Celebrating the young voices taking control of their stories

It feels like just yesterday some of these young people were picking up a paintbrush, experimenting with a camera, or helping arrange their first community exhibit. We remember the spilled water cups, the blurry test clips, and the excitement that came with discovering new ways to create and share stories. Now, we look around and see those same youth—now artists, creators, and curators—confidently mounting solo exhibitions, organizing community showcases, and screening films they wrote, directed, and edited themselves.

Watching young people grow up across the many northern communities our families call home is easily the best part of what we do at Art Borups Corners. They are no longer simply participating in cultural life; they are helping shape it. Through their work, they are preserving stories, creating new conversations, and building spaces where community voices can be heard.

This National Indigenous Peoples Day, we want to celebrate that remarkable evolution. Over the years, our programming has grown from simple afternoon activities into platforms that support creativity, leadership, and self-determination. These artists, creators, and curators are taking ownership of their own narratives, whether through painting, photography, film, music, or digital media. They are blending traditional knowledge with contemporary forms of expression and showing the world who they are on their own terms. They are not waiting for recognition from galleries, festivals, or institutions far from home; they are cultivating a vibrant creative movement right here in the North.

There is a deep and lasting sense of confidence that comes with finding your voice through creative expression, whether you are holding a brush, composing a song, editing a video, or curating an exhibition.

When you see a young artist organize a multimedia showcase, a creator premiere a project they poured their heart into, or a curator bring together stories that honour culture and community, you realize the future is in capable hands. We are incredibly proud of their creativity, their resilience, and their independence. They are the heartbeat of our communities, and we feel fortunate to have a front-row seat to their journey.