A large crowd was on hand at House of PainT, an annual hip hop celebration that took place underneath the Dunbar Bridge, steps away from Carleton University, Sept. 9–11.
The event, which began in 2003 to celebrate the inception of the city’s first legal graffiti wall, brings together graffiti artists, b-boys and b-girls (more commonly known as break dancers), DJs and MCs — the four elements of hip hop.
Now a block party featuring workshops and merchandise stands, the event has come a long way since 2003, volunteer co-ordinator Mimi Galipeau explained.
“In its first year, the event organizer’s dad built the stage, and they borrowed a neighbour’s barbeque,” Galipeau said.
“We were able to convince the community to go ahead and it’s grown and grown and grown,” noted Clive Doucet, city councillor for the area and supporter of the celebration since its inception.
Graffiti artists can pick up a couple cans of paint for $10, pay their registration fee and get the chance to paint along the walls of the underpass.
A popular aspect of the event, the b-boy/b-girl battle currently has participants from as far as Toronto and Montreal vying for a $1,000 cash prize, but it is not only about the money.
Chris a.k.a “Dems,” who said he is a regular graffiti painter at the event, took on a different kind of project this year. He explained that an Ottawa couple purchased a bus which they plan to fill up with donations of school supplies and soccer balls and drive down to Nicaragua.
In order to garner more attention, they allowed the bus to be painted as part of the House of PainT celebration. Chris said he was honoured with the opportunity.
Chris said he believes the festival’s yearly growth is the start of a change in people’s perceptions about the hip hop community.
“[Graffiti’s] got a negative vibe. People think it is all about writing on mailboxes,” he said.
“They don’t realize it’s an art form. Getting together keeps people out of trouble and gives us something to come together over and do something positive,” Chris explained.
In order to keep the event running every year, House of PainT relies on financial support from the Ontario Arts Council and the City of Ottawa — worthy investments, Doucet said.
“Older people are going, ‘How are we going to make our community safer?’” he said. “Well, you make your community more safe by making it more welcoming to everybody, and part of the way you make it more welcoming is you give youth a chance to express their culture in an open way.”