Image by SPAO A.I.R. Tony Gebrehiwot

SPAO’s Annual Open House

Friday, November 22, 2024 | 5pm – 9pm
SPAO Centre, Ottawa
Free Admission | RSVP on Facebook

Mark your calendars—SPAO’s annual Open House party is back, and you’re invited! Visit the SPAO Centre for an exciting evening featuring the opening reception of Material Futures, a holiday print sale, the SPAO Annual publication launch, and live entertainment. This is an event you won’t want to miss!

For further details, including access to the online Open House, please check out spao.ca/open-house.

Image by Rob Little

Open House Print Sale

SPAO’s annual print sale is here just in time for the gift-giving season. The holiday print sale at Open House features unique artwork created by SPAO’s talented diploma students. Prints are available for purchase exclusively at the event—don’t miss your chance to bring one home! Prints are priced under $85, and all profits go directly to the artists themselves.

Annual Publication Launch – Labour

SPAO is proud to launch Labour, the 2023/2024 edition of the SPAO Annual publication. The SPAO Annual is a yearly testament to the dedication and achievements by and for our community, staff, donors, supporters, and volunteers, showcasing one cycle of our extensive annual programming. Labour will be available at a special discounted rate for the night of Open House.

Image by SPAO A.I.R. Aaron Jones

Exhibition Reception – Material Futures
On view: November 9 – December 15, 2024

SPAO is pleased to present Material Futures, an exhibition featuring the photo-based work of Tony Gebrehiwot, Aaron Jones, Linh VH Nguyen and Sage Szkabarnicki Stuart.

Through the subject of portraiture, these four artists use the human form as a site for investigating body-politics, challenging perceptions of beauty, and exploring the potential for future world-building. Using visual elements relating to technology, prosthetics, fashion and assemblage, the works in Material Futures explore contemporary thought surrounding identity, empowerment, and agency in an increasingly mediated future.

Learn more about Material Futures.

Image by Cutis Perry

About SPAO: Photographic Arts Centre

SPAO is one of Canada’s foremost photographic arts centres. It houses the only 2-year Photographic Arts College Diploma Program in Canada, a robust selection of recreational classes, a unique 6-month international artist residency as well as the only critical and independent gallery in the region dedicated to lens-based art.

SPAO prides itself on small class sizes, individualized hands-on learning, and rare access to a variety of techniques and photographic processes. SPAO draws on traditional, historic and alternative processes alongside contemporary photographic technologies for both our two-year College Diploma Program and our Part-Time Studies stream.

The SPAO International Artist Residency offers photo-based artists the opportunity to advance their career at one of Canada’s foremost photographic art centres. During SPAO’s 6-month Artist Residency, individuals are afforded the time and environment needed to research, experiment, and produce a body of work as a professional artist. Upon completion, artists are offered the paid opportunity to exhibit in the SPAO Centre Gallery.

The SPAO Gallery is Ottawa region’s only independent and critical gallery space dedicated to photographic and video art. The gallery sees upwards of 4200 visitors annually including students, artists, alumni, Ottawa’s photographic and arts community, and members of the general public at large, including guided tours for specialty groups.

For more information, please contact us:

SPAO: Photographic Arts Centre
77 Pamilla Street
Ottawa, ON K1S 3K7
613 562 3824
info@spao.ca

Follow SPAO:
Facebook @spaocentre
Instagram @spaocentre

Don’t miss our Open House on the evening of Friday, November 22 at the SPAO Centre! Admission is free for all attendees. RSVP on Facebook.