Cultivating Art, Community, and Sustainability

Borup’s Corners is a small, unorganized community located in northwestern Ontario, Canada. It’s situated within the Kenora District of Northwestern Ontario, which is known for its beautiful natural landscapes, including forests, lakes, and rivers. 

Located in a vibrant rural setting, our Participatory Arts and Land Lab serves as an experimental hub for projects ranging from eco-friendly installations, oral histories and climate entrepreneurship to land-based art practices that highlight issues of sustainability, food security, and climate resilience. Participants are encouraged to draw inspiration from the natural surroundings while contributing to a growing body of work that merges environmental activism with artistic expression.

The area is primarily rural and is characterized by its peaceful, natural setting. It’s close to other small towns and communities, which provide essential services and amenities. The local economy is often based on agriculture, forestry, and sometimes tourism, particularly related to outdoor recreational activities such as arts and culture, fishing, hiking, and hunting.

Activities in 2025 will see the program rejuvenating its programming in Melgund Township with a focus on community arts, climate entrepreneurship, food security and participatory research training.

Key Features of the Participatory Arts and Land Lab Program

With the Arts Borups Corners Land Lab, art isn’t just created—it grows, evolving with the land and reflecting the changing relationships between people and nature. This partnership with Arts Borups Corners reinforces our commitment to fostering a future where art, community, and the environment thrive together.

Sustainable Art Practices: Focus on eco-friendly materials and techniques to create works that respect and engage with the environment. This year, we’re scaling up our plans for our land-based programming to include food production and growing!

• Collaboration: Opportunities for artists, local communities, and environmental experts to co-create and explore land-based art forms, storytelling and oral history.

• Workshops & Residencies: Hands-on workshops, seasonal artist residencies, and Indigenous youth mentorship programs that foster skills in sustainable arts and land-based climate entrepreneurship.

• Community Engagement: Projects that encourage public participation, fostering dialogue on environmental and artistic topics.