The Ottawa School of Art receives a $10,000 Community Board grant from the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, addressing critical gaps and improving access to traditional and digital visual art education for youth.

Funding will help 800+ children and youth, at our campuses alongside our Outreach Program, build confidence in both classical and digital visual art techniques with art materials and updated modern technology.

Ottawa, Ontario, January 26th - The Ottawa School of Art has received a  $10,000 Community Board grant from the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation^® through the Ottawa and Eastern Ontario Community Board to help support access to visual arts education.

"By combining time-honoured visual art practices with accessible, industry-standard digital tools, the Ottawa School of Art is closing a critical gap in arts education for youth who would otherwise be left behind,” said Andrew Fay, Executive Director of the Ottawa School of Art. “Support for this initiative ensures that young people facing economic challenges can still explore their creativity, build confidence, and prepare for future opportunities in today’s creative fields.”

This support comes at a time when students face barriers to creative learning due to our limited resources, outdated equipment, and lack of exposure to industry-standard digital tools. The TELUS Friendly Future Foundation’s grant will allow the Ottawa School of Art to strengthen foundational instruction in drawing, painting, and sculpture, while also expanding access to digital arts through modern technology – helping students develop art skills alongside digital fluency. This dual approach ensures that no student is left behind, whether they’re drawing with charcoal or designing within software.

This support provides essential art supplies and industry-standard digital tools, ensuring students can build confidence in both classic techniques and modern technology. By supporting the development of visual art skills with digital innovation, the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation is helping prepare the next generation of young artists with high-quality creative instruction and preparing them for lifelong learning.

“At the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, we believe that empowering the next generation requires a deliberate focus on closing opportunity gaps,” said Nimmi Kanji, Executive Director of the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation. “By supporting the Ottawa School of Art, we are investing in a future where digital fluency and creative mastery are accessible to all, regardless of circumstance. This initiative equips youth with the technical skills and confidence to lead in an evolving global landscape, while ensuring that economic barriers do not limit a young person’s potential to thrive in the creative economy.”

The Ottawa School of Art thanks the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation for their continued commitment to innovation, inclusion and the transformative power of creativity.

About the Ottawa School of Art

The Ottawa School of Art (OSA) is a non-profit community art school serving thousands of students each year through courses, workshops, exhibitions, and outreach programs. With campuses in the ByWard Market and Orléans, as well as a growing online program, OSA provides accessible, high-quality visual arts education for children, youth, adults, and seniors at all skill levels. Committed to creativity, inclusivity, and community impact, the Ottawa School of Art supports emerging and established artists through professional development, gallery exhibitions, bursaries and scholarships, and community-based outreach initiatives that bring art education directly into neighbourhoods across Ottawa.

For more information on the Ottawa School of Art, visit www.artottawa.ca

About the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation

The TELUS Friendly Future Foundation is driven by the conviction that every young person deserves the chance to reach their full potential.

As a Canadian registered charity and part of a larger global movement, we’re turning that belief into action. Since 2005, the Foundation and TELUS Community Boards have contributed over $147 million in funding to over 11,000 charitable initiatives in Canada and around the world, helping to make the future friendly for millions of youth. In Canada, we have provided $137M in grants, and since launch of the TELUS Student Bursary program in 2023, we have also awarded 2,000 bursaries and counting, worth over $6 million, to deserving students nationwide, helping to ensure that every young person in Canada who wants a post-secondary education will get one.

Every year, we empower underserved Canadian youth, helping them build the skills, confidence, and lasting sense of belonging they need to thrive by funding over 500 grassroots charities and awarding over 500 bursaries. In 2025 alone, our Canadian impact exceeded $10 million in grants and TELUS Student Bursaries, directly supporting critical youth-focused health and education programs and empowering the next generation of changemakers to pursue their post-secondary dreams.

For more information on TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, visit friendlyfuture.com