Treasures of Ours exhibition is an expression of gratitude to past and current generations for ensuring culture from the African diaspora gets the spotlight it deserves. This is an online gallery to amplify Black voices through their heritage, culture, talents, stories, etc. Treasures of Ours is intended to promote the preservation and continuity of Black legacy in modern-day culture.
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 is a local spoken word poet and is currently studying to become a psychospiritual therapist. She combines psychotherapy, Eastern spiritual practices and art therapy to approach healing for her community.
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 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 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.
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.
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 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.
I want to contribute to an organization that values social justice and creates positive community space.
For the Love of the Arts and how the human spirit is reflected and celebrated through it many forms.
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.
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.
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 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.
