Digital Salvage Empowers Youth, Artists Through AI-Enhanced Cultural Storytelling
Digital Salvage is a grassroots, youth-led Indigenous arts project based in Manitoba, exploring the intersection of contemporary digital technologies, virtual art, and Indigenous representation. Developed collaboratively by Indigenous artists and media creators, this innovative media arts project uniquely harnesses emerging generative artificial intelligence (AI)—including technologies such as OpenAI’s GPT models—to reimagine and reclaim digital spaces traditionally defined by mainstream cultures and commercial platforms.
At the core of Digital Salvage is an immersive, interactive virtual gallery that pushes the boundaries of artistic presentation by leveraging AI-enhanced storytelling, dialogue, and dynamically adaptive experiences. While most online galleries offer static, passive viewing experiences, the Digital Salvage gallery invites visitors into real-time, unscripted interactions led by AI-informed virtual gallery guides. These responsive AI avatars dialogue with users, personalize their experiences, and dynamically reshape narratives, challenging traditional notions of artistic curation and viewer participation.
What makes Digital Salvage uniquely compelling is its strong commitment to digital sovereignty and critical digital literacy within Indigenous youth communities. Historically, Indigenous communities, particularly in remote northern regions, have experienced deep disparities in digital access, agency, and representation. Digital Salvage strategically leverages cutting-edge tools to proactively disrupt algorithmic biases, confront harmful stereotypes, and assert Indigenous authority over cultural portrayals. By directly involving Indigenous youth artists and creators, the project actively fosters skills, capacity-building, and technological fluency, empowering communities to reclaim and recreate narratives that authentically reflect their experiences and identities.
Moreover, Digital Salvage frames technology not simply as a neutral or passive tool, but as a culturally contested site of agency and power. The methodology encourages youth creators, who often feel marginalized or pushed out of traditional educational systems, to critically engage with rapidly evolving digital technologies, turning them creatively toward meaningful cultural exploration and self-expression.
This winter, our innovative program is diving into an exciting new concept we’re calling Vibe Coding—a new, immersive approach that blends creative coding with emotional resonance and real-time interaction. By integrating cutting-edge AI tools such as ChatGPT, DALL·E, Google Gemini, and advanced audio models, our participants are exploring how artificial intelligence can amplify digital storytelling, design thinking, and interactive art. Through resources and mentorship made possible by the OpenAI Researcher Access Program, we’re equipping learners with the latest technologies to experiment with text generation, visual synthesis, and AI-driven coding environments. Vibe Coding allows youth and creators to map emotions, themes, and community narratives into algorithmic patterns, fostering a unique intersection of computational creativity and human-centered design. This approach not only develops technical fluency but also emphasizes inclusivity, co-creation, and ethical AI usage.
Our winter program leverages the robust support of the OpenAI Researcher Access Program to push the boundaries of what’s possible with generative AI in community-based learning environments. Participants are engaging with voice synthesis, natural language processing, and multimodal AI models to build personalized, vibe-centric projects—whether it’s coding a responsive installation, crafting an AI-generated zine, or composing algorithmically enhanced music. By utilizing datasets, APIs, and research-grade AI tools, learners gain hands-on experience while critically examining the role of AI in society, digital equity, and creative empowerment. Vibe Coding serves as a bridge between traditional programming and the emerging possibilities of AI-enhanced artistry, fostering innovation grounded in community values. This program reflects our commitment to democratizing access to technology while fostering resilience, creativity, and leadership among the next generation of coders and creators.
For the last two years, we’ve been using targeted arts funding from the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Greenhouse, Manitoba Arts Council, and other supportive partnerships, Digital Salvage stands out as an example of immediate, community-driven innovation. The project—led collaboratively by Indigenous artists Jamie Bell and Tony Eetak—demonstrates what can be achieved when grassroots creators and communities proactively harness state-of-the-art technologies, transforming their relationships with digital representation, cultural storytelling, and artistic possibilities.
In essence, Digital Salvage is more than an art project—it is a call to action for youth empowerment, digital literacy, artistic exploration, and Indigenous self-determination in contemporary digital landscapes. By bridging powerful new AI advances with community-driven storytelling and creativity, Digital Salvage radically redefines what the future can look like for Indigenous digital arts.
To try their gallery prototype, click here.
