City of Brampton Public Art Window Activations
The Brampton Main Street Window Activation Pilot Project began in 2021 with the City of Brampton and STEPS Public Art to animate empty storefronts with vibrant artwork celebrating the cuisines found in the city.
This project continued in 2023 to engage with more local Brampton artists in creating public art activations for windows across the downtown core.
Project at a glance
Location: Downtown Brampton, Ontario
Artists: Jenn Liv, Julia Louise Pereira, Meegan Lim, Neha Ray, Sabbie Narwal, Saphera Peters
Documentarians: Herman Custodio, May Shi
Year: 2021-2023
Services: Cultural Planning, Public Art Management
1
animation artist
4
illustrated banners
5
artists
7
animations activations through augmented reality
14
activated storefronts and city buildings
15+
community stories shared
About the 2021 Pilot Project
Beyond the Plate by local Brampton artist Meegan Lim was the first project by the City of Brampton (led by the Cultural Services Department) and STEPS Public Art as part of the Main Street Window Activation Pilot Project. Six city-owned and vacant storefronts in Brampton’s downtown core were animated with colourful illustrations that celebrate the diverse cuisines and food practices in Brampton.
From Filipino and Portuguese to Bengali, Beyond the Plate explored the histories tied to each of the cuisines and encouraged the viewer to reflect on the way they connect to food. Through the artwork, the artist conveyed whether purely through taste or sustenance, the food on one’s plate can be a catalyst that holds onto much more.
Filipino Kamayan Flavours
30 Main Street N
Fiery Portuguese Feast
54 Main Street N
From the Land/Indigenous Foodways
60 Main Street N
Jamaican Favourites
70/74 Main Street N
Bengali Desserts
76/78 Main Street N
Punjabi Thali
80 Main Street N
“Moving back to Brampton, I wouldn’t have guessed that there was going to be support for emerging artists. In a way, this project was a surprise welcome-home gift. Reconnecting to this city through these six cuisines has been incredibly fulfilling. I hope they encourage folks to reflect on the role of food/cuisine in their lives, and the complex histories that come along.”
About the 2022 Augmented Reality Animations
The City of Brampton and STEPS Public Art explored ways to engage the local community further and add an interactive layer to Beyond the Plate. A community survey was circulated to Brampton residents with the question, “What does cuisine mean to you?”
Community responses were collected and incorporated into an augmented reality (AR) experience. Illustrator and motion designer Jenn Liv animated Meegan Lim’s artwork with moving images and combined the collected community audio stories from the survey to shape the AR component.
Through a mobile device and instructions found at each participating storefront, visitors could scan and download the free Artvive app to activate the AR technology for an immersive and audio-visual experience that brought Beyond the Plate to life.
“Food is my family’s love language — it was a way my parents showed their love as words were often harder to come by.”
“Growing up, food has always been the way to my heart, but also the center of many memories. Whether it’s family get-togethers, sleepovers with friends, or even late night parties for myself, a key component is food, especially food from my own land/culture.”
About the 2023 Window Activations
With the success of the public art pilot project, the City of Brampton worked with STEPS again to refresh the downtown storefronts with new artwork. This presented an opportunity to engage with more emerging Brampton artists while keeping the main streets vibrant and reflective of the surrounding community members.
Arts and Culture by Saphera Peters
30 Main Street N
New Beginnings by Julia Louise Pereira
54 Main Street N
Summer in Brampton by Saphera Peters
60 Main Street N
Summer Nights by Julia Louise Pereira
70/74 Main Street N
Flower City by Saphera Peters
76/78 Main Street N
The Love of the Arts by Julia Louise Pereira
80 Main Street N
Brampton Unveiled: The Charms of My City by Neha Ray
2 Wellington Street
Foodies of Brampton by Sabbie Narwal
102-41 George Street S
About the artists
Jenn Liv
2022 Animation Artist
Jenn Liv (Jennifer Liu, She/They) is an award-winning Chinese Canadian-American illustrator based in Ontario. Since 2015, she has worked with a wide variety of notable clients including Google, All Nippon Airways, The New York Times, and many more. Jenn also has a keen interest in emerging technology, particularly in mixed reality, searching for new and innovative ways to expand upon her artistic practice through interdisciplinary methodologies.
Julia Louise Pereira
2023 Artist
Julia Louise Pereira is an artist and illustrator who grew up in downtown Brampton. Inspired by folklore and fairy tales, she uses whimsical imagery to tell compelling stories about the meeting place between humans and nature. She has a Bachelor of Design in Illustration, and works in watercolour, gouache, mixed media, ceramics and digitally.
Meegan Lim
2021 Artist
Meegan Lim is a Brampton-based illustrator and arts facilitator striving to nurture community growth and healing through visual arts. Her multidisciplinary practice primarily focuses on the intersections of food and cultural identity manifesting through detailed gouache illustrations, digital paintings and risograph zines. Meegan’s work has been featured in Chatelaine, Eater, Broken Pencil Magazine and in the book, What We Talk About When We Talk About Dumplings.
Neha Ray
2023 Artist
Bula! My name is Neha Ray, a multidisciplinary Indo-Fijian artist based in the GTA. I draw inspiration from fashion, textiles and design and seek beauty in the everyday.
Sabbie Narwal
2023 Artist
Sabbie Narwal is a Brampton-based illustrator specializing in traditional and digital illustration, and multi-media art. Her work is known for its warm, whimsical and inviting nature, as she aims to uplift and comfort people through her art. Sabbie is the founder of The Paper Narwhal, an art goods brand specializing in stationery and illustrated gifts.
Saphera Peters
2023 Artist
Saphera Peters is a Brampton-based illustrator who brings her vibrant South Asian culture to life through bold colours, fluid movement, and fun imagery. Growing up, she noticed a lack of positive representations of herself in popular media, which inspired her to use art as a means to rewrite that narrative. With every creation, Saphera aims to spread positivity, offering a joyful experience for all who engage with her artwork.
Partners and Funders
The Pilot Project was supported by My Main Street funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.
STEPS Public Art App
Find projects like this with the STEPS Public Art App, a free mobile and web app with an interactive map of STEPS projects across Canada and self-guided walking tours. This app is updated regularly to encourage you to explore your community (or virtually visit public art projects happening in other cities)!
The STEPS Public Art App is best experienced on your mobile device via the App Store or Google Play (also accessible via the Web App on your browser). Please rate and review to help spread the word and enhance your experience with the digital platform.
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