Melgund Township, Canada—Art Borups Corners, a participatory arts hub in Winnipeg and Northwestern Ontario, is transforming the future of Northern arts and community engagement by integrating new, cutting-edge AI technologies. In a presentation earlier this month to the Community-Based Research Lab (CBRL) at the University of Victoria, Jamie Bell, a Winnipeg-based interdisciplinary artist and a founding member of the program, shared how digital tools are empowering northern artists, enhancing capacity-building, and paving the way for a new era of participatory research.
In existence since 2014, and formally launched with strategic innovation funding from the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Greenhouse Program in late 2021, Art Borups Corners has grown into a regional program that works across Northwestern Ontario, Manitoba and Minnesota. “We’ve been able to spend the past few years exploring and evolving our approach to arts, research, and community involvement. AI is helping us accelerate the process and connect with the world in ways we never could before,” Jamie shared with an engaged audience of academics, practitioners, and local leaders.
AI: Streamlining Administration and Boosting Creativity
The program has been supported by the OpenAI Researcher Access Program since May 2024. Through this partnership, Art Borups Corners and its Winnipeg-based arts incubator beyond creating in new ways. They’re also integrating advanced AI tools to streamline their administrative processes, such as grant writing, funding management, and policy development. Bell noted that the integration of AI has reduced the time required for creating proposals, measuring and tracking funding, allowing local artists and youth to focus more on creative work rather than the bureaucracy of grant applications.
“While we’re able to work in larger urban centres like Winnipeg, the biggest challenge in the North is a lack of capacity—small population, limited resources, and geographic isolation. Programs like the OpenAI Researcher Access Program have allowed us to overcome a lot of these barriers, automating the most time-consuming tasks and getting back to the creative and strategic work that matters most,” Jamie explained during his presentation. He pointed to a standout example: AI helping young people draft better proposals by generating multiple versions of applications and enabling self-assessment through simulated review panels.
In addition to addressing immediate administrative challenges, programs like Art Borups Corners are able to focus on the long-term sustainability of its projects. With an aging population, there is an urgent need to establish leadership pipelines for the next generation of artists, organizers, and community leaders. AI is helping to create new opportunities for mentorship and skill-building, ensuring that younger generations are better equipped and have the skills to take on key roles into the future. “We’re not just automating processes—we’re building a future,” Jamie emphasized. “And along the way, we’re also having a blast—creating, experimenting, and fostering a culture of innovation and play that is as important as the work itself.”
Gamification and Digital Literacy: Empowering Youth with Technology
Another exciting development for Art Borups Corners is this year’s increased focus on gamification and digital literacy. Jamie shared how AI has made it easier for youth and emerging artists to engage with technology by creating simple games.
“Gamification has always been a concept we’ve wanted to explore more over the years, and through these new AI tools we were able to make it even more accessible. Youth can now learn to code games and customize them in real-time. The AI does the foundational work, and they bring their own creativity,” Jamie explained. This approach also allows youth to gain skills in coding, digital design, and creative problem-solving—all within a supportive, collaborative environment. One project even drew inspiration from early classic games like The Dawson Trail, which have deep cultural connections for the community. “Retro,” said Bell with a chuckle.
Community Engagement and Participatory Research: Informing the Future
A key focus of Jamie’s presentation was how groups like Art Borups Corners are using AI tools to facilitate participatory research and community engagement around the recently-announced site for the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) Adaptive Phased Management (APM) program. On November 28, 2024, the NWMO announced the Revell site selection study area, just a few kilometers from Art Borups Corners, was chosen as the site for Canada’s Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for nuclear waste fuel storage. With the project located adjacent to their community, artists in Borups Corners are able to use these tools to help esure residents are well-informed and able to voice their concerns.
Using AI, communities can process and analyze complex technical documents on their own, making them more accessible for local residents. Additionally, the group has explored ways to deliver simple online courses on related themes, making information more digestible. Jamie emphasized that AI is not only streamlining arts projects and processes but also creating learning materials that can inform and educate the entire community.
Reflecting on AI’s Role in Participatory Research
During his presentation, Jamie also raised some critical questions about the evolving role of AI in participatory research. He asked: “Is it a good thing to offer tools that make research more inclusive, efficient, and accessible, or is it potentially problematic, creating a layer of separation between researchers and communities?” He emphasized the need to consider whether AI might risk becoming the antithesis of what participatory research stands for by prioritizing machine-driven automation over human connection. He posed the important question of how AI could shift power dynamics in research, asking: “How will AI impact the authenticity of human engagement, and how can we ensure it’s used ethically and equitably?”
Bell encouraged the audience to think about how AI might transform the way we gather, analyze, and present data but also to critically reflect on its limitations. As he put it, “We need to think not only about what AI can do but how it shapes the relationship between people and technology. AI has the potential to change how we involve communities in research, but we still need to remain vigilant in making sure it serves our values of collaboration, transparency, and trust.”
He concluded by inviting thoughts, concerns, and hopes about AI’s role in participatory research. “We want to hear how AI can help us solve complex problems—but also where it could go too far in replacing those human elements that make participatory research truly impactful,” he said.
Archiving and Celebrating History Through Digital Tools and Storytelling
In addition to supporting ongoing projects, Art Borups Corners is turning its attention to preserving its extensive archive of community-based research. Over the past decade, the organization has collected over terabytes of data from arts projects, research initiatives, and community activities. With the help of AI tools, the team is exploring transforming these archives using approaches such as Large Language Models and virtual 3D spaces—living archives where past projects, moments, and memories can be visualized and shared.
“It’s proving fun for everyone, regardless of age and skill levels. Using technology not just to create new content but to preserve community history,” Jamie said. “We’ve been able to animate old photos of our ancestors and Elders, making them come to life in ways that are both fun and meaningful. It’s a unique fusion of art and history.” He said these new technologies will allow future generations to engage with their stories in new ways, that weren’t even possible just a year or two ago, incubating greater opportunities for intergenerational connections and collaborative learning.
Looking to the Future: A New Path for Northern Communities
Jamie closed his presentation by emphasizing the importance of collective action and capacity-building in the North. He noted that while AI has become an essential tool in overcoming long-standing challenges, it is the community’s resilience, creativity, and collective spirit that will ultimately determine success moving forward.
“We’re on a path now where artists can build new networks, engage youth in digital arts, and help communities voice their concerns in larger, more impactful ways. AI is helping us do all of this faster and with more depth,” Jamie concluded.
As groups like Art Borups Corners continue to leverage technology for both creative expression and new approaches to participatory research, it sets an example for other communities facing similar challenges, showing that even in the most rural, remote or resource-limited regions, innovation and collaborative effort can thrive with the right tools and mindset.
