Celebrating the Power of Partnership
Congratulations to Barrydowne Paint & We Live Up Here!
In recognition of their innovative partnership supporting arts and culture in Canada, they are being honoured with the 2024 Community Impact Award
Barrydowne Paint and We Live Up Here are being recognized for their creative partnership, which has resulted in the creation of over 100 murals and public art pieces. This collaborative effort has transformed downtown Sudbury into a vibrant hub of artistic expression, serving as a catalyst for community connection and rediscovery.
We Live Up Here (WLUH) is an urban arts organization in Sudbury, Ontario, formed around the idea that art can inspire, transform and help build a better community. Through the Up Here festival, they bring together muralists, musicians, and installation artists each summer to turn downtown Sudbury into an urban art gallery.
Barrydowne Paint, a family-owned paint store operating since 1981, has provided invaluable support and expertise to realize this vision.
Here’s what the incredible team behind the partnership have to say:
“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”, recalls 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”, shares 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.”
“It’s not just about beautifying spaces”, states 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.”
The Community Impact Award recognizes an arts and business partnership that has enhanced the quality of life and enriched a local cultural scene through an innovative program, partnership or neighbourhood revitalization initiative.
Community Impact Award Partner
Congratulations to all of the 2024 Award Recipients!
Visit businessandarts.org/awards to learn more about the Business / Arts Awards celebration and to get to know this year’s exceptional recipients.