Ottawa

SPAO is home to the only 2 year photographic arts diploma in Canada, a unique 6 month artist residency, numerous evening and weekend photography skills classes, and the only gallery in the region dedicated to lens-based art. Established in 2005 as an alternative to photography education, SPAO has seen immense growth and operates more like an artist-run-centre. In 2016 moved to a new purpose-built building complete with the most well-appointed darkroom in the region, lighting studio, digital media lab, and the wheelchair accessible SPAO Centre Gallery. SPAO works hard to cultivate a community of distinct artistic vision, critical dialogue and technical expertise in the photographic arts through exhibition, partnerships and education.  

  Ayatana offers intensive research program for artists to learn about ecology. We host specialized residency on birds, sound, plants, insects, biology, water, mushrooms, death, geology, evolution and microscopy. Ayatana’s residency location changes every year.