A new year of Live Off The Floor

We’re kicking off the second year of CKCU’s Live Off The Floor this month with the first session of the 2026! We’re already excited about the year ahead and sharing live local and Canadian music with you from our cozy Studio B.

January’s session features two strong female artists. Kathryn Patricia Cobbler is an Ottawa based loop pedal violist, composer, and educator. She improvised her set on the theme of wind, stillness, and breathlessness, exploring the character of the wind in sonic form.

Izzy Rose is a 24 year old Burundian singer-songwriter who has mastered the art of soft yet powerful vocals. She pairs her melodic voice while flowing through a range of genres. Izzy was accompanied by band members for a truly soulful sound experience.

Website Update: Cookies, Privacy & Faster Search

a picture of a delicious chocolate chip cookie
© Karin Oprach 2018. Used with permission

From your friendly neighbourhood web team…

Hello website visitor!

You may get a window popping up asking you to set your cookie preferences. Yes, the same annoying thing that is on every other website is now here too. We have to do this to comply with privacy legislation (Federal and Quebec).

We use Google Analytics to see how many people are visiting and which parts of the website they explore. By giving us permission for “analytics” cookies, you make it easier for us to do that. Nothing sinister!

How We Use Cookies

If you change your mind about what cookies you are letting us store, you can easily change your settings through a link in the website footer.

Faster Playlist Search

While you are here, we would also like to let you know that the playlist search feature has been revamped and queries now usually complete in under a second.

It is more permissive for matching accents, so searching for French (and other languages) artists should get a little easier.

Try the playlist search feature

CKCU Hits The Road – Thanks for watching!

CKCU hit the road and brought the studio to Chelsea!

Thanks for joining us Saturday, January 10, from 10 am to 1 pm for a live broadcast of two long-running CKCU favourites: Canadian Spaces and Back 40, live from La Fab sur Mill at 8 chemin Mill in Chelsea. This free, family-friendly event brought together local music, indie media, and a whole lot of heart.

Missed the show? Watch it back here 👇

Ten acts performed live including:

* The Artichoke Hearts
* Kate Weekes & James Stephens
* Benj Rowland
* Brian Sanderson
* MacIsaac and MacKenzie
* Jim Bryson
* Jill Rick
* The Fieldville String Band
* Kate Greenland
* Matt Selic & Rukustodian

You can still take part:

* 🤟 Donate and make sure we can always hit the road

* 📻 Listen back to Canadian Spaces or The Back 40 on CKCU’s website

* 📺 Watch it all on CKCU’s YouTube channel

CKCU has been connecting musicians with listeners for over 50 years. This live broadcast is just one more way we’re keeping independent media real, relevant, and rooted in local culture.

What you loved in 2025 on CKCU ❤️

A shelf full of records
Photo by James Chan on Unsplash

As we step into 2026, we’ve been looking back at what you listened to, shared, and kept coming back to on CKCU-FM last year.

Topping the list of most-heard on-demand shows was Stranger Songs, followed by The Groove, Saturday Morning, Canadian Spaces, and Friday Drive. Whether it was deep cuts, global sounds, local voices, or longtime favourites, you made space for a wide mix, and we’re glad to be part of your day.

On the music side, you showed up for Canadian artists in a big way. Kathleen Edwards took the number one spot with Billionaire, with Quiet, Church of Trees and Raphael Weinroth-Browne not far behind. The Top 50 is packed with everything from self-released gems to indie label standouts. It’s a list full of artists worth discovering or revisiting.

Thanks for being part of CKCU in 2025.

Explore the full Top 50 albums and Top 25 shows from 2025

Independent Media Matters. Now More Than Ever

The incredible CKCU FM family at the 50th anniversary. Everyone is standing in the starwell at Carleton University
© Erik Stolpmann / CKCU 93.1 FM

Amid reports about the University of Ottawa’s campus community radio station, CHUO, and its uncertain future, we are reminded of a simple truth: when local media vanishes, we all lose.

Independent media plays a critical role in our communities. It reflects our voices, languages, cultures, and experiences. It brings neighbours closer, builds empathy, and strengthens civic life. At CKCU, we have seen this firsthand for more than 50 years, and we see it in the work of others, too. Ottawa-Gatineau is home to a vibrant ecosystem of independent outlets: Apartment 613, The Charlatan, The Low Down to Hull and Back News, Centretown BUZZ, Unique FM, and so many more that inform, entertain, and connect us.

These organizations are not just content creators and curators. They are cultural infrastructure, as essential to community life as libraries, schools, and public transit. And like all infrastructure, they need investment, care, and commitment to thrive.

We know that the media landscape in Canada is under severe strain. Rising costs, shrinking revenues, and concentrated ownership are eroding the diversity and depth of information available to the public. Local media, in particular, are at risk, and the consequences ripple far beyond the newsroom. Trust in information declines. Fewer people vote, show up to community events, volunteer, or speak out on local issues. Communities become more disconnected from each other, from local culture, and from the decisions that affect their lives. In this age of fast-moving technology, when so much is uncertain, the need for human connection matters more than ever.

CKCU counters that. As a listener-supported station powered by volunteers and guided by the public interest, we have always believed in the power of community. We still do. And now is the time to strengthen, not shrink, the spaces where local voices can be heard.

To the staff, volunteers, and supporters of all local outlets: we see you, we stand with you, and we know what your work means to the fabric of our city. Independent media is not a luxury. It is a necessity, and we must treat it that way.

CKCU is entering its next 50 years with purpose, to help ensure community media not only survives, but thrives across Ottawa-Gatineau and beyond.

Wherever you are, take a moment to support the independent media that brings your community to life. Tune into your local station. Turn on community TV. Subscribe to a podcast made by your local high school. Read your neighbourhood paper. Share their stories. Show up. Because when local media survives, communities thrive.

CKCU passes 2025 funding goal. Thank you!

A sign that says 'Independent Media Matters' for CKCU's 2025 Funding Drive. You can donate at www.ckcufm.com/donate

CKCU has officially passed its 2025 Funding Drive goal, raising $194,686.10 (and still climbing) with support from listeners, donors, volunteers and community members across Ottawa and beyond.

Thank you.

Every donation, every share and every show of support helped get us here.

This campaign was a reminder of how much CKCU matters to people who value independent media.

What your support makes possible

Because of you, CKCU can keep doing what it does best: making space for local voices, new perspectives and storytelling.

Your donations help:

  • Keep independent, community-powered media free and accessible.
  • Share local and community news that keeps people informed and connected.
  • Offer a platform for new, emerging and underrepresented voices.
  • Provide hands-on training and creative opportunities.
  • Support a stronger future for independent media in Ottawa and beyond.

The funding drive helps CKCU continue to grow as a trusted source for community-powered media. It supports programming, local news, outreach and opportunities for learning and participation.

The stories we heard
Throughout the campaign, people shared how CKCU has made a difference in their lives. From learning to host a show, to discovering music and culture, to finding a sense of belonging, these stories reflect the lasting impact of community-powered media.

The drive remains open until December 3, so there’s still time to give if you haven’t yet.

If you’ve already donated and want to do more, consider increasing your gift or switching to a monthly donation. Monthly support helps us plan and keep CKCU strong all year.

Fifty years in, we’re still growing, still learning and still community-powered. Thanks for being part of it.

CKCU x FemmeVox Live Off The Floor November session

This month Live Off The Floor is a collaboration with FemmeVox featuring Naviger, Tara Holloway, and Chelsea June. The FemmeVox concert series features established and emerging women singer-songwriters who work together in pairs to write brand new compositions to premiere at each concert. 

Naviger is the musical project of Ottawa songwriter Andrea Simms-Karp. Blending folk and pop, joy and melancholy, her songs will wrap you up in a blanket before sending you back out into the night.

Tara Holloway is a singer-songwriter musician based in Ottawa. Tara’s voice delivers a powerful punch with it’s raw, soulful and weathered sound.

Chelsey June is an award-winning bilingual artist, storyteller, and advocate for healing through creativity. With over 50 award wins and nominations from her previous project, including multiple Canadian Folk Music Awards, as a solo artist, she uses her voice to bridge worlds and uplift others through music, culture, and connection.





Still the Mighty: CKCU turns 50 with first vinyl release

The cover of Still the Mighty Album

CKCU FM has jubilantly turned 50, and to mark the milestone, we’ve released our first compilation album on vinyl along side “50 Songs for 50 Years“, a bandcamp compilation that includes the 13 tracks on the LP.

Still the Mighty – Celebrating 50 Years of CKCU 93.1 FM brings together a collection of original tracks from the Ottawa music scene, many of whom have long-standing ties to the station.

To launch the record, we hosted a special event on Thursday, November 27, at Ollie’s Pub in the Nideyinàn Building (downstairs from the station) at Carleton University to great avail.

This project is a snapshot of the voices and sounds that have shaped CKCU over the years. You can buy the record at independent record stores (Vertigo, The Record Centre, Compact Music) across Ottawa. The Record Centre even has it online here if you are out of town. Or get the digital version of it on Bandcamp…. More info/details here: ckcufm.com/LP.

City of Ottawa proclaims Nov. 15 as “CKCU 93.1 FM” Day

A picture that says CKCU 93.1 FM Day. Celebrating 50 years

The City of Ottawa has officially proclaimed November 15, 2025 as “CKCU 93.1 FM Day”, recognizing the 50th anniversary of one of Canada’s most enduring independent media organizations.

Founded in 1975 as the country’s first campus-based FM radio station, CKCU has spent five decades serving Ottawa-Gatineau with community-driven news, music and storytelling in more than 10 languages.

“Volunteering at CKCU was one of the first ways I got involved in Ottawa’s broadcast community,” explained Mark Sutcliffe, Mayor, City of Ottawa. “I learned a lot, met incredible people, and felt a real connection to this city.

Fifty years later, CKCU is still giving back to the community, sharing stories, and supporting artists and future broadcasters. Today, we celebrate all that CKCU has done for our community and the role it continues to play in bringing great programming to Ottawa.”

The proclamation recognizes CKCU’s fifty years of service to the city by giving a voice to a wide range of communities, creating some of Canada’s longest-running radio programs, operating radio camps for youth, and supporting the careers of countless artists and future broadcasters. “CKCU 93.1 FM Day” is a time to reflect on what community means across the city and to recognize how local voices, shared stories, and grassroots media strengthen civic life.

“We are deeply honoured to receive this recognition,” said Lia Kiessling, Station Director. “CKCU 93.1 FM Day is more than a celebration of one station. It is a chance to recognize the value of independent media and what it makes possible: connection, participation, and shared understanding. Community media matters because it puts people first and helps build the kind of trust and belonging that every city needs.”

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe is set to deliver the official proclamation shortly after 7 p.m. at CKCU’s Dinner and Celebration on Saturday at Ollie’s Pub and Patio in Carleton University’s Nideyinàn building. The evening will feature speeches, memorabilia, and music.

CKCU’s 50th anniversary celebrations continue through the year, with special programming, public events and community storytelling that honour the station’s legacy and invite people to shape its future.

Support CKCU’s Next 50 Years

CKCU has been a trusted voice in the Ottawa-Gatineau community for five decades — and we’re just getting started. If you believe in the power of local stories, independent media, and community connection, we invite you to support our work.

💛 Make a donation today

Final Push! Help Us Hit the Goal and Win Festival Passes + CKCU Merch

A picture of a mouth saying Independent Media Matters

We are close to the finish line, and you can help us get there. CKCU’s 2025 funding drive has been incredible so far, and with your support, we can reach our goal and finish strong.

CKCU is powered by the people. Listener donations keep us independent, volunteer-driven and rooted in Ottawa–Gatineau. Every gift matters. This station belongs to all of us.

Donate $93.10 or more to enter our grand prize draw.

As a thank-you, everyone who donates $93.10 or more will be entered into our grand prize draw. Already donated that amount? You are in. Not quite there yet? You can top up your donation and still qualify.

The grand prize includes:

* Two full passes to either Ottawa Bluesfest, CityFolk or the Ottawa Jazz Festival. First one to enter gets first choice!

* A bundle of CKCU merchandise

It is our way of saying thanks for supporting independent media. These are e-tickets.

Limited giveaways (office pick-up only)

Available while supplies last:
* 10 people will win 1 sticker pack each for donations of $10
* 10 people will win 1 mug each for donations of $20
* 20 people will win 1 toque each (it’s winter!) for donations of $20
Items can be picked up at the station during office hours.

How to donate

Visit CKCU’s Canada Helps Page to make your donation. You can support your favourite show or give directly to CKCU

Let’s finish this drive together and keep independent radio strong.