Cultural Champions
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Celebrating Cultural Champions
Councillor Michael Thompson with Cultural Champion Earla Alexander
The Celebrate 27 Arts Fest Community Cultural Champions project recognizes the significant contribution that cultural champions make in our communities. There are many people in Toronto's diverse neighbourhoods and in the community arts sector who have given of themselves to enrich their communities through the arts. Twelve local cultural champions were honoured at the launch of the Celebrate 27 Arts Fest on March 31 at Brookfield Place. Through our partnership with the Toronto-based company Joy Apparel, the images of the community cultural champions were artistically rendered on t-shirts and scarves, in recognition of their efforts. A run of these limited edition t-shirts/scarves will be available by donation in April. Revenue from these donations will go back to the organization that selected the local champion to be used for community arts programming.
The Community Cultural Champions are: Norman Alconcel; Earla Alexander; Lillian Allen; Laurie-Shawn Borzovoy; Kim Crosby; Joy Hughes; Che Kothari; Doris McCarthy; Mark Selkirk; Jerry Smith, Natalyn Tremblay and Gili Zemer. Biographies below:
Norman Alconcel:
Toronto-born Norman Alconcel aka "Big Norm" is a renaissance man known for his performance, culinary arts, music and creative design talent as well as his commitment to community arts and social activism. A few accomplishments to date include co-founding YouNited (a youth-led organization that builds youth capacity within Scarborough’s priority neighbourhoods), a degree in culinary arts from George Brown, placing top 10 in Canada’s “Much Music VJ Search”, working extensively with Literacy Through Hip Hop, hosting the Big Norm Show Comedy Variety Showcase, and hosting and facilitating a number of workshops and events with the Scarborough Arts Council, Grassroots Youth Collaborative, Toronto Youth Cabinet, Manifesto, and ArtReach Toronto. What makes Norm a cultural champion is his greater purpose in life – to make a positive difference in the world, creatively. He has an uncanny ability to engage and captivate people, he has been a prominent and encouraging voice for youth across Toronto, and he has influenced positive change within his communities, striving to bring the best out of every individual he encounters.
Earla Alexander:
Earla Alexander has a longstanding devotion to art and arts education. She began experimenting with "children's media" at the age of 5 and went on to pursue a career in the arts. Since 1959 she has had many group and solo shows at such galleries as the Picture Loan Gallery, Pollack Gallery, Nancy Poole, the Akari Gallery in Mexico and Del Bello Gallery. As a teacher, she spent sixteen years as the Head of Etobiocke Collegiate’s Art Department. Now well into her nineties, Earla continues to create art and experiment with painting. She has supported other artists and especially young artists, not only by sharing her knowledge, but also through supporting student scholarships. As an educator, Earla taught her students – many of whom now have their own professional careers in the arts - to be ever curious, and that art and creativity are the keys to living a happy life. Her passion for art is boundless and her support of continuing artistic work in her community is enduring.
Lillian Allen:
Lillian Allen, Professor at the Ontario College of Art and Design University is a poet extraordinaire has been a cultural activist on the Toronto scene from the seventies. Best known as an accomplished international artist (author, poet, filmmaker) and an as innovator, for her groundbreaking dub poetry.
Her recordings ‘Revolutionary Tea Party’ and ‘Conditions Critical’ won Juno awards in 1986 and 1988 respectively. Her works appear independently and in anthologies. She has spent almost four decades writing, publishing, and performing her work in Canada, The US, Europe, and England.
Featured in the official WHO IS WHO in Canada, Ms. Allen, is a noted cultural strategist who is a past member of the Racial Equity Advisory of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Experts Advisory on the International Cultural Diversity Agenda, and a past executive member and member of the Sectoral Commission on Culture and Information of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.
Laurie-Shawn Borzovoy:
As a Director and Production Designer for the performing arts, film, and video, Laurie-Shawn's most recent works include the CBC's production of the Trudeau feature within the series, "The Greatest Canadian". His design projects with director Robert Lepage include BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE and ERWARTUNG for the Canadian Opera Company. Laurie-Shawn regularly provides creative process workshops for students and professionals worldwide, and was the first Electronic Media Design member of the Associated Designers of Canada. His work has been supported by numerous grants and awards from the Canada Council, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, the Laidlaw Foundation, as well as corporate sponsors since 1985. He has also worked extensively on the development of interactive, online and social media, themed environments, retail experiences, and international award-winning live events. Laurie-Shawn has held Creative Director positions at Playdium Entertainment, ICE inc, CGEY, Maritz Canada. Presently he is the VP Creative Services at Blackbox Communications Inc.
Kim Crosby:
Kim hails from Trinidad & Tobago, but is made of the fabric and texture of the many places she has moved through the world. With a joint honors in African, Caribbean and Latin American History and Cultural Anthropology with a minor in Philosophy from McGill University she has developed a strong voice as an artist, global citizen and social change advocate. A published creative writer, spoken word artist, performer, play write, media artist, journalist, yoga instructor and public speaker Kim has built a proud reputation as a passionate youth leader and community organizer. She has graced stages, festivals, panel discussions and conferences across North America. Kim is also an innovative arts program developer and popular educator infusing exploration and criticality while as an ICA trained facilitator she fosters inclusion, equity and anti-oppression into everything that she does. Kim is co-director of The People Project, an organization producing innovative arts and leadership opportunities for queer and marginalized youth in Toronto.
Joy Hughes:
Joy is an invaluable gift to artists, the community and to Cedar Ridge Creative Centre. She is the heart and soul of Scarborough's Cedar Ridge, a fine arts centre that she helped to found over 30 years ago. Joy is bridge between artists and community members, who selflessly volunteers of her time – daily – to make things happen. To this end she has worked on a great many committees, including active engagement with the Toronto Arts Council, a tireless advocate of the arts, and specifically, for the arts in Scarborough.
Since 1984, she has been treasurer/administrator of Cedar Ridge Studio Gallery, organizing exhibits, shows, sales and fundraising events. She has championed artists who may not have had the opportunity to show elsewhere, and arranged exhibitions for those new to Canada. Those who know her witness the fact that it is not only the quantity of achievements, but also the quality of life that she puts into it that makes her so effective. In l985, Joy was given the Scarborough Recreation, Parks and Culture Volunteer Award; in1988 The Volunteer Service Award of the Ministry of Culture And Communications of the Province of Ontario; in 1995 The Ontario Association of Art Galleries Partners Award and in 2000 The Ministry of Culture and Communications Volunteer Service Award for over 30 Years of Service to the Arts.
Che Kothari:
Photographer and cultural community instigator Che Kothari believes in culture, opportunity & change. After studying photography in the Image Arts Program at Ryerson University, he shot professionally at events around the city. He is a co-founder of Hightop Studio – a company dedicated to photography, web design, event production and management. Through his work with Hightop, opportunities came flushing in from many different companies including Red Bull Canada, Sony/BMG, FIDO, Nike, The City of Toronto, Canada Goose, CBC and many more. He continues to harness his photographic gift and has shot intimate portrait sessions with the likes of Ziggy Marley, Julian Marley, K'Naan, k-os, Ice Cube, Faith Evans, T.I., Common, Cypress Hill, D'bi Young and many others for features and covers of renowned publications.
Che has exhibited his work over 75 times in Toronto, but also in New York and Tokyo. Che is also the Executive Director of Manifesto - which is best known for hosting the largest annual urban arts festival in Canada, the 7 day long Manifesto Festival of Community & Culture - as well as an independent media channel, an arts hub in Parkdale, networking and convening opportunities for young artists, arts education and more. Che is also often a key note speaker or presenter at a variety of forums and conferences as well as teaching regular workshops for young emerging artists and leaders across Canada.
Doris McCarthy:
Doris McCarthy was a leading artist who spent most of her life living and working in Scarborough. Creating a varied body of work that captured landscapes across Canada and abroad, her abstract and representational paintings represented a unique perspective in Canadian art. As a teacher, Doris McCarthy inspired many young and emerging artists from 1932 until her retirement in 1972. Her work has been exhibited at the National Gallery of Canada, Art Gallery of Ontario and many other public and private galleries. Doris McCarthy passed away peacefully on November 25, 2010.
Doris McCarthy played an integral role in the local arts community in Scarborough. She was an early supporter and patron of Scarborough Arts (then Arts Scarborough), and her work and legacy continues to inspire artists and residents of all ages and backgrounds.
Mark Selkirk:
Mark Selkirk was an entrepreneur and owner of Merlinworks, the fibre glass company that created the Toronto Moose and a multitude of other creations that grace the world. He was also a community activist, taught canoe building at the Mimico Correctional Centre which are now used by TROOP, a police/youth initiative in Algonquin Park and a champion of the arts.
Mark came to the Board of Lakeshore Arts with endless enthusiasm and energy. He was a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Etobicoke and Co-Chair of the Toronto Ribfest. It was expertise and know-how that he brought to the table while serving as Co-Chair of the Brass in the Grass Steering Committee with Jerry Smith, overseeing its seven sub committees. Mark passed away on November 24, 2010 and this is our opportunity to thank him in a unique, creative and memorable way.
Jerry Smith:
Jerry Smith has been a long-time champion of the arts both as a volunteer and as a professional. Jerry was a long time Board member for Lakeshore Arts and Lakeshore Community Partnership, building these organizations from grass roots to a major community presence. “Swimming for Shore”, a community play about the Lakeshore, performed by community members, was his brainchild and he brought it to the Assembly Hall as part of the official opening of the facility. Jerry was the creator of the Brass In The Grass Music Festival in Etobicoke building arts audiences in the community.
Many of Toronto’s arts administrators have been trained by Jerry in his role as Program Coordinator of the Arts Management Certificate Program at Humber College. His enormous volunteer contribution and leadership has benefitted many arts organizations including Community Arts Ontario, Arts Etobicoke, The Association of Cultural Executives, Theatre Ontario, Ontario Contact, ArtsVote and the Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra. He is currently vice president of Arts Consultants Canada, a professional association of consultants providing services to clients in the arts and cultural sector.
Jerry has received many awards for his accomplishments including the Volunteer Service Award, City of Toronto - 2003; Outstanding Contribution Award, The Assembly Hall – 2002; Volunteer of the Year, Lakeshore Arts - 2001; Volunteer of the Year, City of Toronto – 2000; Community Service Award, Humber College – 1999. In his honour Lakeshore Arts named their art gallery The Smith Zone.
Natalyn Tremblay:
Natalyn Tremblay carries the conviction and strength of their Métis French Farmer roots, and the experiences as a queer identical twin and rambler to imbue criticality and creativity into everything they engage with. Natalyn holds a BA in Integrated Media from the Ontario College of Art and Design with a special focus on the theory and practice of making art for social change. They have been creating mixed media and performative works as an independent artist and community collaborator for over 10 years showing internationally from soap boxes & back alleys to contemporary stages & galleries. Their work explores and explodes the fissures and intersections between human peripheries, identities and stories. Natalyn is also the co-founder and Executive Director of The People Project, an organization producing and leveraging arts and leadership opportunities for Spectrum (LGBTTQQ2SIA) youth while offering a breadth of equity based consultation and facilitation for youth service providers at all socio-political levels.
Gili Zemer:
Gili Zemer is the creative vision behind Drum Artz Canada. She came to Toronto at the age of 9, plays several instruments and has always had a passion for music. She has been a key member of the Samba Squad ever since. Inspired by the community role samba schools had in Brazil, she partnered with Rick Shadrach Lazar to deliver the first Samba Kidz program. Gili and Rick also co-founded Drum Artz Community Centre, and found a permanent home for Drum Artz Canada (DAC).
Following the models of samba schools in Brazil, Gili’s vision for Drum Artz is one that uses the drum to call people together, but where each person is able to contribute their own talents and skills to the community. The result today is that Drum Artz programs include not only professional arts education, but also cooking, gardening, swimming, sports, and other activities, all delivered by a diverse group of youth leaders, staff, parents and volunteers. At Drum Artz Canada, Gili manages all projects and programs, while also coordinating with the Board of Directors. She takes a lead role in grant writing, event organization (e.g. fundraisers), volunteer coordination, liaising with community partners, and staffing. She oversees DAC’s financial operations, and in conjunction with the Artistic and Program directors, Gili directs the long-term artistic vision of the organization.
