Communicating The Arts

03/09/2026

The full program for Building Trust, Bridging Worlds is now live!

🔴 50+ international speakers
🔴 20+ real-world case studies
🔴 10+ keynote and plenary sessions
🔴 One day dedicated to workshops
🔴 4 networking receptions across Ottawa-Gatineau

From 13 to 16 October, join us and be part of the conversation.

At the heart of CTA are the experiences of cultural professionals themselves. Speakers will take us inside their organisations to share what they tried, what happened, what they learned and, importantly, what they would do differently. 💡

From audience engagement and measuring impact to digital transformation and crisis management, we’ll get into the questions cultural organisations are working through right now.

Explore the daily program 👇
13 October: https://communicatingthearts.com/ottawa-day1
14 October: https://communicatingthearts.com/ottawa-day2
15 October: https://communicatingthearts.com/ottawa-day3
16 October: https://communicatingthearts.com/ottawa-day4

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 – 𝗢𝘁𝘁𝗮𝘄𝗮-𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
📅 13–16 October 2026
📍 Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada
🎟️ Reserve your pass: https://my.weezevent.com/communicating-the-arts-ottawa-2026

21/08/2026

This October, the international cultural community meets in Ottawa Gatineau. 🇨🇦🌎

In Canada’s bilingual capital region, professionals from 100+ cultural institutions around the world will come together for Communicating the Arts 2026.

You’ve met many of our 50+ speakers. But who will be in the room with you?

Every year, CTA brings together cultural professionals from around the world who come together to exchange ideas, discuss the challenges shaping our sector, and build meaningful connections.

Curious to see who’s coming? 👀
Discover the CTA 2026 delegate list 👉 https://communicatingthearts.com/ottawa-gatineau-whoscoming

Join them in Ottawa Gatineau this October.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 – 𝗢𝘁𝘁𝗮𝘄𝗮-𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
📅 13–16 October 2026
📍 Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada
🎟️ Reserve your pass: https://my.weezevent.com/communicating-the-arts-ottawa-2026

20/08/2026

As the Centre Pompidou prepared to close for renovation, how could it stay connected to its audiences? 🎙️

Instead of letting the closure create distance, one of the world’s leading cultural institutions invited visitors to help tell its story.

Through sound collection workshops held inside the Centre Pompidou, visitors shared their experiences and impressions of the museum.

Peggy Derder, Head of the Written, Oral, Audio and Digital Content Unit will share how hundreds of recorded voices eventually became Centre Pompidou Sentimental, a participatory podcast that tells the story of the museum through the people who experience it. 🗣️

At Communicating the Arts Ottawa Gatineau 2026, discover how the project gave visitors a voice while strengthening the relationship between the Centre Pompidou and its audiences during a moment of major change.

Read more 👉 https://communicatingthearts.com/peggy-derder

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 – 𝗢𝘁𝘁𝗮𝘄𝗮-𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
📅 13–16 October 2026
📍 Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada
🎟️ Reserve your pass: https://my.weezevent.com/communicating-the-arts-ottawa-2026

19/08/2026

We begin Communicating the Arts by acknowledging the land we are gathering on and bringing cultural professionals together in one of Canada's most important cultural institutions. 🇨🇦🍁

On 13 October, we welcome delegates to an Opening Reception the Canadian Museum of History for an evening that sets the tone for the days ahead. ⏩

The evening opens with a welcome from Caroline Dromaguet, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of History, followed by a welcome and opening prayer by Elder Claudette Commanda, grounding the evening in respect, reflection, and a spirit of shared understanding.

We will then enjoy a performance, Cadence: Exploring the Creative Process through Fashion by Cat Burton, Catherine Trostle-Olivar, accompanied by DJ Velvet, before exploring the Museum's galleries after hours.

We'll see you on 13 October as we open the next chapter of the Communicating the Arts conversation!

The opening reception is supported by the Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 – 𝗢𝘁𝘁𝗮𝘄𝗮-𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
📅 13–16 October 2026
📍 Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada
🎟️ Reserve your pass: https://my.weezevent.com/communicating-the-arts-ottawa-2026

12/08/2026

AI is often seen as reducing human connection. The Art Gallery of New South Wales is using data and AI to deepen it instead. 🌟

Like many cultural organisations, its member information was scattered across different systems, making it difficult to build a complete picture of how audiences engaged with the Gallery.

At Communicating the Arts Ottawa-Gatineau 2026, Executive Director Yvette Pratt will share how bringing this information together helped create a more human centreed approach to membership.

In 2024, membership grew by 16% to 38,000. But the ambition goes beyond numbers. In July 2026, the Society launched its digital Members Hub, designed to turn a membership base into a community.

Read more 👉 https://communicatingthearts.com/yvette-pratt

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 – 𝗢𝘁𝘁𝗮𝘄𝗮-𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁, 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀 (𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘰𝘶𝘷𝘳𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦)
📅 13–16 October 2026
📍 Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada
🎟️ Reserve your pass: https://my.weezevent.com/communicating-the-arts-ottawa-2026

06/08/2026

Leadership does not begin with a senior title. 💡

Young professionals mistake thinking they are not ready to lead. But leadership can begin much earlier, in how you build relationships and use your voice.

Gretchen Coss, Senior Vice President/Strategic Partnerships at G&A, opened the fifth edition of 30UNDER30 with her masterclass, Leadership Unlocked.

Drawing on her own experience, Gretchen invited our mentees to:

🟡Think differently about leading a team
🟡Create space for growth and collaboration
🟡Become more comfortable taking responsibility
🟡Recognise that leadership evolves throughout a career

Discover more about the masterclass 👉 https://youtu.be/iIQynbA_QRo?si=iH_xUgk-6kxsBYWt

A huge thank you to our partner G&A Strategy and Design, and to Gretchen for sharing her experience with such generosity and energy! 🙏

Our 30UNDER30 young professionals left with practical tools, a stronger sense of their own leadership potential, and plenty to reflect on! What a great momentum to begin with.

🟡 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂?Last month, our 𝟯𝟬 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝟯𝟬 co...

27/07/2026

How do you diversify your audience and reach new communities? 🔍

As cultural organisations compete for attention in an era of information overload, reaching new audiences has become one of the sector's biggest challenges.

At Communicating the Arts Ottawa - Gatineau 2026, Lisa Tremblay-Goodyer, General Director of Communications and Policy at Library and Archives Canada, shares how the organisation is responding by developing the first audience framework for an archival institution in Canada.

The framework is helping shape services, experiences and the public vision for Ādisōke, the new shared facility bringing together Library and Archives Canada and Ottawa Public Library. 🏛️📚
Read more 👉 https://communicatingthearts.com/lisa-tremblay-goodyer

Discover how a deeper understanding of audiences can help cultural institutions build trust, broaden their reach and shape more meaningful public experiences.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 – 𝗢𝘁𝘁𝗮𝘄𝗮-𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁, 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀 (𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘰𝘶𝘷𝘳𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦)
📅 13–16 October 2026
📍 Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada
🎟️ Reserve your early bird pass: https://my.weezevent.com/communicating-the-arts-ottawa-2026

23/07/2026

Meet the mentors of the 2026 30 UNDER 30 Mentorship Program!

Each year, the heart of the program lies in the generosity and commitment of our mentors. They volunteer their time to support the next generation of cultural professionals and help them navigate the early stages of their careers.

Over the next six months, they will share their experience and offer guidance through honest conversations and thoughtful exchange.

Thank you to all the mentors for their time and support. 🙏

22/07/2026

Communicating the Arts will be part of the MUTEK Forum in Montréal taking place from 26-28 August 2026.🚀

On 26 August, as part of the session Entangled Spaces: Art, Technology and the Future of Cultural Engagement, our CEO Corinne Estrada will join a conversation on the opportunities and questions emerging at the intersection of culture and technology.

The session will feature Tracy Rector, whose work centres on an unsanctioned digital intervention that brought together seventeen Indigenous artists to reframe the narratives of the American Wing at the The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Innovations and digital creativity continue to shape conversations across the sector and will also be explored at Communicating the Arts 2026.

We look forward to continuing the dialogue in Montréal this August and in Ottawa - Gatineau this October. 💬

MUTEK Montréal

17/07/2026

What if the future of audience engagement isn't about reaching more people, but helping people reconnect? 🤝

For years, cultural organisations have focused on visibility, more reach and bigger audiences.
But what if the real measure of success is something else entirely?

At Communicating the Arts Ottawa-Gatineau, three speakers from rural arts organisations will share how they are building stronger relationships with their communities through culture.

🔴 🇪🇪 Ülle Puustusmaa, Viscosa Kultuuritehas explores how culture can build trust in a small island community.

🔴 🇦🇺 Louisa Gordon, The Unconformity shares how ongoing dialogue has turned communication into participation.

🔴 🇺🇸 Joe Luckett, Art Farm at Serenbe explains how storytelling and nature based experiences can create deeper connections.

Three organisations in three different countries, each showing that audience engagement is about more than attracting visitors. It is about creating lasting relationships.

📖 Read the full article : https://communicatingthearts.com/resources/canruralculturalorganisationsrebuildcommuniities

Join us from 13 to 16 October to hear their stories and continue the conversation.

⏳ Last few days for Early Bird registration ⏳

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 – 𝗢𝘁𝘁𝗮𝘄𝗮-𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁, 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀 (𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘰𝘶𝘷𝘳𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦)
📅 13–16 October 2026
📍 Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada
🎟️ Reserve your early bird pass: https://my.weezevent.com/communicating-the-arts-ottawa-2026

Can rural cultural organisations rebuild communities? Three speakers at Communicating the Arts present a new model of audience engagement driven by trust, participation and belonging For years, the cultural sector has pursued a familiar ambition: greater visibility. More visitors, more followers,