Brilliant Voices: Youth shaping Ottawa’s cultural future

Brilliant Voices, created by Britannia Woods Community Services, is a youth-led creative arts program that uses photography, videography, storytelling, and media as tools for self-expression and community connection. The program helps youth develop creative and technical skills while learning, creating, and supporting one another.

Brilliant Voices has worked with the culture plan team to advance cultural engagement and ensure underrepresented voices help shape Ottawa’s cultural future. Through this collaboration, youth participated in community gatherings, sporting events, and cultural festivals - interviewing residents and capturing authentic stories about what people want reflected in the Culture Plan.

Story spotlight: Maliha’s moment

At the “In Our Voices” youth showcase hosted by Britannia Woods, 16-year-old Maliha, a Brilliant Voices participant, confidently presented a short video she filmed and edited herself. Her project captured cultural events and interviews with residents, weaving together stories that reflect Ottawa’s diverse identity.

For Maliha, this was more than a creative exercise; it was a chance to ensure her community’s voice is heard in shaping Ottawa’s Culture Plan. Programs like Brilliant Voices show why connecting with underrepresented communities is essential: they transform voiceless perspectives into powerful contributions that make the Culture Plan truly inclusive.