Each spring, Sparks Street comes alive in Ottawa’s downtown core with the streets swept of snow, the flowers blooming colour back into our cobbles, and the potential for new and exciting events and exhibits is palpable in the air.
This spring we are introducing a Pop-Up exhibit, welcoming the Delegation of the European Union to Canada (EU) back to Sparks Street to celebrate its 45th anniversary! The EU’s 2021 “Where Art Meets Science” exhibit will be beautifying our street along the South side store fronts from Metcalfe to partway down the block towards O’Connor showcasing 24 satellite images.
In 2018, Sparks Street was pleased to host the EU in celebration of the European Year of Cultural Heritage and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase their work this year on our pedestrian street, creating an outdoor, open-air art installation.
These images were captured by Copernicus Sentinels, the EU’s Earth Observation Programme - ‘Europe’s eyes on Earth’. This exhibit is not only a beautiful display of art, but part of a larger research used to improve our quality of life on Earth.
The EU’s exhibit focuses on the importance of research, innovation, and collaboration alongside competitiveness in addressing societal challenges and promoting sustainable development.
This exhibit on Sparks Street is the first of the EU’s 2021 series of exhibitions planned in-situ and virtually in various cities across Canada. Our countries have a history of data sharing, collecting, and working together in the name of science and a collective well-being. In that same focus, the unveiling of the exhibit will be virtual in respect of Ontario’s current public health guidelines.
The unveiling takes place today, Thursday, June 3 and is available to view HERE! ⬇️
The exhibit will remain on Spark Street for the public to visit and view this summer from June 3 until September 6, 2021.
Next time you’re downtown for a walk and fresh air, be sure to stroll along Sparks Street to take in the Earth from a whole different perspective, bringing us all closer together while we continue to remain safely 6 feet apart.