Have you noticed anything different under the Plaza Bridge this month? Seen purple lights and heard unusual sounds below street level at the intersection of Elgin and Wellington? Or noticed the screen and sculptures along the Rideau Canal between the first locks and the National Arts Centre? Then you’ve caught a glimpse of Ottawa’s new immersive music festival.
Since August 27th, SoundScape has been on-site, hosting nightly ambient music starting at 5 pm. There have also been signature performances (with the final show on September 26th). It’s all part of the first event organized by Immersive International.
“SoundScape is this kind of wild experiment for us here in Ottawa,” explains Jordan Foster, festival director and senior creative director for Immersive International. “We wanted to bring the components that we love from a musical festival and from an immersive experience to create an experiential hybrid that is rooted in architecture and lighting design.”
Working in partnership with the three organizations who manage the space under the Plaza Bridge — the National Capital Commission, Parks Canada and the Armed Forces — SoundScape was able to collaborate with musicians and local cultural organizations to bring this underutilized space to life.
Celebrating Ottawa’s Cultural Capital
Based in the UK, Immersive International has designed large-scale experiences for museums, festivals and cultural organizations around the world. When they were looking to set up their North America headquarters, Ottawa’s cultural fabric and geography captured their imagination.
“We looked at a bunch of different cities,” Jordan recalls, “and Ottawa had this great cultural sector, including visual and performance arts and a great museum sector, that seemed really eager to try new kinds of things. When we came to see the city, we were taken by its combination of old and new architecture, waterway and outdoor space. It felt like there was momentum and a lot of potential for us here to bring our expertise from around the world and develop new kinds of projects in the city.”
Last year, the agency began developing SoundScape, their first Ottawa-based experience. In addition to working with the organizations who manage the space, Jordan’s team collaborated with the Ottawa Art Gallery, the National Arts Centre and the Bytown Museum to curate their three signature shows. This includes the upcoming Ottawa 200 event, featuring Hollerado, Randy Kakegamick, Amanda Fox, the SpiritWolf Singers, Layla Strats, and the Bytown Sea Shanty Collective. This final event caps off two other successful nights that featured Tone Cluster, OK Naledi, Puppy Sierna, Emma Gabriel, Cadence Weapon and The Halluci Nation.
“What is really exciting for us is that Ottawa has all these really amazing architectural spaces just waiting to be reimagined,” says Jordan.
This year’s festival is just the beginning for SoundScape and Immersive International’s work in Ottawa. Jordan and his team are already looking forward to presenting more amazing local and national talent under the Plaza Bridge in 2027, as well as expanding their work to other unconventional venues across the city.
Tickets for SoundScape on September 26 are free, but attendees must register in advance. Passersby can check out the ambient installation until Sept 24 from 5 to 8 p.m., then from 8 to 11 p.m.
Follow SoundScape on Instagram to learn more, and stay tuned to the ACE District on Instagram and Facebook to see what is happening in downtown Ottawa.
