Applications are now open for the 2025 Paint It Up! program

Looking for a way to help deter vandalism and beautify the community while empowering our city’s youth through public art? Look no further than the Paint It Up! program. What is Paint It Up!? Paint It Up! is a youth engagement program funded by Public Works and administered by Community and Social Services (CSS) at the City of Ottawa. It promotes the use of outdoor murals to:

• Support local arts and culture
• Enhance the city’s beauty for residents and visitors
• Engage youth in positive skill-building experiences

Funding is available through Community Safety and Well-Being, Policy, and Analytics within CSS for local organizations wanting to hire youth to create murals in neighbourhoods experiencing a high rate of tagging and vandalism. Since 2010, Paint It Up! has involved more than 2,987 youth in 109 murals across the city. How to apply Organizations interested in applying can attend a virtual information session on Tuesday, February 4 and Thursday, February 6. Please register on ottawa.ca/PaintItUp. Before applying for funding through Paint It Up!, applicants must secure property authorization and apply for preliminary location approval for their mural project through the Mural Application Form on ottawa.ca/mural. Please  apply for location approval as soon as possible between Thursday, February 6 and Monday, March 3. Those interested in participating will need to keep two deadlines in mind:

• You must submit your location for approval by Monday, March 3 via the mural application form.
• The complete application will need to be submitted by Wednesday, April 2.

For more information on the Paint It Up! Program, please visit ottawa.ca/PaintItUp. For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.