By Sydney Alexandra, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Art Gallery of Burlington hosted a three-day workshop this week aimed at evolving culture in the Burlington area. The Culture Jam workshop is a key step in developing Burlington’s new 10-year Culture Plan, which invites community members, artists, and cultural organizations to collaborate in shaping the city’s cultural future through hands-on, interactive sessions.
“The City of Burlington is leading this project, but when we look at the ideas, we look at what the community has to say,” said Kim Ingram, senior manager of events and creative programs for the City of Burlington. “We are building our future and we’re doing it together.”
The workshop began with an introduction from Brenda Byers, a member of the Burlington Storytellers Guild. Byers shared how storytelling helped her find community and a fulfilling career after moving from Kitchener to Burlington.
“I was the only stay-at-home mom on the street, and I was desperate for a conversation that wasn’t about bottles and diapers,” she recalled. “Then I came across a note in The Burlington Post that read: ‘Burlington Writers Guild meets every Friday at 7 o’clock. All are welcome.’”
Byers reflected that her first meeting with the guild turned out to be much more than just telling stories — it was about building genuine connections. She arrived prepared to read her favourite book, expecting a casual reading session, but quickly realized the experience was far more personal and creative than she had anticipated.
Guild members sat in a circle, passing around a stone as they took turns sharing stories. “All should tell, some should tell, and none must,” the guild’s motto, set the tone for a safe and welcoming space.
“Members shared folk tales, fairy tales, personal stories, and family histories,” Byers said. “I slid the book under my chair and listened as they passed the stone around. I chose not to share and thought, ‘I’ll never be able to do this,’ but here I am.”
The first activity at the Culture Jam workshop prompted participants to consider the question: what does culture mean to you? Small groups were asked to collaboratively create a flower, with each petal describing an element of culture. The exercise highlighted how culture is multi-dimensional, deeply personal, and constantly evolving.
“Culture itself is a multi-faceted ideology,” one participant shared. “It’s what connects people and builds community.”
The second activity, Cultural Mapping, invited participants to identify cultural and community spaces in Burlington and to explore what’s missing. Many noted that North Burlington lacks the same access to cultural events and hubs that exist on Brant Street and near the lakeshore.
“There’s a large disconnect between North and South Burlington,” one community member said. “We need to better utilize spaces in the north, instead of always centralizing events near the waterfront.”
The third and final activity, Blocks and Breakthroughs, asked participants to reflect on the earlier mapping session and discuss the barriers to cultural diversity and engagement in Burlington.
Common themes included a lack of accessibility, limited communication between organizations, and low awareness of available opportunities. One younger participant, speaking on behalf of their age group, noted the difficulty of building real-world connections beyond digital spaces.
“People my age (17+) are missing that connection. There are many groups on Facebook, but our generation has moved away from that platform, so we don’t know what organizations or events are out there,” they said. “We want to be part of the community, but there aren’t enough spaces where we can connect.”
While Burlington libraries are offering more youth-oriented programming, participants agreed that these efforts need to be expanded and better promoted. One suggestion was to create designated community boards that highlight local groups, organizations, and events.
Participants also raised concerns about funding and support for artists, noting that more resources are needed to sustain a thriving cultural scene.
“We need to pay our artists and offer them free spaces to create and collaborate,” one attendee urged.
As many Canadians grapple with financial and job instability, community culture and connectedness are becoming more vital than ever.
All feedback and activities from the workshop will be collected and used as data to inform Burlington’s Culture Plan. This input will guide the city in crafting a more inclusive, vibrant, and connected cultural landscape.
The city shared a timeline for the next steps and announced that community engagement efforts will continue throughout the summer at local festivals, parks, and public events. City officials want residents to understand that their voices matter. Building a strong cultural future, they emphasize, “takes a village.”
Find out more on the Get Involved Burlington website; the final Culture Plan will be presented to Burlington City Council in spring 2026.
