Capital Arts Online

Quidditch for muggles

By Brittany Mahaney

Devoted Harry Potter fans are making their favourite sport, Quidditch, a reality—and a North American sensation. While their broomsticks can’t fly, their love for the boy hero more than bears them along.

David Dixon’s ‘true patriot’ design

By Layla Mashkoor

Toronto fashion designer David Dixon has built an empire for himself in a home market far from Paris and New York. What’s the story behind the talented Mr. Dixon and his distinctly Canadian success?

Quartier Vanier: nowhere to go but up?

By Mackenzie Radburn

Ottawa’s Vanier neighbourhood, although plagued historically by social problems and bad reputation, is now positioned for dramatic ascent, observers say. Why some are calling it our ‘next Westboro’.

Wicca’s widening spell

By Erin Easterbrook

The fastest growing non-immigrant religion in North America is Wicca, derived partly from pre-Christian paganism. Here, a look at a new faith’s drive for acceptance.

‘Hollywood North…east’? Ottawa vies to be a moviemaking capital

By Molly Campbell

Move over, Vancouver. The fastest-growing Canadian destination for ‘runaway’ U.S. movies is now Ottawa—yes, Ottawa—which saw $50 million in foreign film production in late 2010 alone. Here a glimpse at the capital’s surprising new supporting role.

Barrymore’s: dead and walking?

By Andrea Ozretic

Once celebrated as ‘Ottawa’s Studio 54’, Barrymore’s Music Hall today relies on ’80s nostalgia to draw just modest crowds. How the lightning got out of the bottle.

Jumping on the ‘Pay what you want’ bandwagon

By Larissa Johnston

With the music industry seemingly in collapse, artists have found a bold new way to sell—or at least promote—their albums online.

Ontario’s bold gambit for stardom

By Cayley Dobie

Vying with British Columbia to attract U.S. film-and-TV production, Ontario’s government recently upped the ante by offering cutthroat tax incentives. The question is: Whose throat exactly is Ontario cutting?

Stripping off our inhibitions through burlesque

By Sasha Johnson

Suddenly popular worldwide, neo-burlesque lets audiences laugh their way to a comfort zone about sex.

The rebirth of Nature

By Sarah Bradbury

After a six-year-long overhaul for its hundredth anniversary, Ottawa’s Museum of Nature is the new kid on the block again.

Ontario’s wines toast better days ahead?

By Amanda Mrezar

Ottawa’s annual Wine and Food Show spotlights the world’s best in wine. But while European and U.S. wines regularly take centre stage in the show’s competitions, Ontario wines remain far from the limelight. Is there a good reason why?

Body casting: feminism’s newest shape

By Vanessa Baker

Behind the new popularity of body casting, or making moulds of women’s bodies for display, there lies a whole new awareness. The lifelike casts send a valuable message to women about accepting their bodies.

Adding some ‘story’ to history, the Bytown Museum goes modern

By Christina Franc

As museums everywhere strive to better engage visitors and community, Ottawa’s city museum now offers occasional modern-day-themed exhibits alongside historical ones. Behind the venerable space’s recent bold move.

Change a-brewing: craft beer discovers Ottawa

By Renee Francoeur

Goodbye, Bud and Blue? As more and more consumers today turn to beers of local microbreweries, we take a glimpse at the craft-beer upsurge in Ottawa.