Working out of diverse cultural traditions, MASC artists offer workshops, performances, artist-in-residence programs and professional development in music, dance, drama, literary, media and visual arts. MASC programs are delivered in English and French, throughout Eastern Ontario and Western Québec to students in Kindergarten to Grade 12, and to youths and adults in a variety of community settings (daycares, museums, NCC, festivals and seniors’ venues). Awesome Arts is a community engaged program that allows participants of all ages to explore issues important to their community through the arts. Held in partnership with community organizations, Awesome Arts offers an exciting series of workshops for different age groups that culminate in a public celebration.

Claudia Salguero is a Colombian-Canadian professional multidisciplinary artist and Community Engaged Artist working with multicultural groups in communities at risk. Working in collaboration with different social institutions, she has created close to 30 community murals in the City since 2014. Through her work, Claudia has evidenced the power of community art and her capacity to work with communities in big projects. In 2017 she was awarded a Neighbourhood Arts 150 grant by Arts Network Ottawa for the creation of her mural “Canadian Pride, Harmony in Cultures” as part of Canada’s 150th Anniversary official celebrations. In 2018, she created “Transformation, the WOW Mural”, the tallest mural in town, as the official image of the Welcoming Ottawa Week, WOW week. Both murals were created with the participation of close to 100 people from all backgrounds and corners of Ottawa.

Suzan Richards shares her deep Dominican roots through her Cultural Arts Studio, School of Afro-Caribbean Dance; a creative space that mixes and celebrates African and Caribbean traditional dances. Trained in jazz ballet at the Montreal Jazz Dance Academy and then at the West-Can Folk Performing Company in Montreal, Suzan is an accomplished artist and a seasoned teacher and choreographer. Among her many awards and distinctions are the 3’s Company Cultural Mosaic Award, the Women’s Community Leadership Award from the Province of Ontario, and the United Way Ottawa Community Builder Award, for which her name now appears on the Wall of Inspiration in the Jean Pigott Hall of Ottawa City Hall. Her philosophy is that everyone should have the chance to tell their story through dance and movement, regardless of age, size, fitness or disability.