Unlocking Creativity: Community recreation centers are often overlooked hubs of potential. Discover how integrating arts into these spaces, guided by the Framework for Recreation in Canada, can revitalize communities and spark unexpected creativity.
Unlocking Creativity: Community recreation centers are often overlooked hubs of potential. Discover how integrating arts into these spaces, guided by the Framework for Recreation in Canada, can revitalize communities and spark unexpected creativity.

A Framework for Renewal: Recreation’s Untapped Arts Potential

Arts in community recreation presents a compelling strategy for community renewal. 

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Seeds are starting to sprout, and being placed into soil for planting this spring. These hopeful sprouts represent the beginning of a community-led effort to revitalize apple growing in Northwestern Ontario.

From Pine to Pippins: Northwestern Ontario Youth Cultivate Apple Comeback

Forget towering pines and lumber futures, this spring in Northwestern Ontario, a different kind of seedling is taking root. Local youth and community members are leading a community initiative to plant apple trees, harkening back to the area's agricultural past and sowing the seeds for a fruitful future.

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Fireworks light up the sky at the Dyment Recreation Hall February 23, capping off celebrations for Family Day and National Kindness Week 2025.
Fireworks light up the sky at the Dyment Recreation Hall February 23, capping off celebrations for Family Day and National Kindness Week 2025.

National Kindness Week ends with Fireworks

Fireworks marked the end of National Kindness Week this year as Dyment and Borups Corners residents gathered for a fire, food and fireworks.

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Janet Connor and Morris Robinson cook up a storm at the Dyment Recreation Hall's Cook Shack on February 23. The community hosted events and activities for Family Day in Ontario, which also coincided with National Kindness Week in Canada.
Janet Connor and Morris Robinson cook up a storm at the Dyment Recreation Hall's Cook Shack on February 23. The community hosted events and activities for Family Day in Ontario, which also coincided with National Kindness Week in Canada.

Community and Food Comes Together at The Cook Shack

From flipping pancakes at community breakfasts to serving up burgers and fries at local events, The Cook Shack is more than just a kitchen—it’s a gathering place. Huge thanks to the Local Services Board of Melgund for cooking up a storm during this month’s Family Day and National Kindness Week celebrations.

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Community members from Dyment and Borups Corners gathered for 2025 Family Day activities which also marked the end of National Kindness Week.
Community members from Dyment and Borups Corners gathered for 2025 Family Day activities which also marked the end of National Kindness Week.

Food, Friends and Fireworks for 2025 Family Day and National Kindness Week

This year, Melgund's Family Day, which took place on Sunday, February 23rd, was a resounding success, drawing a large crowd with its exciting mix of fire, food, and fireworks.

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Come Eat With Me Manitoba is a groundbreaking AI-powered cookbook featuring a new Manitoba-inspired recipe every week. Developed by Indigenous youth, this project blends food security, culinary innovation, digital storytelling, participatory media arts, and AI-generated food imagery to create a dynamic and interactive food experience. Each recipe highlights locally sourced, sustainable, and traditional Indigenous ingredients, bridging the past and future through youth-led research, community-driven food sovereignty, and digital literacy in the culinary arts. By harnessing AI-generated food art and prompt engineering, this initiative empowers young creators to explore recipe development, nutrition education, sustainable cooking practices, and the intersection of technology and Indigenous food traditions. Featuring wild game, freshwater fish, prairie-grown grains, foraged berries, and farm-to-table produce, this evolving cookbook supports Manitoba food heritage, eco-conscious eating, and digital-first culinary storytelling. With a strong focus on interactive learning, visual storytelling, and food equity, Come Eat With Me Manitoba invites readers to discover the vibrant flavors of the province while supporting youth innovation, AI-driven creativity, and culturally rooted food experiences.

Manitoba Food, Art Project Launches Online Cookbook

Discover Come Eat With Me Manitoba, a groundbreaking cookbook featuring weekly Manitoba recipes, AI-generated art, participatory media arts, food security, inspiring storytelling, cooking, product development, photography, and Indigenous culinary heritage.

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Young people are the heart of thriving communities! Lifelong learning is the key that unlocks their potential to lead in arts and beyond. Discover why continuous growth matters for our future leaders.
Young people are the heart of thriving communities! Lifelong learning is the key that unlocks their potential to lead in arts and beyond. Discover why continuous growth matters for our future leaders. Image created by Tony Eetak with DALL E-3.

Pathways to Potential: Lifelong Learning for Youth Arts and Creative Community Leadership

Discover why continuous education is crucial for empowering young leaders in arts and community sectors. Experts emphasize its vital role in building vibrant futures.

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A groundbreaking virtual gallery, supported by the OpenAI Researcher Access Program, is offering Indigenous youth in Winnipeg, Manitoba, a unique opportunity to engage with the latest in digital arts and technology. This initiative is fueled by a partnership with the Manitoba Arts Council and is centered around participatory media arts, empowering young creators with hands-on experiences in game design, virtual galleries, AI image generation, prompt engineering, and coding. The gallery serves as a platform for cultivating critical digital arts literacy, encouraging the exploration of interactive media, curation, and AI technologies. By integrating gamification principles, this program helps foster a deep understanding of how digital tools can be used for artistic expression. Through this innovative approach, youth are not only learning technical skills but also gaining the confidence to curate their own digital artworks and experiences. In collaboration with Google News and other digital platforms, the project showcases how Indigenous youth are using cutting-edge technologies to enhance their creativity and expand their artistic horizons. By offering access to the OpenAI Researcher Access Program’s resources, the project equips young people with the knowledge and skills to navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape, while also encouraging the incorporation of Indigenous perspectives in the digital arts. Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, this initiative reflects the ongoing commitment to community-based innovation and education, with a focus on building digital literacy and fostering a new generation of Indigenous artists in the world of AI and interactive media.

AI For Creative Leadership: Empowering Communities and Redefining the Future of Art

Winnipeg artists developed a free and delicious DALL-E 3 AI Food Art Generator, merging art and technology to turn culinary concepts into visually stunning creations that inspire and delight!

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