The staff of Toronto Arts Council are a team of 20 people, often increased by interns and volunteers, working together to support, promote and advocate for the arts in Toronto.
Kelly Langgard, Director & CEO
Kelly Langgard is an established arts leader who has worked in public institutions at every level of government, and with communities and partners across Canada and internationally. She has more than 25 years of experience in cultural policy, arts funding, partnerships, stakeholder relations, and non-profit governance and management. Prior to her current role as Director and CEO of the Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation, she was Director of Granting at the Ontario Arts Council and held leadership positions at the Canada Council for the Arts in partnership development, international strategy and engagement, and impact research. She has also managed the team at the Canadian Commission for UNESCO and been an advisor to Global Affairs Canada on cultural diplomacy. Kelly began her career in the media arts, leading the herland feminist film festival and co-founding the Fairy Tales Queer Film Festival in Calgary before relocating to Toronto to head the Images Festival. In the course of her career, she has initiated and led a range of innovative projects, programs, and partnerships aimed at expanding opportunities for artists and arts organizations, and increasing public appreciation and investment in the arts.
Dane Bland, Director, Development & Engagement
Dane is a Certified Fundraising Executive with a decade of nonprofit experience raising tens of millions of dollars in contributions through corporate and foundation partnerships, major gifts, and multi-channel mass-market campaigns. He is deeply committed to volunteerism, community management, political activism, advocacy, and philanthropy. In addition to his experience in fundraising, Dane brings a wealth of expertise in communications, digital marketing, direct marketing, and media relations. Dane has worked as Head of Development at international LGBTQI+ charity, Rainbow Railroad, and held previous roles in arts, healthcare and higher education. He is a graduate of the Trent University Business Administration Program and Seneca College Fundraising Management postgraduate certificate program. He also sits on the boards of 4th Line Theatre and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (Greater Toronto Chapter), and has been a CFRE Ambassador since 2019.
Rupal Shah, Director, Policy & Programs
Rupal is an experienced and inventive cultural manager with over 20 years of experience leading, supporting and collaborating with artists and communities. Most recently, she was the Interim Associate Director of Granting at Ontario Arts Council. Rupal began her career supporting Canadian theatre artists and performance creators through leadership roles at Nightswimming, Obsidian Theatre, and Summerworks Performance Festival. She then came to Toronto Arts Council where she managed funding programs and partnerships as Strategic Programs Manager. In 2021, she led the creation of a national community of practice as part of the Healthy Communities Initiative, a federal funding program supporting Canadian infrastructure and placemaking initiatives in the wake of COVID-19. Rupal teaches in the Arts Management program at Centennial College.
Andrew Suri, Director, Planning & Operations
Andrew joined TAC in 2010. He studied philosophy and biology (B.Sc. McMaster University, M.Sc. University of Victoria) and had commenced doctoral research before he crossed over to the arts and worked as a photographer and filmmaker, and as a performer and educator of the South Asian performing art of banethi. Since then, Andrew co-founded IMPACT (Indian Martial & Performance Art Collective of Toronto), and coordinated community arts projects across Toronto and in India. He has served TAC as Community Arts Officer, as well as Manager, TAC Grants Online. Working to improve access to TAC programs for under-represented cultural and community groups, Andrew led the development of several new grant programs and granting processes, including the Black Arts program and the Newcomer and Refugee Arts Engagement and Mentorship programs, and as head of the TAC Equity Steering Committee led the implementation of initiatives such as the TAC Accessibility Grant and Application Support, and helped develop and refine TAC's online granting system. Andrew became Director, Grants Management in 2017 and was named Director of Granting in 2019.
Yazmin Camacho Vela, Administrator, Grants Process
Yazmin is an Arts administrator with years of experience supporting granting opportunities for film, media, and artistic community development projects from diverse roles at the Ministry of Culture, Peru. She has also taken production roles in film and commissioned artistic events. Her most recent work experience with the Pix Film Collective, a Toronto-based grassroots organization that contributes to enriching hybrid and multidisciplinary experimentation in media arts, was awarded the Ignite GLOW scholarship for her outstanding commitment to community development. Yazmin holds a Bachelor in Communication Arts and Sciences from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru where she majored in Audiovisual Communication and postsecondary studies in Marketing and Advertising, and is a graduate of Humber College’s Arts Administration and Cultural Management program.
Gursimran Datla, Administrator, Technical Support
Gursimran Datla is an emerging storyteller, living and working in Toronto. He moved to Toronto in 2016 from India to pursue Post-Secondary studies in filmmaking and arts management. Through the Arts Management program at Centennial College, Gursimran focussed on digital marketing, social media optimization, fundraising, web support, and web development. He has also studied design thinking and a variety of programming languages through Ryerson University. For the past eight years Gursimran has been producing short films, facilitating film workshops, and creating events as a film programmer, and has volunteered at many film, theater and art festivals in Toronto. Gursimran is a past recipient of the TAC Newcomer & Refugee Artist Mentorship grant, and is developing a comedy TV pilot based on the lives of South Asian Canadians. As a writer and director, his short film ‘Cinnamon Tea’ was screened at the South Asian International Film Festival, Toronto and at Emerging Lens Cultural Festival at Halifax, Nova Scotia. As an artist and arts worker, he is interested in the aesthetics of displacement and how the idea of ‘Home’ affects our artistic choices and decision-making. Gursimran is a proponent of equity in the arts, and believes that the enriched multi-cultural nature of the arts in Toronto can bring positive change in the lives of its residents.
Kadija de Paula, Senior Manager, Impact & Evaluation
Kadija de Paula is an artist, writer and arts administrator passionate about the intrinsic value of art and its transformative power. As Senior Manager, Impact & Evaluation at the Toronto Arts Council and Foundation, Kadija draws on a wealth of experience from her previous roles as Evaluation Manager and Interim Strategic Programs Manager at TAC/TAF. Her global perspective is informed by her work on Brazil's National Arts Policy and her facilitation of a network of 27 artist residencies across 14 Latin American countries. In Toronto, she has made significant contributions to the arts through positions at the Ontario Arts Council, Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography, and XPACE Cultural Centre. Kadija holds an International MBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business and a BFA from OCAD University. Her artistic and literary works have been presented in venues and publications worldwide, including the 32nd São Paulo Art Biennial, Q21 MuseumsQuartier Vienna, Kunsthaus Dresden, and Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris.
Christy DiFelice, Program Manager, Music
Appointed in 2010 to the position of Music Program Manager, Christy came to TAC from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, where she was the Manager of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. A graduate of York University (MA, Ethnomusicology/Musicology; 2008), her studies focused on musics and cultures of the African Diaspora, with a specialization in North American Jazz and Blues. In addition, she has previously worked with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, the Fine Arts Cultural Studies Department at York University, and as a music copyist. Since its inaugural season (2008), she has sat on the Board of Directors of the Brantford International Jazz Festival. She is particularly passionate about advocating for diversity, arts education, and community development through the arts.
Timaj Garad, Senior Manager, Outreach & Access
Timaj is an Ethiopian-Harari multi-disciplinary artist and community organizer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Development Studies from the University of Waterloo. For the past 15 years, Timaj has been performing, facilitating workshops, and creating events as a spoken word artist and singer-songwriter, alongside her community work supporting and capacity building for Black artists, newcomers, youth, and persons with disabilities in the non-profit sector. Most recently, she has developed and managed a successful Ontario-wide bridging program for internationally-trained media and communications professionals. Timaj is known for creating and leading community arts programs such as Stellar (R)evolution: a poetry & theatre series for Black Muslimahs, Beyond a Single Story – a national storytellers’ retreat for Canadian Muslim Storytellers, and LUMINOUS Fest - Canada's first Black Muslim Arts Festival, to name a few. Timaj believes in the transformative power of the arts to strengthen communities and is deeply passionate about creating greater access and amplifying the arts in Toronto’s underserved communities.
Sarah Gladki, Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications
As Senior Manager, Communications, Sarah brings her lifelong passion for the arts and strong communication and administrative skills to Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation. An active member of the arts community, Sarah is a visual artist who works in many mediums, including drawing, photography, moving images and clay. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University where she majored in both Art History and World Religions, and a Masters of Fine Arts from Ryerson University’s Documentary Media Program. Sarah currently serves on the board of the North American Native Plant Society.
Lena Golubtsova, Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives
Lena Golubtsova is an arts worker, writer and translator. She holds a Master’s degree in Literature and worked in publishing earlier in her career. Since coming to Canada in 2015, she received a graduate certificate in Arts Administration & Cultural Management from Humber College and has been working in the arts with the focus on visual, public and inter-disciplinary art. She contributed to five editions of Nuit Blanche Toronto, visual art residencies at the Banff Centre, and Awakenings program at Toronto History Museums, among other professional and creative projects. Her most heartfelt interests include access to making and experiencing art; anti-colonial perspectives and practices within immigrant communities and beyond; waste, recycling and non-materiality in the arts; mental health in times of ecological crises; feminism; becoming; and unmediated miracles of daily life.
Tafiya Itiaba-Bayah
Tafiya is an Afro-Canadian movement artist with roots in Saint Lucia and Ghana. A graduate of OCAD University, he has worked with movement and dance as his primary method of expression and exploration for over 15 years. Through street dance culture, music, and movement he has been able to find his voice and empower artists in the GTA and abroad. He has trained, facilitated, competed, performed, and traveled internationally in order to hone his craft. He continues to support the advancement of the Canadian dance community through the development of community programs and resource sharing. Creating opportunities to question the experiences, systems, and environments we live in has been a key component of his community arts practice. He remains grounded in a long term vision of creating healthier and more supportive environments for dancers to grow in community or commercial settings.
Armen Karapetyan, Senior Manager, Finance & Facilities
Armen Karapetyan has extensive working experience with numerous non-profit organizations, predominantly in administration and finance. Prior to moving to Toronto, Armen lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he held a position at the Barthelmes Conservatory of Music, a rewarding and enjoyable experience he recalls with a sense of accomplishment and pride. Immediately upon his arrival, Armen immersed himself into the Toronto art scene by volunteering with local arts organizations, including the Toronto Summer Music Festival, The Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra, Canada’s National Ballet School and b Current Performing Arts, where he assisted with administrative, marketing, and accounting duties. Armen holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and currently serves on the Board of Directors with Sinfonia Toronto.
Peter Kingstone, Program Manager, Visual & Media Arts
Peter Kingstone is a Toronto-based visual artist and curator, working primarily in video and photography. As an independent artist, Peter’s installation pieces have been shown across Canada and internationally, and he was awarded the Untitled Artist Award in 2005 for his installation The Strange Case of peter K. (1974-2004). Peter holds a degree in Philosophy/Cultural Studies from Trent University in Peterborough and a Masters of Fine Art focusing on video and new media from York University in Toronto. Peter has presented at many conferences on the ideas around storytelling and social engagement. Peter started in September 2012 as the Acting Visual/Media Arts Program Manager at Toronto Arts Council.
François Lebas, Manager, Data Analytics
Raised in Western France in a family where music held primary importance, François began studying choir singing and music theory at the age of six, later expanding his talents to piano and guitar. In 2017, he graduated from a renown engineering master’s program with a specialization in Urban Engineering and launched a career in the technology sector. He immigrated to Toronto two years later in pursuit of new professional opportunities and quickly developed a passion for hands-on work in web application development and end-to-end analytics solutions. Joining the Toronto Arts Council and Foundation, François is excited to bring his technical skills to serve local artists and organizations, building stronger communities, and creating a city that we all love.
Caitlin Loney, Administrator, Grants Support
Caitlin Loney comes to Toronto Arts Council as a recent graduate of Humber College’s Arts Administration and Cultural Management program. She also holds a B.A. in English Literature from York University, and her education includes a special focus on Creative Writing and Theatre. In recent years, Caitlin has worked on projects as a Stage Manager and Poetry Editor and continues to explore these passions. Her recent work experience has been with the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT), where she assisted with the planning and organizing of special projects/events. A life-long lover and student of the arts, Caitlin is excited to bring her skills and passions to TAC where she aspires to help grow a strong and healthy city through the power of the arts.
Sarah Mangialardo, Senior Executive Coordinator
Sarah Mangialardo is an artist, administrator and mother who was born and raised in Toronto. She holds a Master's degree in Photography from Concordia University and a Bachelor's degree in Photography from Toronto Metropolitan University. Throughout her career as a visual artist, Sarah’s artwork has been exhibited in galleries in North America and abroad. Her work can be found in collections and publications in Canada as well as Europe, and she has been the recipient of support from the Canada Council for the Arts. Sarah has many years of experience in management, administration and education. Her previous work experience includes working as a digital archivist and administrator at the University of Toronto, as well as teaching at Concordia University.
Elahe Marjovi, Program Manager, Theatre & Large Institutions - on leave
Elahe Marjovi is an Iranian-Canadian theatre set/costume designer and arts manager. Before moving to Canada in 2014, she spent a year as a set design assistant on Broadway, and a year as invited Professor of Scenic Design at the University of Tehran. In Canada, her devotion to advocating for artists and the arts inspired her to pursue studies in arts management while working as a freelance theatre designer. She has worked for many Canadian companies including Factory Theatre, Centaur Theatre Company, Black Theatre Workshop, Teesi Duniya Theatre, and the National Arts Centre. Elahe has also worked as the fundraising officer for Tirgan, one of the largest festivals celebrating Iranian art and culture in the world. Elahe’s academic achievements include a bachelor’s degree in Architecture (Beheshti University in Iran), a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Design (University of Kansas) and a Master’s degree in International Arts Management (HÉC Montreal and SMU Dallas). Elahe's works have been recognized both locally and internationally, and she has received design nominations for a Dora Award the Fadjr Theatre Festival. She received a National Award in design excellence from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Elahe has also been awarded grants from Toronto Arts Council, Conseil des arts de Montréal, and Canada Council for the Arts
Liza Mattimore, Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives
Liza Mattimore holds a B.A from the University of Toronto and a post-graduate diploma in Culture and Heritage Site Management from Centennial College. She has worked as a Theatre Producer, General Manager, and Arts Administrator for the past 10 years. Prior to joining TAC she served as a Producer for Crow’s Theatre, and as General Manager for both Theatre Direct and Cahoots Theatre. She has also held positions with organisations including Artscape; the Toronto International Film Festival; Catherine Hurley & Company, one of Canada’s leading creative consultancies; The Arcadia Artists Housing Co-Operative; and Big Bang Technology Inc. Liza is particularly interested in the intersections of new technologies, public and private partnerships, accessibility, and support for local and emerging artists.
Selina McCallum, Coordinator, Communications
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Selina McCallum is a hardworking and ambitious social media manager, filmmaker, photographer and videographer who is passionate about digital storytelling, music and social justice. She was born in Toronto and raised by her Tanzanian mother and Jamaican father. She graduated from the University of Windsor in spring 2019 with a double degree in Digital Journalism and Communications Media and Film. She started her photography business, Shot By Selina in 2016, and has worked with brands, models and businesses. In 2018, Selina won a national award for her videography work in her short documentary Marley’s Journey, which was also featured in Windsor Shorts 2019 on CBC GEM. Her film, Prison Bars to Page Lines a part of the Being Black in Canada Program was also nationally broadcasted on CBC and available to watch on CBC GEM. Her most recent documentary, Fitriya: Muslim On and Off The Court, has been selected in film festivals nationally and internationally. Selina has successfully worked on communications and social media management projects for production houses in Toronto and music labels like Warner Music Canada. In her free time, she loves to watch movies, spend time with her family and go for walks.
Sarah Miller-Garvin, Interim Program Manager, Theatre
Sarah Miller-Garvin is an artist, writer and arts administrator who was born and raised in downtown Toronto. She is a Dora nominated producer and has held positions for a wide breadth of artistic and cultural organizations. Among them are the Paprika Festival, where she served as Director of Production; Yonge-Dundas Square, where she worked in event coordination and Aluna Theatre, where she coordinated the Rutas Panamericanas Festival. She has also filled artistic roles in many independent theatre productions. Sarah has a Honours BA from the University of Toronto, where she focused on Theatre and Gender Studies. She has been working in public funding for the arts at Toronto Arts Council since 2015, supporting a variety of different discipline and strategic programs and initiatives. Sarah is passionate about the importance of Arts and Culture in our city.
Michelle Parson, Manager, Office & Reception
As Office Manager, Michelle’s duties include administration, reception, web- and copy-editing, among other responsibilities. She’s been a part of Toronto Arts Council’s team since 1997, previously serving as Ballet Creole’s General Administrator and Human Resources Clerk in her homeland’s Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago. Michelle’s skills as a performing artist and administrator are widely recognized in her Caribbean community, having performed with Ballet Creole, COBA, Canboulay Dance Threatre, Inner Stage Theatre, Naked Mask Productions and La Petite Musicale, among others. She is a lead vocalist in a number of active bands. Michelle has recorded lead and background vocals on a number of music albums, for artists and bands such as MOKA, Kobo Town, Dick Lochan (RIP) and most significantly, on the award-winning album Far From Home by world-renowned singer Calypso Rose. Michelle serves on TAC's Equity Steering Committee.
Abhishek Rao, Bookkeeper
Abhishek has a master's degree in commerce from the University of Mumbai and is currently pursuing a postgraduate diploma in international business management from Seneca College. He had worked as an Audit Analyst at KPMG before joining Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation. He is ecstatic and enthusiastic about supporting a vision that assures that all Toronto residents have access to the arts.
Kevin Reigh, Senior Manager, Arts Discipline Programs
Kevin has over 14 years of experience working in the arts/not-for-profit sector, having previously worked at dance Immersion, the Canadian Music Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) and Unity Charity in various administrative, fundraising and outreach capacities. He also founded Mosiah Grant Writing + Creative Communications to help independent artists and smaller not-for-profit organizations navigate the world of grant writing and proposal development.
As a writer and spoken-word artist, Kevin has released one album (Ground Provisions) and a volume of poetry (Love. Universes. All Things.) and has collaborated with numerous musicians and dancers throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Kevin also contributed a spoken-word piece, The Real Deal, to Paranoid Jack’s acclaimed album of electronic and house music, The Last of the Funky Cyborgs, and his work was also included in T-Dot Griots: An Anthology of Toronto’s Black Storytellers.
Rudrapriya Rathore, Program Manager, Literary Arts & Music Operating
Rudrapriya Rathore is a writer and administrator with several years of experience in the education and cultural sectors. She holds a Master’s degree in English and Creative Writing from the University of Toronto and has published her non-fiction work in various magazines including Brick, Hazlitt and The Walrus. Her fiction is featured in online and print publications as well as in The Unpublished City, Volume I, which was shortlisted for the 2018 Toronto Book Award, and After Realism, a 2022 anthology of short stories. In 2021, she was shortlisted for a National Magazine Award in the Essays category. She has previously worked as a college program advisor and a bookseller, and most recently managed administration and production at The Glenn Gould Foundation, where she collaborated with many music organizations to bring concerts and digital programming to an audience of thousands. She is deeply interested in the politics of mentorship and expanding access to creative collaboration for artists in all fields. In 2017, she founded the Flying Books Mentorship Program to empower writers and improve their craft.
Nawal Salim, Interim Administrator, Grants Support
Nawal Salim is an artistic programs producer, content developer, filmmaker, and actress who has worked with several arts organizations such as Young Centre for the Performing Arts, Ontario Culture Days, MuslimFest, and Silk Road Institute. She has her Master of Fine Arts in Documentary Media from Toronto Metropolitan University and has studied acting at Second City Toronto, Armstrong Studios, LB Acting Studios, and the Professional Actors Lab. Her acting work includes: the short films Taboo, One Day, and TV commercials for Canadian Tire, Government of Ontario, VanCity Bank and more.
Clau Souza, Coordinator, Marketing
Clau Souza is a Brazilian Designer + Illustrator. Over the years, she has engaged in collaborative ventures across a broad spectrum of creative projects and teams, including partnerships with publishers, advertising agencies, game companies, and non-profit organizations around the world. With a Bachelor Degree in Advertising and post-graduate studies in Graphic Design and Arts Education and Community Engagement, her work is deeply rooted in fostering connections among communities and empowering people and projects that leave a positive, worldwide impact. Clau's unwavering belief is that design is a force for change, driving her passion and curiosity for a creative approach focused on sustainable practices and accessible design solutions.
Joyce To, Administrator, Grants & Outreach
Joyce To is a Toronto-based percussionist, improviser, and new media/sound artist, who explores relationships between aesthetics and ecology through experimental art making. She considers the tensions between aesthetic representations of the natural world in digital media and the material consequences of art-making practices. She aims to create pathways of reflection on contemporary environmental and social discourse through artistic investigation, and interdisciplinary collaborations. Her performance career spans across the globe, having performed in Australia, Japan, America, and Canada. Over the past six years Joyce has also gained a wealth of administrative and stage management experience through festival management and co-curator roles. Joyce’s output includes presenting works at conferences and international festivals, premiering 50+ new works, and collaborating with improvisers, artists, composers, dancers, and writers. Joyce has trained as a percussionist in Australia and Canada. She holds a Masters in Performance from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University.