OUR BOARD

The people guiding our organization.

Arts BC’s Board of Directors

Arts BC is a province-wide arts service organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Our Board of Directors aims to define and advance community arts and culture development by supporting the work of arts councils, and other arts and culture organizations while providing members with information, resources and representation.

Board nominations are currently open until Dec 4th. Click here to jump ahead and learn more.

Meet the Directors

Carol Palladino Arts BC president
McKaila Ferguson | President | Pacific/South Island

I have been involved with arts communities and non-profits around the world for several years. I hold a MSc in Museum Studies from the University of Glasgow and a BA (honours) in Art History from the University of Victoria.

Currently, in addition to sitting on the Arts BC Board of Directors, I am currently a Registrar at the Royal BC Museum

My past experience includes: designing touring exhibitions for a World Heritage Site; assisting with the decant and storage process of a 6,000 piece museum collection; researching for an EU-funded heritage project that changes how we interact with heritage sites; documenting and digitizing large collections; designing community outreach projects; and managing various museum and gallery collections.

Art should always be accessible to everyone and remain at the heart of every community.

 

Laurel Wood | Immediate Past-President | Pacific/South Island

Retired after a 30 year career in professional services, I now call Victoria – the magnificent traditional territory of the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations – home. As a collector, maker and above all appreciator of art, I am passionate about the value of art in society. As an experienced Director, I know that good governance empowers the work of members and volunteers and am committed to our progressive journey as an arts community. I am so proud to support and engage with Arts BC as ‘We Power the Arts’.

Rup Grewal | Treasurer | Southwest/Lower Mainland

As a settler in Vancouver, Rupinder Grewal is grateful for the opportunity to live and work on the unceded, ancestral territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh people. Her work has immersed her in the world of professional communications, project management and advocacy. Rup’s appreciation for art and culture was born in the vibrant cultures of India, her ancestral home, which drive her to advocate for the arts and for those voices which have been historically  underrepresented. She is an art enthusiast in every form – as a maker, collector and appreciator.

As the Communications and Program Director for the British Columbia Achievement Foundation, Rup works on province-wide award programs to celebrate the arts, specifically in the areas of First Nations art and  applied art and design. Her current work combined with her past careers working in advertising and for governments has given her the experience and relationships that will support the work of the Board.

Together we can do good things for the future of arts and culture in BC.

Joanne Finlay | Secretary | Northwest

Joanne Finlay is situated on Tsimshian traditional territory with a background in Public Administration, Life Skills and Human Relations. Since 1996 Joanne has used her skills to help Indigenous artists and organizations in Prince Rupert and the surrounding villages. This work has led to a passion and talent in arts administration and includes project planning and coordination. Joanne has helped artists with developing their bios/ artists statements and has assisted with developing their portfolios and documenting their work. She opened a small agency called Mousewoman Consultants in the summer of 2018 and has continued her work in the community.

She has raised close to one million dollars in funds for artists and community arts projects in the community for over 25 years including assisting with capital fundraising efforts. 

Joanne has volunteered on non-profit Boards for over 25 years. She has recently retired from her job in education and plans on dedicating herself to the community arts in the next few years. 

She is presently planning to conduct research into the needs of Indigenous artists in Prince Rupert based on and using an Indigenous strategic planning and evaluation framework model she learned while attending the Banff Centre of the Arts. Her main objective is to assist Indigenous artists to build their capacity and make community plans as a group.

Joanne has planted herself at the grassroots level to work in community development through the arts. She hopes to one day organize a conference for local First Nations artists regarding taxes and professional development. 

Darin Corbiere
Darin Corbiere | Director | Pacific/South Island

James Darin Corbiere is an Indigenous artist, writer and teacher from Wiikwemkong, an Indigenous community on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. Darin is Anishinaabe (Indigenous people from the Great Lakes region). His spirit name is Waabshki Makwa (White Bear). Darin belongs to the Bear Clan. Darin drew upon his role as an Indigenous culture and language teacher to create “The Truth in Truth & Reconciliation” educational board game. He also created DED-C-Comics, the label producing his graphic novel and comic books series. In 2015, Darin embarked on a healing journey from church-related, childhood trauma. His technique of using ink on sculpted wood originated from a desire to connect with the spirit of each individual piece, which in turn, has a story to tell. It is in their creation that he has found a way to heal. Reconciliation is an emerging theme in Darin’s projects.

Anita Lal | Director | Southwest/Lower Mainland

Anita Lal is a fourth generation settler, born and raised on the traditional territories of Lhtako Dene peoples and currently lives on the lands of the Semiahmoo, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Kwantlen, Qayqayt and Tsawwassen First Nations. Her Biji (paternal grandmother), Thakuri Kaur Lal, instilled in her the Sikh values of seva, social justice and advocacy from a young age.

These values fuel her work as the co-founder and Executive Director at Poetic Justice Foundation. Her approach is always inclusive, intersectional, and critical; she draws attention to biases, inequalities, and oppressive systems of casteism, racism, and discrimination.

Anita strongly believes in giving back to the community. She serves on Boards and Advisory Committees for Arts BC, Women Transforming Cities, the Province of BC’s Punjabi Canadian Legacy Project, the South Asian Studies Institute at The University of the Fraser Valley, and the Seva Foundation. She is the Director of Operations and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Moving Forward Family Services and does consulting work for the Royal Academy of Punjab.

Dr. Ambedkar’s words inspire her: Educate. Agitate. Organize.

Diane Levesque-Majewski | Director | Central Interior

Diane is an artist and was born in the beautiful city of Vancouver, British Columbia. Her ancestry includes Kwakwaka’wakw and she is a proud member of the Dzawada’enuxw First Nations (Kingcome Inlet, Alert Bay and Guilford Island). She is French Canadian & Indigenous.

Diane’s interest in art began in 2003 and she is a self-taught artist. Her passion is creating art in a wide range of mediums including painting with acrylics & oils on canvas, watercolors and alcohol inks, pottery, beaded & leather jewelry, and metal art. Diane inspires to continually learn from those she comes in contact with. Her community involvement includes being the President of the Northern Indigenous Arts Council (NIAC) and a Board of Director on the Prince George and District Community Arts Council (CAC).

Shay Paul | Director | Thompson Okanagan

Shay is a Secwepemc multi-media artist, graphic designer, facilitator, and community organizer who operates in unceded Secwepemc’ulucw Territory. In 2022 she founded the grassroots art collective, Indigenous Resurgence Project, to help support regional Indigenous artists. Shay has been an active advocate for artists and working to strengthen pre-existing foundations within the art community through collaborating with artists and organizations across the Southern Interior. She has diverse skills and experience coordinating several different scales of events and strives to learn more with every new project she is a part of. As an active artist in the community, Shay’s passion for working with and helping other artists drives her work in all aspects.

Join Our Board

Arts BC is looking for new Board members! Please put your name forward by December 4th.

If you are passionate about arts and culture and are interested in helping guide the future of Arts BC, please consider joining our group of dedicated, friendly volunteer board members. We welcome new board members with passion and commitment to share their experiences and perspective in a collaborative and welcoming environment.

Nomination Process

The Arts BC Board presents candidates for election at the Annual General Meeting (the Board may appoint members between AGMs). The Nominating Committee makes recommendations based on experience and interest, board composition, regional representation, and principles of equity to develop a board to best serve the aims, objectives and needs of the organization.

To express interest in joining the Board, please fill in this short online nomination form. A Word document form is also available here.

Please see the Arts BC Board Member Role Description and Board Recruitment Policy for more information.

We will contact selected candidates by December 9th to arrange a follow-up interview.

Regional representation matters to us. Arts BC is a provincial organization that serves every region in the province. Although we are not seeking folks exclusively from the following regions, we strongly encourage applicants from the Northwest and Peace Liard regions to apply.

Being a Board Member

As a Board member, you will:

  • Bring your ideas to the table and give back to the community
  • Build new relationships
  • Learn or enhance skills in governance and leadership
  • Gain valuable knowledge and experience to bolster your career and CV

Board members are individuals who:

  • Are passionate about arts and culture
  • Support the work and purpose of Arts BC
  • Wish to share their perspective and learn from others in a collaborative environment

*Experience OR interest in learning about systems change, advocacy, policy development, organization planning and development, or shared services is a bonus!

Commitment:

  • Attend monthly meetings via zoom (approx. 2hrs, 10 times per year)
  • Attend the Arts BC AGM via zoom (annually in June)
  • Attend in-person meetings (average once per year, travel expenses paid by Arts BC)
  • Each term is a 2-year commitment, option to continue for a maximum of 3 terms (6 years)

Board members are not required to make a donation and committee work is optional. Arts BC has Directors & Officers Insurance.

Arts BC focuses on Equity and anti-oppressive values to better serve, support, and reimagine the sector. We especially encourage nominees from diverse communities, including Black, Indigenous, people of color, Deaf and disability, LGBTQ2S+, age-diverse, and those living in non-urban areas.

About Arts BC

Arts BC is a provincial advocacy, service, and education organization that supports British Columbia’s vibrant cultural sector by promoting community arts engagement and developing arts and cultural leadership in all communities. Our province-wide network includes over 440 arts councils, arts/culture/heritage organizations and agencies, artists, and creative entrepreneurs. We are a provincially incorporated not-for-profit society and federally registered charity. 

Current Priorities:

  • Systems Change
  • Cross-sector Innovation
  • Shared Services
  • Anti-racist and anti-oppressive change

About the Board

We are a passionate and committed group of 8-10 individuals with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We live in different areas of the province; from cities to very small communities! We share a deep passion and support the people powering the arts and culture in communities across BC. We volunteer to share our knowledge and experience in guiding the organization, to learn from each other, and to give back to the community. 

Have Questions?

Are you interested in learning more or have questions about our Board? Email us at [email protected] or give us a call at +1-778-410-5104.

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