The sound of gunfire and shouting filled the room as bombs went off without warning. These sounds which would normally echo through a war zone could be heard from a local art gallery in Centretown last weekend, when Gallery 101 launched a new exhibit called Blown Up: Gaming and War. The free-of-charge exhibit features the videos and games of three artists from countries where war is a real thing, not a form of entertainment. 
Matthew Lee, Centretown NewsGallery 101 launches interactive video game exhibit by artists who grew up in war zones.
Category: Arts
Photos capture female victims of warfare
A young woman poses in front of the camera, wearing a dress patterned with leaves and branches and a simple chain around her neck. She looks off into the distance, leaning against a post and supporting her chin with her arm, cut off just below the wrist. 
Courtesy Nick DanzigerMariatu Kamara, whose hands were cut off during Sierra Leone's civil war, is among 11 women portrayed by British photojournalist Nick Danziger.
Winterlude’s diverse program its biggest draw
Ottawans eager to lace up their skates and indulge in beaver tails don’t have to wait much longer as the 35th edition of Winterlude is set to kick off on Feb. 1. 
Veronica Tang, Centretown NewsStrollers in Confederation Park prepare for Winterlude festivities.
Viewpoint: City’s decision to back GCTC makes good on an old promise
With a federal budget looming, there will be plenty of hand-wringing in the coming months as organizations that rely on government grants brace themselves for the worst. For artists and the institutions that support them, public money isn’t their only source of income, but it often plays an invaluable role – not only at the federal level, but locally as well.