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.
“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.