Navigating the competitive pull of small-town mentalities through collaborative creative expression.
Jealousy in a small town is actually the highest form of community recognition you can receive.
You have probably heard the phrase ‘crabs in a bucket’ whispered in coffee shops or classrooms. It describes that frustrating phenomenon where, as soon as someone starts making moves or trying something new, the people around them try to pull them back down to the bottom.
In our rural northern communities, this often manifests as subtle snark about a new project opening or eye-rolling at a local arts collective trying to get a grant. It feels personal, but it is actually a reflex born from a deep-seated fear of being left behind. Not because they hate art. Just because your momentum feels like a threat to their comfort.
The Zen perspective suggests we stop viewing these ‘crabs’ as villains and start seeing them as mirrors. When you decide to pursue an artistic path in a small town, you are inadvertently shining a light on the dreams other people have tucked away in their basements. Your movement highlights their stillness. They are not trying to hurt you; they are trying to regulate their own discomfort by bringing the environment back to a predictable, stagnant baseline. Seeing that clearly takes the power out of it.
Instead of fighting the pull, we can use arts-based approaches to change the shape of the bucket itself. Small-town resilience thrives on collaboration rather than competition. When we shift from a ‘me’ focus to a ‘we’ focus, the scarcity mindset begins to dissolve. If you are starting a project, invite the skeptics to the table. Give them a brush, a camera, or a seat at the planning committee.
Art has a unique way of bypassing the ego and tapping into the shared human experience. It is hard to stay bitter at someone when you are both covered in the same paint or trying to figure out the same rhythm.
Practicing mindfulness in this environment means acknowledging the sting of criticism without letting it dictate your direction. You might feel the ‘cringe’ of being perceived, especially in a place where everyone knows your name and your business.
Use a simple ACT technique: label the feeling. Tell yourself, ‘I am noticing the feeling of being judged.’ Then, return to your work. Your creative practice is a sanctuary that exists outside of local opinion. By staying grounded in your ‘why,’ you become a steadying force for others who are also looking for a way out of the bucket.
Building a healthy arts sector in the North requires us to be the crabs that push others upward. We have to celebrate every win, every mural, and every small-scale zine launch as a collective victory. Radical kindness is the ultimate disruptor of small-town gossip because it makes the bucket irrelevant.
When you choose to lift others, you find that you are no longer trapped at the bottom; you are helping build something much bigger than the town limits.
It starts with one person choosing to be a cheerleader instead of a critic.
It starts with you.
Northwestern Ontario Arts, Culture and Recreation
Rooted in Melgund Township, Northwestern Ontario we’re exploring arts, culture, and recreation programming that brings our communitiess together. From creative workshops and local exhibitions to youth activities and cultural events, we support rural artists, strengthen community connection, and celebrate the creative spirit of Northwestern Ontario.
Through community-based arts initiatives, recreation programming, and cultural gatherings, Melgund Recreation, Arts and Culture fosters creative expression, collaboration, and long-term sustainability in the northern arts sector. Our work connects residents, empowers youth, and builds pride in local talent across rural Northwestern Ontario.
Learn more about our programs, events, and opportunities with Melgund Recreation, Arts and Culture.
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