The Creator Space Digital Mobile Arts Lab

Project Summary

The Creator Space Digital Arts Lab project established a dedicated hub for digital artists from all age brackets in the South Georgian Bay region. This pioneering initiative was designed to provide participants with many resources and opportunities to delve into digital arts. We warmly embraced participants from a wide array of backgrounds and experience levels, aged anywhere from 8 to 81, even if they were exploring the artistic realm for the first time.

From 2019 to 2022, Creator Space offered a myriad of workshops and continues to provide access to state-of-the-art equipment, a well-resourced computer lab studio, and a music recording studio, all made possible through partnerships with our local libraries - The Blue Mountains Public Library, the Collingwood Public Library, and the Wasaga Beach Public Library.

The backbone of our workshops is four core pillars: digital design (including animation and illustration), digital photography (employing DSLR cameras and personal devices), digital sound (covering music and design), and digital video (supporting HD, 4K, and 360-degree formats). To ensure the selection of forward-thinking technology, we enlisted the expertise of digital artists as consultants in our equipment selection process.

Our steering committee, consisting of Public Library Staff, the project manager, the lead applicant/digital artist, and digital artist instructors, played a crucial role in shaping the project. They met regularly to fine-tune the program in line with the community's evolving needs and goals, adjusting the learning scope, workshop locations, and types accordingly.

Our specialized Digital Arts Lab, situated within the Marsh Street Centre community performing arts centre, served as the project's heartbeat. The lab, housing specialty computers for digital arts that could be reserved via a dedicated website, catered to various needs with video and design-specific computers and portable laptops for photography and sound-related activities. Moreover, the lab provided a flexible space that could convert into a photography or video studio, facilitating various projects, workshops, and lighting demonstrations.

Additionally, the project featured a Music Room equipped with a portable sound recording studio, perfect for music recording, podcast production, and sound mixing for video projects. The Gallery at The Blue Mountains Public Library played a two-fold role, hosting Digi-Talk Artists talks with professionals from diverse creative industries and serving as an auxiliary sound recording studio.

Participants were given the opportunity to present their work at a  Gallery show initially slated for April 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we transitioned the exhibition to a virtual format to ensure the safety and health of all participants.

The project received generous support from the Canada Council for the Arts via the innovative Digital Strategy Fund. The Blue Mountains Public Library was instrumental as a foundational partner by offering funding and support throughout the project. The visionary staff of the Collingwood Public Library and the Wasaga Beach Public Library joined the project in its second phase, proving vital for launching equipment labs and workshops. Our heartfelt thanks to all of Creator Space's supporters, funders, instructors, students, and participants for this incredible journey.

In conclusion, the Creator Space project fostered a vibrant digital arts community, championing learning, collaboration, and creative expression.