A forward-thinking, artist-driven event series like no other, Pique brings together diverse artistic communities to explore, experiment and connect.
After five years of reshaping Ottawa’s underground arts landscape, Pique arrives at its 20th edition with momentum, reflection, and an eye firmly on what’s next.
This season’s program brings together returning collaborators and new voices from across local and international scenes, bridging different communities, genres, and styles. Get to know our lineup and grab your tickets now.
Entering a dark club, be swept up by genre-defying innovators: the intense, cathartic hip hop of Zambian-Canadian rapper and producer Backxwash; the boundary-pushing, emotionally resonant experimental R&B of Emma Gabriel; and Cleo Reed, whose fusion of blues, soul, country, and dystopian electronics channels rage, lineage, and personal history into bold sonic statements. Drift into a theatre and experience Montreal outsider icon Elle Barbara, presenting a cosmic, avant-pop and soul-infused journey through theatrical storytelling, music, and video.
Emerging energized, you follow your senses into a light-saturated cube to discover shimmering alt-pop and futuristic electronic textures from sineila, whose classically trained instrumentation merges with ethereal vocals and bass-heavy synths; immersive, multi-sensory pop environments from SOPHIE-collaborator Hyd; and the audio-visual worlds of Montreal-based multimedia artist al11z, who collaborates live with electronic composer Djeity to create surreal, interactive spaces that blur the line between physical and virtual realities. Later on, fangsie! ignites the dancefloor with a high-intensity set driven by buzzing synths and the euphoric pulse of electro, global club, and harderstyles, channeling a singular belief in total release through sound and movement.
Step outside for fresh air and encounter Afrorack, Ugandan artist and engineer who merges polyrhythmic African traditions with acid, techno, and ambient experimentation on his self-built modular synthesizer, alongside alsoknownasrox, whose improvisational code-generated sonics push computational boundaries to explore speculative futures. Return to the bass-womb of the club for deep, low-end explorations by Honeydrip, whose hybridized dub, reggae, and dancehall sound empowers and moves audiences, and And.re, whose textured, rhythm-driven sets weave dub, bass, and breakbeat into kinetic, immersive journeys that keep the dancefloor locked in.
Pique is a journey through sound, space, and creative possibilities: every corner offers a new rhythm, every performance a portal to unexpected musical worlds that linger long after you leave.
This summer’s program features six sessions led by international and Canadian artists and artistic leaders, covering topics that push the cultural sector forward, including:
- Navigating international touring
- Anti-oppressive curation
- Sustaining artist-led ecosystems
- Sonic resistance and solidarity
- Decolonial instrument building and sound design
- Global sound system cultures
For detailed information on all Topique sessions, please click here.
Topique tickets can be purchased here. Please note that Topique tickets do not grant access to Pique's musical programming on June 13. Please purchase a Pique ticket at the link below.
Each season, approximately 1 in 3 tickets to Pique are subsidized. When you pay $75 or more for a ticket to Pique, you help subsidize a ticket for someone else in need, and promote admission equity and accessibility in the arts.