Flourishing street art prompting important conversations in the Glebe

Visitors to the Glebe are greeted with independent shops, tiny coffee shops and busy sidewalks. They also see some distinctive, eye-grabbing murals on the sides of buildings, encouraged by the local Business Investement Area and the community. In 2023, the Glebe BIA published “The Ultimate Glebe Mural Walk” showcasing some 18 murals that can be found on buildings in the neighbourhood. Almost a year later, many people including artists, businesses and passersby, agree the murals have had a positive impact on the neighbourhood. The works on the walk can be found from the Queensway to Lansdowne Park on or in the vicinity of Bank Street. Kaisa Nitoń, an Ottawa-based artist and the founder of Sunny Street Creative Studio, is a believer in the importance of street art. “(It) is a conversation, it’s a representation of what’s happening in the community and a way that people can express themselves.” Nitoń designed the mural “Plants Make People Happy” on the side of former skate shop Top of The World which is listed on the mural walk.  Kaisa Nitoń’s mural “Plants Make People Happy” is shown on the side of former skate shop Top of the World. [Photo © Sophia Lall] “[Street art]...