Experience Thunder Bay’s Thriving Arts & Culture Scene

Thunder Bay has a vibrant and active arts and culture community, guided by the Culture Plan, which supports its growth and development. We invite you to get involved!

Public Art 

Discover our Arts & Heritage Awards, celebrating local talent, explore rental opportunities at the Baggage Building Arts Centre, or immerse yourself in the City’s Public Art Collection. We also engage artists and acquire works through established processes like Calls to Artists—updated regularly as new projects arise, so stay tuned!

Baggage Building Arts Centre (BBAC)

Located in Marina Park, at 2200 Sleeping Giant Parkway, the Baggage Building Arts Centre is not currrently open on a daily basis, however the facility can be rented in order to host arts, culture, & heritage minded community programming, workshops, performances, gallery exhibitions, etc. 

If you have an event, program or class you'd like to run, consider renting the Baggage Building Art Centre. The program space can be booked by individual artists and/or organizations. Note* - The BBAC is not available for wedding ceremonies and/or receptions or birthday parties. Alcohol cannot to be served in this facility.

For more information about space rentals, please contact bbac@thunderbay.ca 

 The History of the Baggage Building

 Dating back to 1907, the original structure served as the Freight Office for the Canadian Pacific Railway handling the railwayʼs shipping and receiving until the early 1960ʼs. Purchased by the City of Port Arthur, the building began being used by the Lakehead Visual Arts Club in 1969 and was a seasonal summer gallery for artists to showcase their work used by the club until 2009.

The spirit of the site as an arts venue has continued as part of Thunder Bayʼs waterfront development plan. The structure was renovated and expanded to include a two-storey addition in 2012 combining its historical architecture with a modern open-concept space. Named the Baggage Building Arts Centre, the facility offers flexible space including work studios, exhibition space, and teaching venues, while the north courtyard and south plaza provide additional outdoor exhibit and performance spaces.

The building has achieved LEED Gold certification through many sustainable strategies. These strategies include passive heating and cooling, solar energy, triple-glazed windows, the low albedo roof, and the use of recycled content building material. The building, along with the adjacent Water Garden Pavilion, are the first LEED-certified projects built in Thunder Bay.

City of Thunder Bay Event Series 

The City of Thunder Bay celebrates arts, culture, and music all year long with a dynamic lineup of performances, programs, exhibitions, festivals, and events - there’s something for everyone!

During our yearly event series, you can experience the magic of SnowDay on the Waterfront, featuring winter recreation and stunning snow sculptures. In the summer, enjoy Live on the Waterfront, with live music every week! Then, dive into innovation at QUEST: Tech & Gaming, showcasing the latest in STEAM.

And that’s just the beginning! Explore our full event lineup today!

Community Events 

Check out the Community Events Calendar to explore even more events that highlight the incredible talent and passion for arts and culture in Thunder Bay!

Stay Up-to-Date! 

Facebook - Thunder Bay Culture & Events

Instagram - Thunder Bay Culture

Newsletter - Culture & Events Newsletter 

 

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