Executive Team

• Contact our Executive Team which consists of our brilliant Co-Directors: Heather & Jules.

Jules André-Brown (he/him/his)

• Jules is a father, musician, and scholar passionate about equity. He and his family live in Saanich, which is within the territories of the lək ̓ ʷəŋən peoples represented by the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations and the W̱ SÁNEĆ peoples.
• As a musician, Jules has been active in producing events, radio, and music in Vancouver. He's also a visual artist working in collage and photography. Jules’ recent graduate thesis explores how young people see the future of arts and culture organizations.
• As Director of Development, Jules leads ArtsStarts in building development strategies. As the Co-Director, Jules co-leads the executive oversight of the organizational strategy, financial oversight, and management.
• Jules' past experience includes working as a leadership and governance consultant. He has helped arts, culture, and heritage organizations explore purpose and trust. Jules is a founding member of the International Leadership Association’s Arts community. He has served on many arts and culture organizations like the Space Blanket Society, CiTR radio and Discorder magazine. In addition, Jules has worked in social services and in the advocacy for people with disabilities.r.

Heather Campbell (she/her/hers)

• Heather is a 4th generation white settler living as an uninvited guest on the unceeded territory of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō, Səl̓ílwətaɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil- Waututh) and Qayqayt (Kay-Kate) Nations. She is a musician who has toured all over Turtle Island, and was the co-owner of a Winnipeg-based independent record label and music publishing company for 13 years. Heather holds degrees in psychology, philosophy, and gerontology from SFU. She also likes to craft things with needle and thread.
• Having worked for a number of years in community mental health, specifically in the DTES, Heather has been an advocate for individuals marginalized by the intersection of poverty, addiction, homelessness, mental and physical illness, law enforcement, isolation, gender and sexuality, and many other factors. She continues on a life-long journey to learn about equity, cultural humility, and anti-oppression, and endeavours to deploy those learnings both at work and in her personal life.
• As Co-Director, Administration, Heather is part of the shared leadership team at ArtStarts. Her focus is on providing leadership to the organization in the areas of finance and operations. She shares responsibility for strategic development, governance, and supporting the mission, vision, and values of ArtStarts with the leadership team..

Lily Cryan (she/her/hers)

• Ask me about: How you can submit a strong grant application
• Lily is a white settler who grew up on Duwamish territory, colonially known as Seattle. She is a practicing emerging choreographer who immigrated to Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Territory to attend SFU and holds a BFA in Dance and Communications.
• Lily's creative practice works with artists from all movement backgrounds and all bodies to create interactive works performed in public spaces. She is committed to continuing to learn from local artists and activists to work for a more just and accessible world.
• Lily manages the AIC, CSV, and Cherniavsky grant programs and continually reviews grant processes with community feedback to remove barriers. She also works with the Gallery Team to design and deliver process-based activities that emphasize process over product to move away from Eurocentric definitions of “high” art.
• Lily has worked at educational institutions and arts organizations in the Lower Mainland. She is thrilled to bring her dance, theatre, and education backgrounds together at ArtStarts to provide hands-on connection between Artists and young people.

Necole Hines (she/her/hers)

Schedule a phone call with Necole necole@artstarts.com

• Ask me about: Block booking, Showcase, Artist Directory, and school performance/workshop bookings
• Necole is a first generation Jamaican settler living as an uninvited guest on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Necole is a lover of plant medicine, magic and spreading love through food. .
• Necole is passionate about creating safe and inclusive spaces for marginalized artists. It is her ongoing goal to learn and apply anti-oppression frameworks and practices in both her work and personal life.
• As Program Manager, Necole supports artists on our touring roster to get connected with schools across the province of BC. She also works with the school districts to administer the Artists in Education grant as well as our annual ArtStarts Showcase.
• Necole has experience in stock photography, magazine publishing, music museums, entrepreneurship, event planning, and catering.

Kamana Ntibarikure (she/her/hers)

• Kamana is a Burundian-Canadian interdisciplinary artist living on the unceded stolen lands of the Stz'uminus & Coast Salish Peoples. Kamana's artistic practice coincides with social justice principles.
• As the Communications & Development Manager of ArtStarts, Kamana manages the communications and supports the development aspects of the organization, and she is committed to being an active part of ArtStarts mission of decolonizing our current knowledge systems within an inclusive anti-oppressive framework.

Alexandra de Guzman (she/her/hers)

Schedule a phone/video call with Alex alexandra@artstarts.com

• Ask me about: Showcase, Artist Directory, and school artist bookings.
• Alexandra (or Alex, for short) is a first-generation Filipino settler living and working as an uninvited guest on the ancestral and unceded homelands of the hən̓qəmin̓əm̓ (Halkomelem) and Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) speaking peoples. Alex is a Filipino food fanatic, amateur nail artist, and lover of people. 
• Alex has had the fortune of working with various mentors in her academic and professional pursuits, as well as her peers, who have challenged her to reflect on her (un)learnings. She is committed to continue building her knowledge on anti-oppressive frameworks and practicing consensus-based decision-making to promote community empowerment and provide safer, inclusive spaces. 
• As a Program Coordinator, Alex provides support to the Program Manager in the Booking & Touring Department. She helps the daily facilitations of supporting the touring artists and connecting them with schools and young audiences across British Columbia.
• Alex is humbled by the opportunity to serve the arts community as a Program Coordinator at ArtStarts. ArtStarts is a reflection of her own commitment in delivering Arts education and programming that prioritizes accessibility and equity, and that fosters community.

Peisen Ding (he/him/his)

• Ask me about: Artists in residence (Surrey and Kootenay Lake), weekend family programming, and touring exhibitions.
• Peisen is a Chinese immigrant and queer artist living on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil- Waututh) Nations.
• Equity has always occupied an important role in Peisen's work. For example, his art practice mainly focuses on exploring queer identity and social issues through his lived experience as a gay immigrant. He believes it is meaningful to deliver love, care, and courage to people who are also immigrants to Canada, and/or from the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Moreover, working at ArtStarts has significantly helped him to continue his learning journey of equity and anti-oppression.
• As a Program Coordinator, Peisen works with the Public Program Manager and Gallery Coordinator to support and develop in-person and online workshops, exhibitions, events, and resources for artists, teachers, and local communities.
• Apart from being an artist, Peisen also worked as an art teacher at several schools and communities in the past. He is honoured to work at ArtStarts because it not only enables him to encounter diverse forms of art and meet different artists, but also offers him opportunities to facilitate workshops and work on educational programs and resources.

Izzy Data (she/her/hers)

• Ask me about: Grants
• Izzy is a Chilean-Polish settler residing as an uninvited guest on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She holds a BFA from Emily Carr University of Art + Design, majoring in Visual Arts and minoring in Curatorial Practices. Izzy is an animal lover, a creative being, and loves to explore cultures through food and music. 
• Izzy has had the privilege to learn and work alongside mentors and peers that have allowed her to further recognize, understand and actively attempt to unlearn the systems of colonialism that are built into the structures of her communities and own life. She has prioritized learning, listening, and applying knowledge that stems from anti-oppression framework to both her professional and personal experiences. She advocates for all individuals that have been marginalized by the systems of colonialism and advocates for accessibility to housing, community, creative liberty, education, and inclusive safe spaces for all. 
• As a Program Coordinator, Izzy provides support to the Program Manager of Grants. Izzy mainly focuses on daily facilitations of the grants program, but also participates in assessment meetings and keeps note of community feedback to contribute to the continuous growth and development of our grants program to make sure artists and schools needs are reflected in our processes.
• Izzy is grateful for the experience to be a part of the ArtStarts team and continues to practice ways that she can actively serve her communities through her position. ArtStarts aligns with Izzy's values to make art and creative experiences accessible to all young learners and give opportunities to young art practicioners.

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