About Us...
The Ottawa International Children’s Festival was established in 1985 and is an annual celebration of the best in live performing arts for children. For over two decades the OICF has presented an abundance of award-winning artists from around the globe and made wide-eyed children out of attendees of all ages. The festival has experienced a steady – and encouraging – increase in attendance over the last several years. Festival attendance has increased from 5,000 in 2001 to over 17,000 in 2008 – an increase of more than 12,000 visitors in only 7 years.
Our mandate is to create a variety of programs for children aged four to fifteen, focusing on enriching school curriculum and promoting the arts as an integral part of children’s education.
We offer a five-day festival in early June, hosted on the grounds of Lebreton Flats Park and we use venues at the Canadian War Museum. We also present a season of family programming at the theatre at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.
The OICF provides a unique opportunity for children and their families to experience the rich heritage of other cultures right in their own backyard. We strive to present work that excites and challenges audiences of all ages, and the festival prides itself on developing and producing award winning programming that comes to us from across Canada and around the world.
What Makes the Festival Unique?
• For five magical days, local, national and international artists create an extraordinary cultural community for children.
• We have hosted performers from Brazil, Kenya, Peru, Holland, France, England, Germany, Denmark and China, as well as artists from around Canada.
• The atmosphere is family-friendly and relaxed with a variety of times and dates.
• The festival is designed to accommodate trips made by school classes as well as families. Weekday performances take place during school hours when there are thousands of students and their teachers in attendance, with plenty of great seats also available for the general public.
• What we’re most proud of, though, is the high quality of professional and international artistry featured in the Festival– adventurous performances that stir the imaginations of all ages. The OICF is the only performing arts festival dedicated to young people in central and eastern Ontario.
The Festival has been awarded:
• The Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the arts (2002)
• The Community Recognition Award from the Council for the Arts in Ottawa
• Honourary patronage by Her Excellency Governor General Michaëlle Jean (2006)
A tradition since 1985, this cherished regional festival continues to flourish. We continue to run a successful event and have been recognized for enriching the cultural experiences of thousands of young people, their families, and community groups over the years.
Staff 2008
Catherine O’Grady, Artistic Producer
Michelle Francis, Director of Client Services
Ellie MacDonald, Sponsorship and Fundraising Coordinator
Suzan Zilahi, Director of Communications
Dawne Moses, Artist Liaison and Volunteer Coordinator
Julie Anne Madore, Graphic Artist & Website Designer
Ashley Judd, Marketing Coordinator
Will Koltai, Artist Liaison
Olga Zuyderhoff, Box Office Assistant
Sue Henderson, Graphic Artist