Geneviève Bétournay

• Owner and Artistic Director
• Art House Café

A cultural entrepreneur from a mixed background, Geneviève Bétournay is the Owner and Artistic Director of the Art House Café on Somerset Street West in Ottawa. A coffee shop eatery by day and a lounge venue by night, the Art House Café serves and showcases all things local. It aims to be an interface between the general public and the arts, and features hundreds of artists through galleries, concerts and other events. With a belief that business can be a tool for social change, Genevieve and the Art House hope to spread the positive impact of art and culture to more individuals and throughout society. The organization’s social directive involves not only increasing the amount and availability of art in people’s everyday, but also involves providing resources and opportunities for both artists and non-artists to explore and practice art. Striving to maintain a strong presence in the community, the Art House is always looking to demonstrate and share its values in order to have a beneficial impact on people's attitudes and behaviours, especially through the fostering of a diverse but inclusive and welcoming environment, one in which barriers are lowered and where connections and new ideas can flourish.

Visit Art House Café's website

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About This Talk

Join Paige Watts (Wild Child Coffee Project), Geneviève Bétournay (Art House Café) and Josée Michelle (Feline Café) for a moderated in-depth panel discussion on local cafs and social responsibility. We'll learn more about the mission of each café and why operating a coffee shop is a good way to support their particular purpose.