Ottawa's first 'meanwhile space' opens downtown as vacant storefront becomes art hub
A temporary gallery and studio at 300 Sparks Street in Place de Ville runs through July, turning empty retail into affordable space for artists to create and sell their work.
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Ottawa is getting its first "meanwhile space"—a temporary use of vacant commercial real estate to support local artists and activate downtown.
The project opened this month at 300 Sparks Street in the Place de Ville complex downtown. Toronto-based Crown Property Management partnered with local arts non-profits Arts Ottawa and Cre:8, as well as the Downtown BIA, to transform the former restaurant storefront into a temporary gallery, market and studio where artists can create and showcase their work.
The pilot runs through the end of July. The concrete-shell space, with no built-in amenities like running water or washrooms, provides flexibility for daily changes—live music one day, a craft market the next.
"Meanwhile spaces" are a model gaining popularity across Canada. They convert underutilized buildings into affordable spaces, often for artists, while property owners look for permanent tenants. Beyond supporting creatives, the model helps landlords keep properties active rather than vacant, which can erode their value. "Having an empty space is a liability," said Cassandra Olsthoorn, co-leader of strategy and community mobilization at Arts Ottawa. "If having something animated helps to just maintain the value of your asset, then art activation is a really great way." Arts Ottawa first connected with Crown two years ago, and last year hosted 70 people—artists and industry leaders—in one of the building's offices to discuss arts activation and meanwhile spaces. That event solidified the relationship and led to the Sparks Street storefront becoming the organization's first opportunity to test the model locally.
The details
Where is Ottawa's first meanwhile space and when does it run?
The meanwhile space is at 300 Sparks Street in the Place de Ville complex downtown Ottawa and runs through the end of July 2026.
Who is involved in the project?
Toronto-based Crown Property Management partnered with local arts non-profits Arts Ottawa and Cre:8, as well as the Downtown BIA to create the temporary gallery, market and studio.
What can happen in the space?
The concrete-shell storefront hosts live music, craft markets, and provides space for artists to create and showcase their work, with the layout changing daily based on programming needs.
