Wear your art

Lane: Experiential

Format: Field Notes

Scope: In-house event

Role: Event

Location: Ottawa, Ontario

Year: August 2025

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An end-of-summer Paint & Sip (mocktail edition).

Summer in Lowertown, Ottawa.

Shopping alongside the DESTINYZ and Lowertown Youth Connected staff.

Going back to school can be hard for students. This is why DESTINYZ’s first mission was to offer an in-house experience that allowed youth to express themselves artistically while spending time with their community before returning to the books.

We wanted something immersive and memorable. Something that could live beyond the day itself.

So instead of painting on canvas, we chose to paint on clothes.

Something participants could take home and wear. At home or outside. A piece of their creation that stays with them as a reminder of just how creative they are.

Amazing music played in the background while snacks and mocktails were shared. Youth remixed drinks, socialized, and settled into the space naturally.

The room moved between laughter, chants, and moments of deep concentration as everyone focused on their art. Conversations faded in and out, sometimes replaced by silence, sometimes by excitement.

What stood out most was the engagement. The joy was shared and sustained throughout the room. Even the adults present joined in, grabbed a bite, and spent time in the space alongside the youth.

As hosts, our hearts were warmed by the energy that filled the room. The experience became less about instruction and more about connection.

This event means a lot to the DESTINYZ team. It was made possible through collaboration with the Lowertown Community Resource Centre and the Lowertown Youth Connected program coordinator, who opened their space and trusted us to bring this experience to life.

That collaboration reflects how we work. To build meaningful experiences for the community.

Lowertown Community Resource Centre mural

Most importantly, we want to thank the youth for their encouragement, laughter, and presence. Their engagement is what brought the space to life and reminded us why this work is important.

Before the day ended, each youth received school supplies and stickers as a small gesture of encouragement and appreciation for their participation as they start the school year.

This is the essence of what matters most to us. 

Create. Community. Culture.