FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Graphic design by Najeeba Ahmed
Celebrating Debaser's 10th anniversary and SAW's 50th anniversary at Pique summer edition
Ottawa - May 3, 2023
The summer edition of Pique multidisciplinary arts festival, happening June 10th at the Arts Court, is the biggest and boldest edition of Pique yet. The all-ages festival will present 30 artists across 10 stages and multiple exhibition spaces, indoors and outdoors, for groundbreaking performances, art exhibitions, screenings, workshops, and more.
The block-wide arts festival will serve as a joint-birthday party for two of Ottawa’s leading cultural presenters. Pique producer organization Debaser celebrates its 10th anniversary this spring, and host venue and presenting partner SAW celebrates its 50th. The two organizations are joining forces to bring marquee programming to Pique on June 10, including performances by Lido Pimienta, Bear Witness (member of the Halluci Nation), Aïcha Bastien N'Diaye, and Quatuor Bozzini performing the music of 2022 Pulitzer Prize Winner Raven Chacon.
The occasion triples as the Arts Court Open House Party, bringing together the building's resident cultural organizations to animate every corner of Ottawa's most vibrant cultural hub for an afternoon of free building-wide family-oriented activities.
The outdoor Art Market returns to Daly Ave with 25+ artist and food vendors, and for the first time at Pique, we are bringing live music back to the Saint Lo Jail Hostel (the site of Debaser's first-ever show 10 years ago)!
“There is so much to see, hear and experience at this edition of Pique!” says Debaser Founder and Director Rachel Weldon. “We are thrilled to join forces with SAW, an organization and space near and dear to Debaser, to celebrate both of our organizations’ anniversaries.”
More programming highlights include:
Lido Pimienta will be our artist-in-residence for the month leading up to Pique, hosted by SAW at the historic Rochon Residence in the ByWard Market, culminating in a special performance at Pique.
Guest curators Many Place Money Party take over the parking lot of the Saint Lo Jail Hostel, the site of Debaser’s first event in 2013, for a hyper pop program featuring New York’s Frost Children with emerging regional artists Hug Mosh, Fireball Kid and Everett Rama.
Mexico City-based performance artist EYIBRA presents a six-hour durational performance and multimedia piece incorporating 3D visuals, movement and sound art that explores the artist’s queer non-binary identity in the context of their Ukrainian roots.
We Are the Medium guest curators Sundus Abdul Hadi and Yassin “Narcy” Alsalman present a special pop-up of Maktaba Bookshop, an artist-run concept bookshop and cultural space, fully integrated into the festival.
Visit the microcinema of the Digital Arts Resource Centre to check out Radical Noise: Social Action through Music and Video, including shorts by Lido Pimienta, Bear Witness, Howard Adler, Lesley Marshall, and more.
The scenic outdoor terraces of the Ottawa Art Gallery will be transformed into intimate showcases of local talent, including Anaïs Cardot, THEA, Bonnie Doon and Matt Miwa, Backseat Dragon, and Go Long.
A livestream broadcast from Club SAW and SAW Courtyard produced by Kilam Media will allow audience members anywhere in the world to experience Pique programming, watchable at thisispique.com.
Tickets to Pique are now on sale on our Eventbrite.
EVENT DETAILS
What: Pique summer edition
When: Saturday, June 10, 2023
Time: 2:00 pm to 2:00 am
Where: Arts Court (67 Nicholas St, Ottawa, ON)
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/pique-summer-23-tickets-621954371267
Lineup:
Lido Pimienta
Bear Witness (of The Halluci Nation)
Colloboh
Frost Children*
EYIBRA
Aïcha Bastien N'Diaye
Anaïs Cardot
Jairus Sharif
OK Naledi
THEA
Hug Mosh*
Bonnie Doon
Matt Miwa
Kathryn Patricia
Go Long
Backseat Dragon
Fireball Kid*
N'nerjie
Siaka Diabate
KAY-fayb
Everett Rama*
13assa & Shaye A
and the music of Raven Chacon performed by Quatuor Bozzini
* curated by Many Place Money Party
Guest curators:
Many Place Money Party
We Are The Medium
MEDIA KIT
View the Pique spring edition media kit for participating artists’ press images, Pique digital assets, photos from past editions, and more.
PARTNERS AND FUNDERS
Pique is presented in partnership with the Arts Court, SAW, Ottawa Fringe, Digital Arts Resource Centre, Ottawa Art Gallery, the Canadian Film Institute, Artengine, and the Ottawa Dance Directive, with support from Kilam Media, Saint Lo Hostel, Wall Sound, Dominion City Brewing Company, Postering Ottawa, n.10.as, Apt613, and CKCU FM, and is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of Canada through the Community Services Recovery Fund, the Government of Ontario, Canadian Heritage, the City of Ottawa, the Ontario Arts Council, and the SOCAN Foundation.
PRESS CONTACT
Rachel Weldon
Director, Debaser
rachel@debaser.ca | 819-593-7081