Since 2024, we’ve been actively exploring how artificial intelligence (AI), digital technologies, and creative entrepreneurship can strengthen artists, community organizations, and remote northern communities. Through our Participatory AI Research and Capacity Building Program, we investigate practical, ethical, and accessible ways emerging technologies can support creativity, cultural development, organizational resilience, and public engagement.

Our work sits at the intersection of arts, technology, community development, and social innovation. Rather than treating AI as a purely technical subject, we focus on real-world applications that help artists, non-profits, Indigenous communities, and grassroots organizations build capacity, reduce barriers, and create new opportunities.

Program Background

This initiative began in 2021–2022 through a grassroots digital innovation project supported by the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Greenhouse program and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD). Building on that foundation, our program was accepted into the OpenAI Researcher Access Program for 2024–2025, allowing us to deepen our exploration of generative AI technologies and their potential applications within the arts and community sectors.

Today, the program serves as an ongoing research, experimentation, and knowledge-sharing platform where artists, students, researchers, and community organizations can collaboratively explore emerging technologies and their impacts on creative practice, administration, and community engagement.

Creative AI Exploration and Digital Literacy

Learning Through Building

A core principle of our program is learning through hands-on experimentation. Working alongside artists, students, faculty, and community partners, we explore how AI technologies function, where they are heading, and what they may mean for the future of creative work.

Rather than simply discussing technological change, we engage directly with the tools themselves. Artists and community members have been experimenting with custom GPTs, creative applications, digital storytelling tools, interactive web experiences, and other emerging technologies. Through collaborative workshops and informal coding sessions, participants gain practical experience while developing a deeper understanding of both the opportunities and limitations of AI systems.

This approach helps demystify artificial intelligence and encourages artists and community members to become active creators and informed users of technology rather than passive consumers.

Developing Open and Accessible Creative Tools

As part of our research activities, we have enjoyed prototyping low-barrier digital tools designed to support artists and cultural workers. Examples include AI-assisted artist biography builders, creative prompt generators, portfolio development tools, and experimental applications that help creators communicate their work more effectively.

Our community has also explored more advanced concepts, including AI-assisted web development and experimental WordPress tools capable of transforming conventional content into immersive digital experiences such as virtual galleries. These projects serve as practical learning opportunities while demonstrating how emerging technologies can be adapted for the arts sector.

Addressing the AI Adoption Gap in the Non-Profit and Arts Sectors

Supporting Small Organizations Through Technological Change

Many small and medium-sized arts organizations, community groups, and non-profits recognize the potential value of artificial intelligence but face significant barriers to adoption. Limited staff capacity, technical complexity, integration challenges, budget constraints, and rapidly evolving standards can make implementation difficult.

Our program provides a collaborative environment where organizations can explore these technologies together without the pressure of immediate implementation. In sharing knowledge, resources, and practical experiences, we help organizations better understand how AI can be integrated into their existing operations in meaningful and responsible ways.

Strategic and Ethical AI Adoption

Our focus is not on adopting technology simply because it is new. Instead, we emphasize strategic AI adoption that aligns with organizational missions, community values, and long-term sustainability goals.

Through workshops, research activities, and collaborative experimentation, we help groups and organizations evaluate where AI can create genuine value, improve efficiency, support innovation, and strengthen organizational capacity. This often involves examining existing workflows and identifying opportunities to redesign processes in ways that are both practical and ethical.

Focusing on capacity building rather than technology for technology’s sake, organizations can make informed decisions about how and when AI fits into their work.

AI for Organizational Resilience and Administrative Efficiency

Reducing Administrative Burden

Community-based arts organizations often operate with limited staff and resources while managing complex administrative requirements. Grant writing, reporting, documentation, communications, and project management can consume significant amounts of time and energy.

To address these challenges, we’ve been exploring how AI-assisted workflows can be integrated into routine administrative processes. These tools can help streamline documentation, support report development, assist with grant preparation, and automate repetitive tasks.

The results include reduction of administrative overhead. Spending less time on routine paperwork, staff and volunteers can dedicate more attention to creative programming, community engagement, and artist support.

Building Affordable Digital Infrastructure

AI tools also enable organizations to develop simple custom applications and digital solutions without the need for expensive software subscriptions or extensive technical resources.

Using AI-assisted coding and development tools, we create our own basic web applications, automate repetitive processes, and experiment with custom digital solutions tailored to organizational needs. This approach helps reduce dependence on costly Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms and enables more funding to be directed toward artists, programming, and community initiatives.

AI for Public Participation and Community Engagement

Making Complex Information More Accessible

One of the most promising applications of AI involves improving public access to complex information.

In 2026, we began applying AI-supported workflows to community participation initiatives related to major environmental and infrastructure projects, including integrated impact assessment processes associated with Canada’s proposed Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for used nuclear fuel.

These processes often involve thousands of pages of highly technical documentation covering environmental, social, economic, and cultural impacts. For many rural, northern, and Indigenous communities, reviewing and understanding this information can require significant time, expertise, and resources.

Our research explores how AI can help make this information more accessible by generating plain-language summaries, thematic guides, briefing materials, and other educational resources that support informed participation.

Supporting Meaningful Community Dialogue

The goal is not to replace expert analysis, regulatory review, or community decision-making. Rather, for us AI serves as a supporting tool that helps communities navigate large volumes of information more efficiently.

Reducing the time required to review technical documentation, communities can devote more energy to discussion, relationship-building, knowledge-sharing, and engagement with the issues that matter most to them.

This work aligns with our broader commitment to supporting informed public participation, community capacity building, and equitable access to information.

Research, Collaboration, and Knowledge Sharing

Our Participatory AI Research and Capacity Building Program continues to evolve as technologies, opportunities, and community needs change. Through partnerships with artists, educators, researchers, Indigenous communities, non-profit organizations, and technology developers, we are building a collaborative ecosystem focused on responsible innovation and practical application.

We believe the future of AI in the arts and community sector depends on accessibility, transparency, education, and meaningful participation. By creating opportunities for experimentation and learning, we aim to ensure that emerging technologies remain tools that empower people and strengthen communities.

Connect With Us

Interested in learning more about our Participatory AI Research and Capacity Building Program?

Whether you are an artist, educator, researcher, community organization, Indigenous community representative, or potential partner, we welcome opportunities to collaborate, share knowledge, and explore new possibilities together.