BASSLINE ottawa
Artists need space to live, create, and socialize.
Bassline is an affordable boarding house specifically designed for artists. It provides communal creation spaces, cultural programming, and proximity to other artists.
🏠 50 units (singles)
💰 $950–$1,050/month
📍 Baseline Rd, Ottawa
📅 July 1, 2027 (move-in)
Now accepting applications!
Secure your room today!
Residents
Disciplines
🎶 Musicians (15%)
Singers, Instrumentalists, Songwriters, Composers, DJs, Beatmakers, Music Producers, Sound Designers
🎭 Performing Artists (15%)
Actors, Dancers, Choreographers, Theatre Directors, Circus Artists, Puppeteers, Comedians, Improvisers
🎥 Filmmakers (10%)
Filmmakers, Directors, Cinematographers, Animators, Motion Graphic Artists, Editors, Video Content Creators, YouTubers, Influencers
🧑🎨 Visual Artists (10%)
Painters, Illustrators, Sculptors, Photographers, Muralists, Printmakers, Ceramicists, Digital Artists, Installation Artists
🎮 Digital Artists (10%)
Graphic Designers, UX/UI Designers, Game Designers, VR/AR Artists, Web Developers, Vibe Coders, Prompt Engineers, AI Artists
🧰 Administrators (10%)
Managers, Producers, Art Directors, Curators, Publicists, Editors, Tech, Fundraisers, Marketers, Educators
🧵 Designers (10%)
Fashion Designers, Textile Artists, Jewelry Designers, Furniture Makers, Luthiers, Woodworkers, Industrial Designers
✍️ Dreamers (10%)
Poets, Authors, Playwrights, Screenwriters, Spoken Word, Storytellers, Essayists, Philosophers, Conceptual/Experimental Artists
🏛️ Ambassadors (10%)
Traditional Artists, Knowledge Keepers, Storytellers, Carvers, Beadworkers, Weavers, Drummers, Mentors
Career Stages
🐣 Emerging (50%)
🌱 Mid-Career (25%)
🌳 Established (25%)
Identities
🪶 Indigenous (10%+)
🧑🏽🎨 Immigrants (10%+)
🏳️🌈 2SLGBTQ+ (10%+)
♿ Disabilities (10%+)
🚺 Women (50%+)
💸 Low-Income (50%+)
The Building
Amenities
🎤 Performance Venue
🎧 Recording Studio
🖼️ Art Gallery
☕️ Bar & Cafe
🎶 Rehearsal Spaces
💃 Dance Studio
📸 Photo/Video Studio
⚡️ High-Speed Internet
🎨 Painting Studio
🚐 Shared Van
🎭 Arts Programming
🏋️ Fitness Centre
Rooms
🔒 Secure Access
🔇 Soundproof
🛏️ Fully Furnished
🪟 Privacy
🌞 Natural Light
♿ Accessible Options
Features
🌍 Net Zero
🏗️ Quality Construction
🌱 Green Spaces
🚇 Public Transit
☯️ Feng Shui
❄️ Climate Control
🎓 Close to Schools
🚲 Bike & Gear Storage
🛋️ Social Areas
The Team
Team
Thor Simonsen
Executive Director,
Hitmakerz Worldwide
Thor Simonsen is a Danish-Canadian artist, entrepreneur, and real estate investor. Born in the Faroe Islands and raised in Nunavut, he has produced 20+ albums, written several books, and won multiple arts and business awards, including the 2022 Capital Music Award for Community Impact.
Van Sheppard
President,
Sheppard Development Inc.
Van Sheppard was born in Newfoundland with Mi’qmaq ancestry, and spent his early childhood in Nunavut. He’s a sustainable real estate developer and engineer with 30+ years of experience, specializing in Net Zero and environmentally responsible projects that balance profit and purpose.
Maria Sheppard
Vice-President,
Sheppard Development Inc.
Maria Sheppard grew up in Russia, where she became a medical doctor and professionally-trained painter. Maria oversees design, construction, and property management to create sustainable, well-managed spaces where residents thrive.
Partners
History
In 2025, a small group of passionate citizens came together to re-imagine what communal housing for artists in Ottawa could look like.
They saw a growing crisis: Ottawa’s artists were being priced out of housing and left without affordable creative spaces. This often mean artists would leave the cities in search of better infrasteructure in centres like Montreal, Toronto, New York, and LA.
This wasn’t just a problem for artists — as creative economies grew, it became clear that cities, and even Canada as a whole, were losing out on the cultural and economic vitality that artists bring. At the same time, socially-conscious housing developers were searching for sustainable models that balanced community impact with financial viability.
From the early conversations with the founding team, the vision for Bassline was born — a 50-unit residence where affordability, culture, and community thrive under one roof. The project blends the stability of proven housing development with the vibrancy of artist-driven programming, creating a model designed to replicate the greatest artists incubators in history, including Bauhaus, Soho, and Andy Warhol’s Factory.
Application Process
Eligibility
✅ To qualify, applicants must:
Prove they meet the residency requirements submitting your resume and artist bio.
Demonstrate the ability to respect the rules and regulations of the building by providing personal references.
Demonstrate a plan to contribute to (and raise the vibes of) the community by writing an introduction letter.
Demonstrate the ability to be a responsible tenant by allowing us to run a credit check. (To learn how, click here.)
FAQ
What’s included in the rent?
Rents vary slightly depending on the size and cover only the room. They do not include utilities. Furthermore, to make the building sustainable, access to shared amenities are an additional $150/month.
Who can live at Bassline?
In order to create a diverse and inspiring artist community, priority will be given to residents who meet our resident mix percentages based on discipline, career stage, and identity.
Is Bassline accessible ?
Yes. The building has been designed with accessibility in mind, including accessible units, barrier-free entry, and accessible common areas.
Can I apply on behalf of someone else?
You can apply to join the waitlist on someone else’s behalf, but they will need to submit the application and sign the lease (upon acceptance) themselves .
Can I host guests or collaborators?
Yes, residents are welcome to host friends, collaborators, and visiting artists in common spaces, provided they follow community guidelines.
When will move-in be available?
Bassline is scheduled to open on July 1, 2027. Applications are open and successful applicants will be notified well in advance — join the waitlist to be the first to know.
What kind of programming is included?
Baseline will offer a range of cultural programming, including workshops, performances, exhibitions, etc. The programming will be managed by an internal council of artist residents.
“Our goal is to create opportunities for artists to turn their dreams into reality.”
– Thor Simonsen, Executive Director
About Hitmakerz
Hitmakerz began as a dream to help a young artists named Kelly Fraser who didn’t know how to make it real. She began working with Hitmakerz, and before she knew it, she was performing at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa, and at the U.N. Headquarters in New York. Kelly passed away before she was able to fully realize her dream, but the label she inspired lives on to support artists like her. Learn more.