Chawntay Barrett

Chawntay Barrett (she/her) is an emerging artist and facilitator based in the Greater Toronto Area. Community is an important aspect in Chawntay’s creative practice, as she is a recent alumni of the ArtworksTO Next Stream program and the Remix Project. Chawntay works primarily with oil and acrylic paint on canvas as well as with digital media for illustrations and design. As a woman of afro-Caribbean descent, Caribbean culture is a vital underlying theme in many of her artworks; the majority of her work explores the black experience in the modern era.

Samra Babar

Andi Canales

Sherry Pom Foreman

Revital Weiss

Revital Weiss is a queer Jewish arts worker who believes in the transformational power of the arts. Revital works with artists to develop socially-minded arts programming for marginalized communities. She also advocates for opportunities for emerging artists, particularly BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ+ folks, and incarcerated/formerly incarcerated people. Revital has co-curated and supported arts projects at Neilson Park Creative Centre, the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre, FENTSTER Gallery, and King Heritage and Cultural Centre. Revital holds a Master of Museum Studies. In a past life, Revital was an urban planner.

Megan Sue-Chue-Lam

Programs Assistant

Megan Sue-Chue-Lam is an educator who has designed, facilitated, and evaluated programming for a number of arts and culture organizations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours and Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University and recently completed a Master of Museum Studies (MMSt) at the University of Toronto. Megan is a lifelong learner whose current focus is on centring BIPOC and other minoritized perspectives in the arts and culture sector through community engagement.

Jacqui Arntfield

Community Project Space Curator

Jacqui is a registered social service worker and socially-engaged artist who maintains a collaborative, conceptual and context-specific practice. She holds a BAH in Continental Philosophy from Queen’s University and a Community Worker diploma from George Brown College. Activating this educational background, she uses the arts as a tool to critically examine social issues and catalyze civic engagement. She has worked with numerous community arts organizations including Artscape Youngplace and 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education. As co-director of an interdisciplinary collective focused on interactive and participatory works, she has produced projects for public art events including NXNE Art, BIG on Bloor, Art of the Danforth, Culture Days, 100in1Day Toronto and The Laneway Project. Jacqui loves public art, politics, books and sunshine. Drop by the Community Project Space to say hello!

Ivan Tanzer

Ivan is the Manager of the Petroff Gallery one of Toronto’s oldest commercial art galleries. The gallery presents emerging contemporary fine artists alongside some of North America’s best craft makers. In addition to ensuring the continued success of the business by working closely with artists and clients, Ivan spearheads growth by implementing new and innovative technologies. Leveraging technology in support of artists led Ivan to found his own arts consultancy. Ivan Tanzer Art Services provides artists at any stage of their career with customized technology solutions and a roadmap to achieving their goals. A South Etobicoke resident, Ivan joined the board to bring his passion for the Arts, his technology skills, as well as his wide-ranging arts management knowledge to the LSA community.

MY REASON FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD…

LSA allows me to help serve and connect with the community I live in. I believe that access to Art is a key component to a healthy and happy life.

Jenneen Beattie

MY REASON FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD…

As a South Etobicoke resident, I would like to contribute to the LSA and support the great work they do for my community.

Linda Hill

Linda Hill has worked in community services since 1986 and is formerly Executive Director of Richview Community Care Services. She is a registered social worker and Professor in the Faculty of Social and Community Services at Humber College. Her teaching areas include community development, agency administration in the non-profit sector, program development and evaluation, proposal writing and participatory action research. She is passionate about social justice and transformational pedagogies that include arts-based approaches to teaching and learning. As an educator, she weaves practice-based projects into theory-based courses, opening doors between the classroom and the community.

MY REASON FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD…

I want to contribute to an organization that values social justice and creates positive community space.

Kathy Dimas

Kathy Dimas, is a passionate Artist. As a trained Dancer in Ballet she has performed in classical ballet, Latin folklore and modern Latin dance. Her love of art started with the visual arts and continued with photography. It is through her love of the arts that has taken her to volunteer as a dance teacher for the youth and to get involved as a board member with Lakeshore Arts. She is a Professional Accountant with over 17 year experience. She is a board member acting as Treasurer and sits as top management for profit and non-profit organizations such as University of Toronto Schools and Foundation.

MY REASON FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD…

For the Love of the Arts and how the human spirit is reflected and celebrated through it many forms.

Amanda Neale-Robinson

Amanda is the executive director of the Toronto Inner-City Rugby Foundation (TIRF), Toronto’s only rugby-centred sport for development organization. As a recovering fundraiser, Amanda brings 20+ years of integrated marketing communications experience in addition to nearly a decade of experience focused on building capacity for youth-serving organizations. Prior to joining TIRF, Amanda worked in broadcasting, sponsorship, event planning, and non-profit consulting. A self-described “non-profit nerd” she continues to support grassroots groups and projects through her work as a co-founder of The ReDesign Group.

MY REASON FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD…

Giving space and amplifying the collective voice of the community is the demonstration of being just. Being able to do this through the LSA board is an absolute privilege.

May Yebuga

MY REASON FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD…

Executive Director

Ashley Watson

Executive Director

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Ashley Watson is an arts manager, educator and fundraiser. Perviously she was the Development Officer at the Royal Botanical Gardens and has worked in fund development and partnership cultivation roles at Lakeshore Arts. She was the inaugural Curator for Humber Galleries where she managed two gallery spaces and was responsible for starting a contemporary Canadian art collection. She has also been a sessional and guest lecturer in the Arts Management program at the University of Toronto, Humber College and the University of Guelph. Her professional experience is supported by her academic studies with a BA in Arts Management from the University of Toronto and an MFA from the University of Leicester in Art Museum and Gallery Studies, during which she was awarded the Community Leadership Prize. She also relishes her time spent in the garden and hiking with her pup Hector.

Hector - LSA Office Dog

Hector is a sweet, fun loving pup, who is a favourite around the office here at LSA. At only two years of age, he is already taking on the world and strives to one day become a certified therapy dog. For now, though, he is happy spending his days cuddling up to all those having a ruff day.

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer for Community Mural Painting

Why Join Us

Jacqui Arntfield

May Yebuga

Ashley Watson

Executive Director