Corktown Community Paint-In: Saturday, June 25

The Corktown Community Paint-in is a one-time event featuring an art tutorial from a local artist where participants will paint a self-portrait on canvas, conveying what they love about the Corktown community.

Food and beverages, locally sourced from downtown Hamilton businesses, will be served to attendees.

On event day, the paint session will draw visitors from the Corktown neighbourhood and nearby communities. The event will create space for residents to express themselves through art and connect with each other. Through the art medium, attendees can engage meaningfully with the goal of self-expression and relationship building without the constraints of language, education level and ability.

The high foot traffic in the area will organically translate into economic activity for the surrounding businesses. All businesses collaborating for the event will be advertised to encourage local consumerism.

After the event, the artworks will be installed on a large chain-link fence at Corktown park. The installation will transform the industrial-looking fences into a feature that is a vibrant presentation of the community.

their art will act as a permanent mark on the space and foster a sense of belonging

For residents who attended the event, their art will act as a permanent mark on the space and foster a sense of belonging. Residents who did not attend will still feel a sense of ownership as they may relate to the sentiments expressed in the art. Overall, the aesthetic display will generate attraction to the space.

With the help of the Main Street Community Activator Placemaking program, the Corktown Community Paint-in will help unite and connect all residents of Corktown while creating feelings of community and belonging.

Corktown Community Paint-in (Volunteer) 

Do you love art? Are you looking for a rewarding experience to volunteer directly with community members? If so, we welcome you to volunteer at the Corktown Community Paint-in event powered by OPIRG McMaster, on Saturday, June 25th! 

The Corktown Community Paint-in invites residents of Corktown, Hamilton and surrounding areas to paint under the sun and connect with fellow neighbours at Corktown Park. This one-time event will feature an art tutorial from a local artist where participants will paint a self-portrait conveying what they love about the Corktown community.  Through art, attendees can engage meaningfully without the social pressure to speak English or be articulate. Food and beverages, locally sourced from downtown Hamilton businesses, will be served to attendees.

The art created during the event will be installed to transform an industrial-looking fence at Corktown Park. The once dreary fence will become almost like a welcome mat, representing the diversity of Corktown and its residents. The project is meant to inspire collective ownership over the space and foster community building between the diverse groups within the neighbourhood. 

We are calling for 15 to 20 passionate and energetic volunteers who are interested in helping to execute this event. We are looking for volunteers to execute the following tasks and responsibilities: 

  • Event set up: setting up of blankets, tents and art stations (10 AM – 1 PM)
  • Food and Beverages: serving of goods, plates and cutlery (2 PM – 5 PM)
  • Event support: directing participants to art stations, answering questions, site upkeep, and other tasks that arise (1 PM to 5 PM)
  • Event take down: trash clean up, canvases collection and tent/supplies/blanket collection (5 PM to 6:30 PM)

Volunteers must attend a virtual mandatory orientation session on Saturday, June 18th, 2022 from 6 to 7 PM. If you are interested, please fill out the Google form by June 15th, 2022. Volunteers will have their volunteer hours officiated. A reference letter can also be provided upon request! 

Corktown Placemaking Team

Muntaka Siddique
Muntaka SiddiqueCorktown Placemaking Team
My name is Muntaka Siddique, and I am in my final year of Honours Life Sciences at McMaster University. I have been living in Hamilton, Ontario, for 18 long years. Being a long-term resident in Corktown, I have always loved being an active community member and learning more about my city and the Hamilton community. My professional interests include health education, inspiring children towards STEM, sustainability, and making education and science more accessible. Outside the classroom, I love to cook and learn traditional homecooked recipes. I enjoy learning to sew, going to the harbour, and spending time with family and friends.
Sahra Siyad
Sahra SiyadCorktown Placemaking Team
My name is Sahra Siyad, and I am a soon-to-be graduate of the Honours Life Sciences program at McMaster University. My academic interests include climate justice, social justice, and the social determinants of health. I am an avid reader and lover of docu-series and documentaries. I’ve lived in Corktown, Hamilton, Ontario, since 2002 and have always been an active part of my community. I currently serve as treasurer on the Corktown Cooperative Homes board of directors.
Wajeeha Cheema
Wajeeha CheemaCorktown Placemaking Team
Hello! My name is Wajeeha Cheema and I will be graduating from Honours Life Sciences in the next year. I love Hamilton and have been living here for the last 19 years! My positive upringings within my community made me passionate to get more involved with community work in the city. Other than this, my academic interests include environmental and social justice, sustainable living, health education and promoting accessible STEM knowledge to the public. I also enjoy reading, baking and watching movies/shows with family and friends.

Directions to Corktown Park

OPIRG McMaster receives Government of Canada support through My Main Street Community Activator Placemaking Program

June 8, 2022 – Hamilton, ON – OPIRG McMaster is pleased to announce that our Corktown Community Paint-in event was selected for the My Main Street Community Activator program and has received $7,080 that will create a safe space for residents of Corktown, Hamilton and surrounding areas to paint under the sun and connect with fellow neighbours at Corktown Park.

Through the Government of Canada’s My Main Street Community Activator, delivered by the Canadian Urban Institute(CUI), Corktown residents will enjoy a more vibrant neighbourhood setting that will draw visitors and increase foot traffic to shops, restaurants and exciting new public spaces. OPIRG McMaster is supported by My Main Street—a two-year, $23.25-million investment by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), delivered by CUI and the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO).