Building a Virtual Art Gallery with Artificial Intelligence

A new virtual gallery project in Winnipeg is empowering Indigenous youth and artists with a blending of art, AI, and climate storytelling to foster community dialogue.
This weekend, young creators and artists break new ground, building immersive virtual galleries through sheer creativity and hands-on coding. With no high-end tools, they harness AI to push the boundaries of art and technology, transforming vision into vibrant digital spaces where culture and innovation come to life.
This weekend, young creators and artists break new ground, building immersive virtual galleries through sheer creativity and hands-on coding. With no high-end tools, they harness AI to push the boundaries of art and technology, transforming vision into vibrant digital spaces where culture and innovation come to life.

An exciting new interactive digital media and AI is in the works with the Winnipeg-based artsincubator.ca program.

Building a Virtual Art Gallery is a new and dynamic five-month learning experience designed to empower First Nations, Inuit and Metis youth, community members and emerging artists through the integration of climate storytelling, art, and technology. This project is supported by the OpenAI Researcher Access Program, which provides them with resources to explore climate change issues across various biomes while fostering a creative environment that encourages collaboration, innovation, and community engagement. In this latest program, artists will learn how to create a virtual art gallery that showcases their artistic expressions and serves as a platform for dialogue and awareness surrounding the pressing challenges posed by climate change.

Throughout the program, which started earlier this month with participation from Manitoba, Minnesota, Nunavut and Northwestern Ontario, artists will engage in hands-on activities that introduce them to essential concepts in climate storytelling, multimedia creation, and the ethical use of AI tools. The course emphasizes participatory learning, encouraging artists of all skill levels to share their perspectives and insights while building connections with one another. As they explore themes such as permafrost and climate change, supply chains, and the climate arts economy, participants will cultivate an understanding of how their creative practices can contribute to climate advocacy and sustainable practices within their communities.

Emerging youth artist and musician Tony Eetak explores a VR installation at the Urban Shaman Contemporary Art Gallery in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Emerging youth artist and musician Tony Eetak explores a VR installation at the Urban Shaman Contemporary Art Gallery in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

“This project empowers Indigenous youth and emerging artists to use technology and creativity to address the urgent challenges of climate change,” said Jamie Bell, one of the artists behind the program. “Blending art, climate storytelling, and AI, participants are not only building a virtual gallery—they’re amplifying their voices, creating a space for community dialogue, and inspiring sustainable action through powerful visual and narrative expression.”

The program’s curriculum is designed to be interactive and engaging, with each week focused on different aspects of the artistic process, from foundational knowledge of climate change to the practicalities of curation and exhibition design. Participants will not only develop their artistic skills but also enhance their data literacy and digital capabilities as they work towards assembling a hybrid exhibition that merges virtual and physical elements. By the end of the course, they will each have created 15 impactful artworks accompanied by narratives and audio components that effectively communicate their personal and collective experiences with climate change.

As a culmination of the program, a mini exhibition will provide participants with the opportunity to share their creations with the community, featuring guest speakers who are leaders in the fields of art and climate advocacy. The program will also feature a wide range of special guest speakers and field trips. The program runs until March 2025.

For more information on the program, and how you can get involved, contact info@artsincubator.ca.

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artsincubator.ca News

Welcome to the Winnipeg Arts Incubator News Team! We're dedicated to spotlighting creative innovation, arts and cultural entrepreneurship as a community of. practice through compelling art projects and insightful storytelling. Our team captures narratives from Manitoba and northern communities, connecting audiences with the vibrant work of Indigenous artists and filmmakers. With extensive experience in digital media, we deliver news and stories about arts innovation, community collaboration, and the transformative power of the arts.

As a community program, nurturing the skills, knowledge, and networks of our future leaders, this unique, pilot program contributes beyond the success of its participants. It also aims to lay foundations for sustainable and impactful business and entrepreneurship programming.

In the Spotlight

Since our first pilot program, many of our programs and activities have been made possible with support from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design Masters of Arts in Creative Leadership and Creative Entrepreneurship programs. We are incredibly thankful to the many MCAD students and faculty for their contributions. Learn more about their program, and click here to visit their web site.

Our program is proud to have been accepted into the OpenAI Researcher Access Program