Art Borups Corners and our Living Land Lab is more than just a site—we are a grassroots arts collective and community program. Our work in Borups Corners and Dyment thrives because youth, Elders, resident artists, and neighbours create together as equal collaborators.

Whether you want to help us grow food, contribute to a collaborative art installation, or share traditional stories, you are invited to join the collective. Here is how you can get involved with our small-scale, land-based hub this summer.

Create with the Arts Collective

As a non-profit arts organization, we believe everyone has a creative voice and that the land is our shared canvas. We use arts-based and community-based participatory research to explore our deep connection to the Northwestern Ontario environment.

When you get involved, you have the opportunity to work alongside incoming resident artists on site-specific installations and land art projects. From gathering sustainable, local materials to co-designing community creative projects, your hands and ideas help shape the spirit of the Lab.

Volunteer with our Community Gardening projects

Our small-scale food production and community gardening initiatives rely entirely on collective care. In our collective, growing food is its own form of creative and cultural expression.

You don’t need any prior farming or gardening experience to join in. We host regular, informal workbees throughout the summer months where we plant, tend, and harvest together. It’s a space to learn about native plant species, share practical skills, and directly support local food security in our neighborhood.

Participate in Intergenerational Summer Programs

Every summer, our collective hosts modest, community-led projects designed to bring generations together and keep regional wisdom alive. We invite you to join us for our regular activities:

• Collective Plant Walks: Explore our trail system with neighbors to identify local flora and connect with the history of the land.
• Skill-Sharing Workshops: Learn practical, traditional skills passed down through generations—or volunteer to lead a workshop if you have a traditional craft or ecological insight to share.
• Oral History Storytelling Circles: Gather with local Elders and community members to share and preserve the lived histories of Borups Corners and Dyment.

Support Our Capacity as a Partner or Funder

Building organizational capacity as a small non-profit and collective takes a dedicated network. Our foundational work and food security expansions have been made possible through the critical funding and support of partners like the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Manitoba Agriculture, the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the Local Services Board of Melgund, the Ontario Arts Council, Province of Ontario and the Canada Council for the Arts.

If you represent a funding body, an arts organization, or an agricultural initiative that believes in the power of community-led collectives, we welcome future conversations on how to collaborate.

Join the Collective This Summer

Because we are a small team working directly on the land, the best way to get involved is to reach out and introduce yourself. Let us know what speaks to you—whether it’s the art, the garden, or the storytelling—and we’ll find the perfect place for you.

Reach out to us! We’d love to hear from you.