that had been started in Vancouver, and a man here [in Ottawa] named Gordon Johnson took the idea and started to gather a couple of people to learn some songs and perform around the holiday season.”

A more secular approach

While the choir originally would rehearse and perform in churches, it has moved out of churches to the Gladstone Theatre. Delorme explained this was to remove barriers that might prevent people from joining the choir or coming to its shows. 

“A lot of people did not feel comfortable being around religion, and there were choristers who were not necessarily happy or OK with singing in a church.” 

Kellerman echoed this sentiment about performing in a more secular space.

“People come to a show at a church and I think sometimes they’re a little distracted by the venue that they’re in, especially if it’s not a venue they’re comfortable in,” she said. “But you come to a theatre and the energy is really high and there’s a bar. I think it’s a great space for us.”

Kellerman added that the Tone Cluster show, which takes place Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m., will not exclude traditional or religious tunes, as religion is important for many of the members. Instead, the choir will interpret and sing these pieces through a more inclusive lens.

Also included in the choir’s arrangement are crowd favourites such as “Deck the Halls” and “Let it Snow.” Overall, Kellerman said the show will be “campy and fun,” and added concertgoers can expect to see some festive attire like colourful ugly Christmas sweaters.

The Ottawa Gay Men’s Chorus holiday show this year will take place at the Gladstone Theatre on Dec 10, with a matinee show at 3 p.m. and an evening concert at 7:30 p.m. In terms of what to expect, Delorme said with a twinkle in his eye: “a lot of fun.” 

 The group will perform a mixture of more earnest holiday songs and some funny songs that will give the audience a good laugh. Delorme said even the show’s name, “Nut Cracker,” is a playful double entendre.

“Whatever you want it to mean, it’s open for interpretation,” Delorme said with a laugh. 

Still, he reiterated that events like this mean a lot to the LGBTQ community, especially during the holiday season. “I don’t know the percentage, but many people in the community are alone around the holiday season, so the concert is a chance to gather. It’s a time to get together and see friends,” he said.

“And for those who have had negative holiday experiences before, it’s a moment of joy and celebration.”

Mintha said the idea of safe spaces and chosen family is a large part of the LGBTQ community. She added that being able to access and attend events during isolating times, such as the holidays, that promote acceptance is a special thing for a lot of people. 

“When we do think of the holidays, it’s often thought of as joyful, and I think any way to celebrate and come together and just experience queer joy is something that is really important.”

Tickets for both events are available on the Gladstone Theatre website.