More than 100 murals and public art pieces have transformed downtown Sudbury thanks to the creative partnership between Barrydowne Paint and We Live Up Here.
Their efforts have beautified the urban landscape, and boosted economic growth, tourism, and community pride.
The dynamic partnership is receiving the 2024 Community Impact Award from Business / Arts, a national charity dedicated to promoting impactful partnerships between business and the arts in Canada.
We Live Up Here is an innovative urban arts organization formed around the idea that art can inspire, transform and help build a better community. For over a decade, they have partnered with Barrydowne Paint, a family-owned paint store rooted in the community since 1981.
Through Up Here festival, they bring together muralists, musicians, and installation artists each summer to turn downtown Sudbury into an urban art gallery.
"It’s not just about beautifying spaces,” said Christian Pelletier, board president of We Live Up Here.
“It’s about storytelling and breathing life into the city’s narrative through creative placemaking. Once completed, the works created for the festival belong to the community, telling the story of our city—one that honours but evolves from the perception of a region long known but for its mining and educational industries. It sends the message that innovation and urbanity have a place here."
"From our first mural in 2013, to consulting and encouraging us to paint an entire abandoned hospital in 2019 (one of the biggest murals in Canada), to thinking big for 2024, Barrydowne Paint has been onboard every step of the way,” said Jaymie Lathem, general manager of We Live Up Here.
“But it was never just providing supplies. Barrydowne Paint takes the time to teach us how to work with paint, shares tricks of the trade, and how to deal with varying outdoor surfaces. Barrydowne Paint empowers us to be better and go bigger."
"We acknowledge the importance of giving back to our community and getting involved,” said Kelly Scott, General Manager of Barrydowne Paint.
“Whether it’s transforming the space at a local theatre or exposing the soul of a community on a downtown wall, we believe in the ripple effect of supporting local and practicing what we preach."
“This exemplary partnership unites artists and the public,” Aubrey Reeves, President and CEO of Business / Arts. “It demonstrates the profound impact of community-driven projects and how local businesses and arts organizations can collaborate to enrich their communities.”
Presented annually, the Business / Arts Awards recognize leaders, philanthropists, companies, and partnerships dedicated to strengthening the arts in Canada.
Barrydowne Paint and We Live Up Here will be honoured with fellow recipients October 28 at the Art Gallery of Ontario during the 2024 Business / Arts Awards Celebration.
