Art Borups Corners: Cultivating Creativity in Northwestern Ontario
Forget everything you think you know about small-town art scenes. In the rugged, breathtaking embrace of Northwestern Ontario, a quiet revolution is unfolding in Borups Corners. This isn’t just an art program; it’s Art Borups Corners, the electrifying land-based heart of “The Arts Incubator,” where creativity meets untamed wilderness.
The initiative is deeply integrated with the life of Borups Corners, an unorganized community with a rich history rooted in a late 19th-century gold mining boom. Today, its spirit of resilience and innovation continues through this arts focus, often working in tandem with its close neighbor, Dyment.
An Arts Collective and Community Recreation Hub
Art Borups Corners, as the land-based hub for “The Arts Incubator,” is much more than an arts and cultural program; it functions as a vibrant independent arts collective and a key provider of community recreation services for the unorganized Northwestern Ontario communities of Borups Corners and Dyment in Melgund Township. This volunteer-driven initiative, seeded with strategic funding from the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Greenhouse, and the Local Services Board of Melgund cultivates collaborative environments where artists, collaborators, and mentors come together to explore creativity and foster community bonds. Their work extends beyond traditional art forms, blending artistic expression with practical community needs and technological innovation.
As an arts collective, Art Borups Corners engages in diverse projects, including “The Arts Incubator” and the “Melgund Township Music Series,” which provides entertainment and a platform for local talent. They also delve into historical documentation through oral history projects, preserving local heritage through artistic storytelling. Their work has been presented across Canada, and around the world.
Beyond its artistic programming, Art Borups Corners is deeply committed to providing and supporting the arts as essential community recreation services. In addition to their core program, The Arts Incubator, they develop and implement programs such as “Arts and Recreation for an Aging Population” and “Creative Arts for Community Recreation Facilities,” ensuring that recreational opportunities are accessible and engaging for all residents. They utilize and support key local facilities and infrastructure like the Dyment Cookshack, Dyment Recreation Hall, the Melgund Lake Boat Launch, and even an Ice Fishing Shack, turning these spaces into venues for creative activities and community gatherings. Their involvement also extends to practical community well-being initiatives, including “Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture” projects like “Towards a Framework for Northern Food Systems Innovation” and “The Art of Canning and Creative Entrepreneurship,” which combine artistic methods with vital life skills.
As an arts collective and a community recreation program, Art Borups Corners aims to uplift and incubate the power of art to vitalize and connect rural communities, transforming Borups Corners into a recognized center for creativity and cultural development in Northwestern Ontario.
For more information, visit The Arts Incubator website.
