WHAT IS HOUSE OF PAINT?
The House of PainT Festival is a FREE Outdoor HipHop Jam that showcases Graffiti, Breakdancing, Dj’s and MC’s from across Canada. It is one of Ottawa’s fastest growing community events. Since 2003, House of Paint has created space to exhibit and uplift hip hop culture in the Nation’s Capital.
House of PainT’s pillars are the elements of hip hop: Graffiti, DJ-ing, MC-ing (Poetry and Rap), and Street Dance are celebrated and elevated through concerts, competitions, workshops, and academic talks for all ages.
As an organization, House of PainT celebrates and elevates hip hop arts and culture in the Ottawa-Gatineau region by promoting artists practicing hip hop art forms, improving access to urban arts for people from all different communities, connecting artists with opportunities for professional development, and of course facilitating the creation and presentation of hip hop arts through the Festival and our other programs throughout the year.
WHEN IS IT AND HOW LONG?
One week every year…
The festival takes place in various locations around Ottawa during the summer or fall.
There is no set date except the main event always happens on the weekend, with other events such as the poetry slam, concert and knowledge conference taking place throughout the week.
WHERE IS IT AND HOW DO IT FIND IT?
The central location for the festival is the legal graffiti wall under the Dunbar bridge (ie. under Bronson Street next to Carleton University in Ottawa Canada), which was called the House of Pain by local writers for a long time.
Right beside the bridge is Brewer park, a green space in Old Ottawa South with playgrounds, fields, trails and even a marshy pond.
The satellite events happen all over the capital region- nightclubs, campuses, parks, arts centres, and offices have all played a part.
WHO ATTENDS AND WHAT TO EXPECT?
The festival is a hip hop elements celebration with many additional art forms represented so it attracts talented people from across the nation and internationally. Graf writers, breakers, DJs, emcees, poets, dancers, artists, photographers, speakers, administrators, politicians, activists and revelers alike show up, and sometimes their kids too.
House of PainT is for everyone.
