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EDUCATION Goldsmiths, University of London, MFA Curating University of Toronto, BA Theatre and Semiotics WORK EXPERIENCE September 2015—present Program Curator, Performance and Live Projects Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto CA - This role grew alongside my expanded and unique responsibilities, from Program Assistant to Coordinator of Cross-Disciplinary Projects, eventually including Curator in the title, first Assistant Curator, then Program Curator, to reflect my level of responsibility in designing and delivering the gallery’s largest signature programs. - For five out of the six years that Art Gallery of Ontario’s AGO First Thursdays program ran, I was responsible for initially producing then curating it. I was also responsible for curating and producing AGO Friday Nights when it first launched in 2015 in addition to other large-scale live projects. AGO First Thursdays ran monthly for six years, and AGO Friday Nights weekly for two years. - AGO First Thursdays hosted on average 150 unique local and international artists and musicians a year, as well as 25,000 mostly new visitors to the gallery annually. Highlights of AGO First Thursdays series include queer rap artist Mykki Blanco, Canadian pop star Peaches, Carole Pope of celebrated band Rough Trade, historic hip hop artist DMC, and activist and drummer Madame Gandhi as headliners, collaboration with filmmaker Bruce LaBruce on bringing legendary performance artist Ron Athey for his first Toronto performance, New York downtown cult figure Kembra Pfahler and many other local, national and international artists. - In addition to these two branded platforms, I was also responsible for inaugurating a new performance series AGO Live. In its first year I curated presentations by emerging award-winning choreographer Daina Ashbee in partnership with Harbourfront Center, commissioned a special antiphonal choir work by Owen Pallett, artist that also goes by the name Final Fantasy, in response to Early Rubens exhibition, hosted Canadian premiere of artist Zadie Xa’s performance work Grandmother Mago originally commissioned for 2019 Venice Biennale, celebrated 100 Years of Merce Cunningham with partners The Merce Cunningham Trust and Japanese avant-pop musician Miho Hatori. In 2024 I was able to revive this platform to present artist Miles Greenberg in an immersive, durational performance, for which I partnered with 2024 Luminato Festival Toronto. - In addition to curating, delivery of my programs includes overseeing an annual budget for live programming as well as revenue targets for marquee events, and of course marketing and communications deliverables. Also of note is that each event involves navigating a complex institutional environment that includes union and non-union staff alongside internal stakeholders ranging from Conservation to Health and Safety as well as Development teams and Curatorial. I developed projects for and alongside all of the museum curators during my tenure. - Highlights of other performance presentations include curating, planning and delivery of programming plans for such exhibitions as Toronto: Tributes+Tributaries 1971-1989, immersive experimental ballet piece Dreamers Ever Leave You in collaboration with National Ballet of Canada, Song Dong’s Communal Courtyard, Theaster Gates: How To Build a House Museum and Isabel Lewis’ Toronto Nuit Blanche project amongst others. - Highlights beyond programming include cultivating partnerships with organizations like Fall For Dance North, City of Toronto’s Nuit Blanche, National Ballet of Canada, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Ontario College of Art and Design University’s Criticism and Curatorial Practice class and so forth. In addition to contributing catalogue essays for Toronto: Tributes+Tributaries 1971-1989 and Moving the Museum Indigenous+Canadian Art at the AGO. January —June 2022 Research Associate CIRCA, London UK - As part of a small team of this unique organization which commissions contemporary artist to create short video works to be projected on the iconic Piccadilly Lights screen, my role was cross-appointed between Production and Communications teams to create research briefs on upcoming commissioned artists. During my tenure there, the artists shown were Yoko Ono, Agnes Denes, Marina Abramović, Simon Fujiwara and Kandis Williams. - My research led to development of a social media strategy, which I would draft, as well as future programming ideas and exploration of new formats for engagement. May 2022 Conference Facilitator Association for Art History, London UK - Supported this major international online conference by facilitating presentations as well as coordinating the conveners of individual sessions. - My role further connected the conference organizers with the Goldsmiths community who supported the infrastructure of the event. December 2013—September 2015 Program Assistant, First Thursdays Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto CA - Coordinated production of AGO First Thursdays, a monthly large-scale event with a variety of artist projects, musical acts and speakers. - Developed working principles and guidelines for information delivery to various stakeholders. - Liaised with artists to develop projects within scope of museum’s production capacities and taking into account conservation concerns. - Negotiating the relationships between internal and external stakeholders to create most impactful and meaningful temporary interventions. November 2012 and 2013 Artists Coordinator Heartland Festival, Bern and Lausanne CH - For the 2012 Constellation Records anniversary in Bern, managed the off-site gallery space, overseeing artwork installation, collection display and smaller performances. - For 2013 edition in Lausanne, coordinated correspondence, hospitality and itineraries for 18 international artists including Diamanda Galás, Planningtorock, Total Freedom, Michachu amongst others. February 2012 —March 2103 School Hop and Grants and Administrative Coordinator Canadian Art Foundation, Toronto CA - In the position of School Hop Coordinator, administered and curated the School Hop program, a major education and outreach initiative of the Canadian Art Foundation aimed at the city’s secondary school students, serving approximately 700 students within a six-day period. - In the same capacity, worked with major Toronto festivals, Images and Contact Photography Festival, on organizing tours, hiring local artists to facilitate the tours and liaising with the Toronto School Board on delivering the program. - In the position of the Grants and Administrative Coordinator, prepared and compiled grant applications on behalf of the Canadian Art Foundation and Canadian Art Magazine, coordinating input from editorial, development and circulation departments. SELECT AFFILIATIONS Pleasuredome Film and Video Collective: Programming Board Member C Magazine, International Contemporary Arts: Internship City of Toronto Nuit Blanche Independent Projects: Juror Association of Art Museum Curators: Propel Program Fellow SELECT ARTISTIC PRESENTATIONS 2014 weighing and pensive [artist] Gallery TPW: Installation. cinematic desire: or how i learned to stop worrying and learned to read the signs [slideshow performance] The Theatre Centre. Triple Bill: Martingales [costume design] Toronto Dance Theatre. Created by: Christopher House. Henderson/Castle voyager [space and costume design] Toronto Dance Theatre. Created by: Ame Henderson/Public Recordings. 2013 what we are saying [space and costume design] The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery. Created by Ame Henderson/Public Recordings. 2012 Paper Laced with Gold [set design] Harbourfront Centre. Writer and Director: Maggie MacDonald and Stephanie Markowitz. Ajax and Little Illiad [costume design] Harbourfront Centre World Stage. Writer and Director: Frank Cox O'Connell and Evan Webber. One Year After [space and set design] Toronto Free Gallery. Writer: R. M. Vaughan, Directed by: Frank Cox O'Connell. Out The Window [costume design] The Theatre Centre. Created by: Liza Balkan. 2011 The Family Story [set design] Double Double Land. Writer and Director: Aurora Stewart de Peña. 300 Tapes [costume design] The Theatre Centre. Created by: Ame Henderson/Public Recordings. 2010 And so the animal looked back… [exhibition] Art Gallery of York University. Windows [set design] Theatre Passe Muraille. Writer: Liz Peterson. Directed by: Alex Wolfson. 2009 Sexual Aberrations: Part One [set design] Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Writer and Director: Alex Wolfson. Russophila: Tarkovsky [slideshow performance] Tranzac Club. The Works [art direction] TV Pilot. Director: Simon Ennis. 2008 If I’m Me Today, Must I Tomorrow [set and space design] Gallery TPW. Writer and Director: Alex Wolfson. Mount Shasta [art department] Short Film. Director: Oliver Husain. 2007 Magic, Mystery or Matrix [set design] InterAccess: Electronic Media Arts Gallery. Writer and Director: Alex Wolfson and Liz Peterson. Psychic Discoveries behind the Iron Curtain [performance] The Drake Hotel. Cinemoi screenings: 'Germany in Autumn' and 'WR: Mysteries of the Organism': Lecture and Screening. Five Thinking Hats [art department] Short Film. Director: Oliver Husain. Rewind [costume] Short film. Director: Lara Azzopardi. 2006 Destalinizing Stalin Trampoline Hall: Public lecture. Jet Set and Etcetera [slideshow performance] Oasis Club. 2005 The Selected Lovers of Mercedes de Acosta [set design] The Music Gallery. Writer and Director: Liz Peterson. I am an apartment building [costume] Short film. Director: Lara Azzopardi. 2003 the wizard of oz: in six parts - a political comedy [set and costume design] Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse. Writer and Director: Alex Wolfson. Macbeth [set design] Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse. Director: Devon Elke. 2002 Baby Doll, I’m Through With Games [set and costume design] Tarragon Theatre Extra Space. Writer and Director: Alex Wolfson. 2001 Two Rooms [set and costume design] Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse. Director: Lara Azzopardi. Bacchae [set design assistance] Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse: Assistant to Astrid Janson. Director: Daniel Brooks. TECHNICAL THEATRE EXPERIENCE Glenn Morris Theatre Robert Gill Theatre Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse RESIDENCIES Dance4, Nottingham UK OBORO, Montreal CAN The Copycat Academy, Luminato Festival, Toronto CAN |