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MENTORSHIP COLLABORATIONS

TO SUPPORT PLURALISM

IN THE ARTS

February 2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction 3

2. Proposed Approach 4

3. Outreach and Set-up 5

4. Matching Organizations: 8
I) Developing Organizational Capacities 8
II) Developing Entrepreneurial Approaches 9
III) Developing Curatorial Competencies and Community
Engagement Strategies 10

5. Learning Circles 11
I) Organizational Resilience 11
II) Board and Volunteer Engagement 12
III) Making Successful Pitches 13

6. Assessment and Next Steps 14

7. Advisory Committee 15



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1. Introduction:

In the spring, 2013 Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO) developed a pilot
project entitled Advancing Pluralism in the Arts. With the involvement of the CPAMO Advisory
Committee, this project has been developed to build the capacities of CPAMOs Roundtable
Members and other Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations who live and work in Toronto.
The components of this project seek to enable these arts organizations to develop organizational
resilience through a combined approach of individual and group learning and knowledge-sharing
to address such key organizational functions as:

i) data management for financial controls and reporting, sponsor and audience
engagement;
ii) governance structures and processes, including board and volunteer engagement;
iii) mentorship and knowledge-sharing between small and large arts organizations; and
iv) curriculum development for community and/or school-based programs.
These issues were identified as important to CPAMO Roundtable members in a survey
completed in December 2012 and interviews with 15 CPAMO Roundtable members from
January June 2013. Based on the survey and interviews, the areas of most need included:

Developing promotional/marketing, community engagement and audience development
strategies aimed at connecting with diverse communities, particularly Aboriginal and
ethno-racial communities interested in the arts;
Enhancing understanding of how to attract private sector foundations and corporate
sponsors interested in the arts; and
Providing organizational support to enhance the effectiveness of financial and
administrative systems, including data base management.

This survey clearly indicated that there is a gap impacting on the creative success of small
Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations in Toronto. CPAMOs approach in addressing
this gap is to take lessons from initiatives by our many partners and by engaging these
resources to build a program that will effect real change in capacity and equity. The CPAMO
Advisory Committees participation is indicative of the recognition of need for new ways to
achieve a positive outcome for these organizations that are at the leading edge of Canadian
cultural development in Toronto. CPAMOs work over the past four years has reinfoirced the
need for new ways of doing business and helping create success. This has been further
reinforced in recent reports by the Metcalf Foundation on Shared Platforms and
Choreographing our Future and further through CPAMOs participation in Ontario Non-Profit
Network and Laidlaw Foundation working groups on platforms.

Further, CPAMOs work with large arts organizations, arts presenters and umbrella
organizations has demonstrated that there is a significant opportunity to create a reciprocal
approach to meeting needs that will create a more sustainable environment for creative
development. To provide a mutually beneficial exchange, the survey and interviews indicated
that Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations can offer the following to large arts
organizations:

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Information on how to connect with Aboriginal and/or diverse communities through
community engagement, programming and community media;
Standards of excellence and artistic practices stemming from Aboriginal and ethno-racial
communities; and
Access to volunteers from diverse communities.
This one-year project proposal focuses on one component of these identified needs
mentorships. The purpose of mentorships is to engage Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts
organizations with large arts organizations to develop a mutually beneficial exchange of
knowledge and skills and to initiate collaborations between them.

It is designed to support Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations and large arts
organizations in their efforts to address some immediate needs in tangible and measureable
ways. As such, this project proposal identifies a strategic approach to bringing these arts
organizations together to develop and implement resource sharing for mutual benefit.

2) The Proposed Approach:

This project aims to deliver opportunities for Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations to:

I. develop their administrative functions in such areas as database management, reporting
and financial controls;
II. stage their performances in venues operated by larger arts organizations;
III. enhance their understanding of the decision-making processes regarding submission of
proposals for performances; and
IV. develop their understanding of fundraising and revenue strategies for capital and/or
program purposes.
This project also aims to deliver opportunities for larger arts organizations to:

I. enhance their understanding of diverse communities and how they access information
about available cultural activities and resources;
II. enhance their entry points into diverse communities for purposes of building relationships
that will support marketing and community/audience development;
III. develop collaborative promotional mechanisms and programming with Aboriginal and
ethno-racial arts organizations ;
IV. attract volunteers, advisory participants, board members and other resources from
diverse communities.
The methodology of this project is to focus on mentorships engage Aboriginal and ethno-racial
arts organizations with large arts organizations to develop a mutually beneficial exchange of
knowledge and skills and to initiate collaborations between them.



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There are four (4) components to this project:

1) Outreach and Set-up
2) Matching Organizations and Developing Knowledge-Sharing Activities
3) Learning Circles and Collaborative Knowledge-Sharing
4) Assessment and Next Steps
For each of these approaches to be successful, there must be at the outset the building and
establishment of mutually respectful and beneficial relationships. In this context, this project
makes the fundamental assumption that all participants are willing and able to receive and
share knowledge and skills that are important to their organizations operations.

Based on this, Goals, Objectives, Activities, Timelines, Outcomes and resource requirements
are identified for each of these project components.

3. Outreach and Set-up:

Goal: To identify Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations and larger arts organizations
willing and able to participate in this project

Objective: To begin to solicit proposals for participation from Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts
organizations and larger arts organizations

CPAMO will engage ten (10) Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations and five (5) large
arts organizations to join this project. These will be chosen based on:

their stated interest in this component of the Advancing Pluralism project;
their willingness to commit the time and resources to this project; and
their willingness to participate in the knowledge-sharing activities and to engage in the
development of collaborative sector learning and project development.
In this context, CPAMO will hold three information sessions to introduce this program its
goals, objectives, anticipated outcomes, processes and application process to inform its
Roundtable members and other Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations from the following
communities:

a) Aboriginal, e.g., Red Sky Performance, Native Earth Performing Arts, Association of
Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts, Kaha:wi Dance Theatre;
b) South Asian, e.g., Sampradaya Dance Creations, Why Not Theatre, Nova Dance, South
Asian Visual Arts Centr;
c) Asian, e.g., Little Pear Garden Theatre Collective, Cahoots Theatre, REELAsian Film
Festival;
d) African Diasporic, e.g., the Collective of Black Artists, KasheDance, Nia Centre for the
Arts, danceImmersion and the Nathaniel Dette Chorale; and

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e) Brazilian and Latino, e.g., Aluna Theatre, alucine film festival, Vanguardia Dance, Bavia
Arts and Cultural Centre and Alameda Theatre;
f) Others, e.g., Modern Times Theatre.
CPAMO will also invite large arts organizations to attend these information sessions. Some of
these organizations include:

i) Flato Markham Theatre;
ii) Lula Lounge;
iii) Oakville Centre for the Arts;
iv) Community Cultural Impresarios;
v) Luminato Festival;
vi) Lula Lounge;
vii) Toronto Centre for the Arts;
viii) Prologue to the Performing Arts;
ix) Soulpepper Theatre;
x) Ontario College of Art and Design University;
xi) The Theatre Centre;
xii) Toronto International Film Festival;
xiii) Theatre Ontario;
xiv) CanDance Network;
xv) Living Arts Centre;
xvi) Canadian Dance Assembly; and
xvii) Meadowvale Theatre.
An open call to these information sessions will be circulated by CPAMO through its website and
list-serve and also through the information services of the CPAMO Advisory Committee
members.

This project envisions matching two Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations with one large
arts organization. The benefits of this approach are:

For Aboriginal and ethno-racial artists, this presents a collegial engagement where two
organizations can connect with one large arts organization to develop required knowledge
and skills. In addition to the mentor-mentee relationship, this will enhance the Aboriginal
and ethno-racial arts organizations engagement by providing peer-to-peer exchanges
between them to support knowledge-sharing on community engagement and curatorial
competence to be shared with the large arts organization they are connected with.
For large arts organizations, this approach enhances their access into specific
communities. It also provides them with opportunities to work with the organizations in
each community on common marketing and program promotional strategies that may
have a better chance of penetrating these communities. For example, rather than
working with one organization in any given community, the large arts organization will

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have access to two in the mentor-mentee relationship, thereby enhancing their profile in a
given community through use of diverse promotional mechanisms.
For all participants, this project will provide opportunities for knowledge-sharing in a
facilitated, collaborative process. In this context, all organizations will meet regularly to
share information and strategies on the exchanges they are involved in. This will
increase the knowledge of all participants, allowing for identification of common and
distinct approaches. Such a process will enhance the learning of all participants and
assist in building collaboration as well.
Based on the above, a formal selection process will be initiated in February 2014 and will include
the following components:

i) development of an application form and process. CPAMO will develop this based on
models used by Creative Trust, Arts Build/Work In Culture, Australia Arts Council and
Dance U.S.A. April;
ii) promotion of application form/process and response to inquiries. May;
iii) receipt of applications. May;
iv) recruiting a jury and adjudicating applications. May-June;
v) announcing results of the selection process. July.
Timelines: April July 2014

Outcomes: Ten Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations are selected, their
organizational learning needs identified and their knowledge/skills capacities to share with larger
arts organizations. Five larger arts organizations are selected, their organizational learning
needs identified and their knowledge/skills capacities to share with Aboriginal and ethno-racial
artists.

CPAMO will facilitate the initial meetings between successful applicants and assist in setting up
a schedule for face-to-face and other engagements. CPAMO will also facilitate the initial
meeting between the two Aboriginal and/or ethno-racial organizations that will share their
knowledge and to develop collaborative approaches to support their organizations interest and
needs.

Resources Required:

a) CPAMO Project Lead and Project Coordinator to promote and convene information
sessions. Time required: 24 hours;
b) CPAMO Project Lead to develop the application for review by the Advisory Committee.
Time required: 16 hours;
c) CPAMO Project Lead recruits and orients jury selected from the Advisory Committee.
Time required: 8 hours;
d) CPAMO Project Assistant to develop and disseminate promotional materials. Time
required: 8 hours;

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e) A jury of three from the CPAMO Advisory Committee to review and make
recommendations on applications. This will also involve CPAMO Project Lead and
Project Coordinator. Time required 3 days or total of 120 hours; and
f) CPAMO Project Lead and Project Coordinator convene first meeting (full day) of
selected participants. Time required: 24 hours for coordination and meeting.
4) Matching Organizations and Developing Knowledge-sharing Processes and
Activities:

This project will focus on three areas to establish mentoring relationships. These will be for the
development of: (I) Organizational Capacities; (II) Sustainable Entrepreneurial
Approaches; and (III) Curatorial Development and Community Engagement.

Project applicants will be encouraged to develop proposals addressing the importance of these
components to their organizations growth, the knowledge/skills they wish to learn/share and the
outcomes they wish to gain through engaging in this process. They will also be required to
indicate the time commitments needed to ensure successful engagement to work in collaboration
with project partners. For example, applicants will identify the time needed to work with their
organizational partner and this would include:

i. meetings at collaborative partner offices. It is anticipated that Aboriginal and ethno-
racial arts organizations will both meet at the offices of their larger arts organization
partner and host these partners at their own offices;
ii. hands-on knowledge and skills-sharing activities. It is anticipated that Aboriginal and
ethno-racial arts organizations will learn from observing the systems and operations of
their larger arts organization partner and that the latter will meet at their collaborative
partners offices to support the development of their systems and operations. It is also
anticipated that each large arts organization will learn about the community dynamics
of their partner Aboriginal and/or ethno-racial arts organization as well as the cultural
components that contribute to how artists from these communities develop their work;
and
iii. development of contribution to the collaborative learning circles.

I) Developing Organizational Capacities:
Goal: Participants will increase their organizational resilience through a collaborative process of
knowledge- and skills-sharing

Objective: To enhance the organizational functioning of Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts
organizations in such areas as: refinement of governance structures; and data management for
reporting, connecting and administration.




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Refining Governance Structures Healthy Arts Leadership in Action:
Most arts organizations work within some formal structure. Whether as a collective, non-
incorporated or incorporated entity, such organizations require leadership as well as formal
and/or informal structures to develop and guide their work. This project component aims to build
on and enhance participants organizational structures and accountability mechanisms through
use of the healthy arts leadership program and the review of organizational requirements. It
will support participants to share their challenges and successes and to engage in taking on
activities to diversify their leadership and to strengthen their organizational functioning.

Data Management For Reporting, Connecting and Administration:

In 2013-14, CPAMO collaborated with Creative Trust and the Neighbourhood Arts Network to
provide several sessions on data base management. These sessions focused on the importance
of data systems to: developing and reporting on grants: connecting to sponsors (current and
potential), audience members, volunteers and others; and financial controls and administration.
Given the importance to the development of data systems and the impact of new technologies as
well as funding reporting systems, more effort is required in this area to enhance organizational
capacities.

Timelines: Selected participants will begin this process in September 2014 with the aim of
achieving measureable results by March 2015.

Outcomes: Measureable results may include:

a) For Governance Structures: refinement of organizational mission/mandate; revision to
board/staff relationships and accountability; streamlining of accountability mechanisms
into efficient, effective and functional processes;
b) For Data Management: Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations increase their
capacities in data systems development/maintenance for sponsors/donors, audience,
volunteers, fundraising, reports, grant and other applications. This may include
upgrading data base systems to support such development.

II) Developing Sustainable Entrepreneurial Approaches:

Goal: Participants will increase their efforts to attract diverse sources of funding to support the
development, promotion and presentation of diverse artistic performances.

Objective: Participants will share knowledge and skills related to fundraising strategies and
campaigns using diverse methods in order to develop projects with timeframes and measurable
outcomes.

Given the increasing demand and competition for grants and the limited growth of public arts
funding, many arts organizations are involved in finding alternative sources of funding to support
their projects. CPAMO held several workshops in 2012-13 that addressed various methods of

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fundraising and offered learning collaborations with Business for the Arts and others on
sponsorships, fundraising and marketing.

This project component will build on these sessions and develop collaborations between
participants.

Timelines: November 2014 March 2015.

Outcomes: Participants will develop fundraising strategies and activities with specific targets.
These efforts may be enhanced through the use of data systems development/maintenance for
the following: sponsors/donors, individual giving and corporate fundraising.


III) Developing Curatorial Competencies and Community Engagement Strategies:

Goal: Participants will learn about diverse arts practices and the importance of this to both
programming and community engagement with diverse communities.

Objective: Participants will share knowledge and skills on the development/curation of
Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts practices and their link to engaging diverse communities.

Timelines: January 2015 June 2015

Outcomes: (1) Participants will increase their understanding of diverse artistic practices; and
(2) Participants will design/implement a collaborative project to promote to engage and promote
the arts to diverse communities, including Aboriginal and ethno-racial communities, to enhance
outreach/marketing capacities in diverse communities with connections to media and
community networks.

For each of the project components noted in this section:

1) Participating organizations will designate the appropriate individuals to participate in this
process. It is anticipated that participants will spend one-and-a-half (1.5) days per
month together. These days together will be at each participating organizations offices
so that hands-on knowledge and skills can be shared within the context in which each
works. To support the community engagement and development of curatorial
competence, an additional (1) day per month will be needed to enable Aboriginal and
ethno-racial arts organizations to prepare for enhancing the learning of their large
organizational partner on these matters. This is a total of 32.5 days; and
2) CPAMO Project Coordinator will meet twice each year with paired participating
organizations to assess progress and discuss development of collaborative knowledge-
sharing activities. This is a total of 20 meetings with each meeting lasting approximately
2 hours for a total of 40 hours 20 hours each year.


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4) Learning Circles and Collaborative Knowledge-Sharing

This component of the project will be comprised of four (4) facilitated knowledge-sharing
activities. These activities will be mandatory for all participants and will be structured to enable
all participants to share the learning they have received in the mentorship projects.

Goal: All participants will meet to share the knowledge and skills they are engaged in through
this project.

Objective: Participants will have access to the knowledge and skills being developed and
implemented by their cohorts in this project. This will enhance the work being done in each
individual project and create sectoral learning, growth and development.

There will be three (5) full day learning circles each year. These will focus on the issues that
participating organizations are engaged in as well as others that have been identified by CPAMO
Roundtable members and presenters as critical to their growth. These sessions will therefore
focus on: (1) Organizational Resilience; (2) Board and Volunteer Engagement; and (3) Making A
Successful Pitch.

I) Organizational Resilience:

This component of the program will provide three full day facilitated peer-learning circles in both
2014 and two in 2015. These sessions will focus on the importance of clarity in the arts
organizations vision, mission and mandate and how this can form a solid basis for an
organizations program planning, communications, recruitment of staff, volunteers, board
members and audience support. It will also focus on the importance of clarity in attracting
corporate and foundation funding as well as financial support from individual donors.

In the peer learning circles, participants will bring their Vision and Mission statements for
discussion and feedback that will be followed with facilitated processes to enable participants to
revise their statements folding in ideas and insights from this process. These will be brought
back for further discussion at a second circle that will address:

how to adapt the traditional nonprofit or charitable structure to meet your needs;
board and volunteer recruitment and management;
defining responsibilities and clarifying the decision making processes within your
structure.
A key part of this program component will be a peer-to-peer discussion on embracing leadership
and mentoring opportunities that will be facilitated by CPAMO resources. This learning circle
will feature a discussion of insights, common themes, interesting variations, and use of the
statements in developing committed teams, partnerships and supporters.

Regarding the building of revenue sources, this project component will provide two workshops
each year focusing on individual, foundation and corporate fundraising, marketing and earned
revenues. A key feature of this component will be facilitated and peer-to-peer discussion of
traditional and entrepreneurial/social enterprise models.

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Timelines: Three (3) full-day sessions will be held each year - two focusing on organizational
resilience and one on developing alternative sources of revenue.

Outcomes: These sessions will support networking and sectoral learning and development for
all participating organizations.

Resources Required: CPAMO Project Lead will act as facilitator for each session and will be
assisted by the CPAMO Project Coordinator. Additional resources will include:

i) Young and Associates for sessions addressing data base issues. 1 day;
ii) Jane Marsland for sessions addressing governance in the context of Healthy Arts
Leadership. 1 day; and
iii) Nichole Andersen and/or Alicia Rose of Business in the Arts for sessions related to
developing alternative sources of revenue. 1 day.
II) Board and Volunteer Engagement:

Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations and larger arts organizations have expressed an
interest in engaging with board and volunteer members who have resources and capacities to
enhance their organizations. Such skills as human resource management, fundraising,
networking and community connections, understanding of new technologies for data
management, capacities in social media, etc, are important to all arts organizations and CPAMO
members in particular.

To assist in the process of board and volunteer recruitment, this program component will
provide two half-day sessions each year in partnership with Maytree, Neighbourhood Arts
Network, Institute of Canadian Citizenship, Harmony Movement and Business for the Arts. The
elements of these sessions will include focus on the how tos of recruitment, retention, support
to and development of potential board members and volunteers. Such will address matters
related to:

having clear job descriptions for board members and volunteers;
recruiting strategies, including soliciting specific skills from potential board members and
volunteers;
managing board members and volunteers and clarifying reporting relationships.
Each year will feature a board and volunteer recruitment session that will invite potential board
members and volunteers to meet with program participants.

Timelines: Two half-day sessions will be held each year one session will be a skills-building
workshop for participating organizations; the second session will be a meet-and-greet with
potential board members and volunteers. While these sessions will primarily engage project
participants, they will be open to other interested arts organizations.




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Outcomes: These sessions will:

(1) support networking and sectoral learning and development for all participating
organizations;
(2) connect participants with knowledgeable and highly skilled volunteer resources; and
(3) enable knowledgeable and highly skilled volunteers to engage with participating arts
organizations.
Resources Required: CPAMOs Project Lead will provide the overall coordination and will
engage resources from the Maytree Foundation, Business for the Arts, the Institute for
Canadian Citizenship and the Neighbourhood Arts Network. CPAMOs Project Assistant will
develop promotional and registration activities for the meet-and-greet session with potential
board members and volunteers.

III) Making Successful Pitches to Stage Work:

Goal: Participants will enhance their knowledge and skills in the selection processes and criteria
for staging works in venues operated by larger arts organizations.

Objective: Aboriginal and ethno-racial artists are not often commissioned to create a new work
and, when this happens, they begin to consider how to use this opportunity to leverage support
for their organization.

Two half-day information meetings will take place each year. Over the past years, Aboriginal
and ethno-racial arts organizations, including CPAMO Roundtable members (e.g. Manifesto,
KasheDance, Sampradaya Dance Creations, IMAGINATIVE Film Festival, Red Sky
Performance, South Asian Visual Arts Collective, Why Not Theatre) have made successful
pitches to Luminato, Richmond Hill Theatre, University of Toronto Scarborough, Hart House,
the Art Gallery of Ontario, Rose Theatre (Brampton) and other venues. Such a session would
pair the aforementioned with the larger arts organization(s) they have worked with.

Timelines: One half-day session will be held in the spring and fall of 2014 and 2015. While
these sessions will primarily engage project participants, they will be open to other interested
arts organizations.

Outcomes: (1) Participants will enhance their knowledge on how to create an effective
sponsorship package to make pitches to larger arts organizations; (2) Aboriginal and ethno-
racial arts organizations will make pitches to stage shows in venues operated by larger arts
organizations; (3) larger arts organizations will receive pitches and make selections of
performances to be staged in 2015 and subsequent years.

Resources Required: CPAMO Project Lead will be responsible for overall coordination and
work with the CPAMO Project Assistant for promotion and administration of these events. The
format for this will be based on the Town Halls CPAMO has held since 2010 and include
performances by artists and presentations by arts organizations. Performing artists and
panelists will be recommended by the CPAMO Advisory Committee.

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6) Assessment and Next Steps:

Specific outcomes are appended to each program components. It is important that impact be
measured collectively as well as individually recognizing that these are small organizations with
a significant collective impact. As for general outcomes, this project aims to deliver
opportunities for Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations to:

V. develop their administrative functions in such areas as database management, reporting
and financial controls;
VI. stage their performances in venues operated by larger arts organizations;
VII. enhance their understanding of the decision-making processes regarding submission of
proposals for performances; and
VIII. develop their understanding of fundraising and revenue strategies for capital and/or
program purposes.
This project also aims to deliver opportunities for larger arts organizations to:

V. enhance their understanding of diverse communities and how they access information
about available cultural activities and resources;
VI. enhance their entry points into diverse communities for purposes of building relationships
that will support marketing and community/audience development;
VII. develop collaborative promotional mechanisms and programming with Aboriginal and
ethno-racial arts organizations ;
VIII. attract volunteers, advisory participants, board members and other resources from
diverse communities.
At the end of this one year initiative, CPAMO will convene a session with all participants to
review results of their activities and to discuss how best to continue with this initiative over the
long-term. To achieve the greatest impact the learning will be continuous and shared through
the CPAMO web site, newsletter and meetings with funders to have the broadest benefit for
Aboriginal and ethno-racial arts organizations in Toronto.


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CPAMO Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference

Background:

Initiated in 2009, Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO) is a
movement of Aboriginal and ethno-racial artists engaged in empowering the arts
communities of Ontario. CPAMO seeks to open opportunities for Aboriginal and ethno-
racial professionals and organizations to build capacity through access and working
relationships with cultural institutions across Ontario that will result in constructive
relationships with Aboriginal and ethno-racial professionals and organizations.

Through its initiatives, CPAMO has identified several challenges that are impacting the
broader goal of equity and pluralism in the arts. CPAMO has convened numerous
workshops, Town Halls, conducted research and issued reports on these matters.
Several of these can be viewed on CPAMOs website (http://cpamo.wordpress.com)
which has documented these sessions, many of which have been conducted with
CPAMO members as workshop resources and performers. CPAMO has also included
art services organizations and major funders in the planning and implementation of
these activities.
CPAMO is supported bv Aboriginal and ethno-racial artists who are involved in theatre,
music, dance and literary arts. These artists are members of CPAMOs Roundtable and
include representatives of Sampradaya Dance, Native Earth Performing Arts,
Diaspora Dialogues, Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Little Pear Garden Theatre Collective,
Centre for Indigenous Theatre, Sparrow in the Room, b-current, why not theatre,
urban arts and backforward collective, Culture Days, Canada Council Stand Firm
members, Obsidian Theatre, the Collective of Black Artists, CanAsian Dance and
others. A full list of these members is at the end of this document.
With the involvement of artists from these organizations, CPAMO is working with several
arts organizations to build relationships, capacities, cultural competencies and
understanding of pluralism in the arts so that these organizations engage from Aboriginal
and ethno-racial artists and, thereby, enable audiences across Ontario to access artistic
expressions from diverse communities on a regular basis.
Several CPAMO members are experiencing challenges in terms of their access to
resources. With limited opportunities for increased grants support, a granting structure
that does not fully support capacity building and few resources to dedicate to
fundraising, marketing, administration and lack of time for skills development, grant
writing and networking it seems imperative that CPAMO undertake a collective effort
with and on behalf of its members to create working and risk capital for these artists
funds and to dedicate professional support to enable its members to enhance their
administrative/organizational capacities and governance including accessing capable
volunteers and board members who are dedicated and have a passion for the arts. New

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models for governance and collaboration may be needed to achieve results.

Advisory Committee Purpose:

The Advisory Committee is a supportive body to CPAMO and its members that will
address the challenges listed above through identification of resources and alternatives
to enhance capacity and the services CPAMO can provide its members. The focus will
be on two key areas: undertaking a collective or collaborative approach to fundraising to
build working capital and organizational development initiatives aimed at supporting the
individual and collective growth of CPAMO and its members.

The Committee will provide advice and support to CPAMOs efforts to ensure the long-
term health and stability of its members, many of whom are small arts organizations in
music, dance, theatre and visual arts. The Committee will assist CPAMO in providing
the tools and resources to enable its members to develop strong planning and financial
skills, achieve organizational health and balance, and acquire and maintain a fund of
working capital.

Advisory Committee Responsibilities:

To achieve the purpose noted above, the Advisory Committee will:

Support and act as goodwill ambassadors for CPAMO. As ambassadors the
members will help develop awareness and advance the vision for the program within
their own respective constituencies.
Act as door openers to key individuals within their own community, company,
industry or institution where CPAMO may be seeking participation and support.
Give advice and guidance to CPAMO where needed, and may be invited to
participate on working committees.

Communications and Term of Commitment:

The Advisory Committee will kept up to date on program developments and progress.
Committee Membership will be for a three-year period, renewable for an additional four
years, or until the completion of the program.

Advisory Committee meetings will be held quarterly and working groups may be formed
to address specific issues related to this initiative.

Member Profile:

The Advisory Committee will be comprised of no more than 25 individuals from arts
services organizations, presenters, funders, centres for artistic development and
members of CPAMOs Roundtable of creative artists.mmThis will include individuals who
have distinguished themselves as supporters of Aboriginal and ethno-racial artists and
will include representative members of CPAMOs Roundtable.


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The current members of the Advisory Committee are:

Jeff Melanson, President Banff Centre for the Arts
Kathleen Sharpe, Executive Director, Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund
Tim Jones, President and Chief Executive Officer, Artscape
John Ryerson, former Director Cultural Services, City of Markham
Patty Jarvis, Executive Director, Prologue to the Performing Arts
Ronnie Brown, Oakville Centre for the Arts
Eric Lariviere, General Manager Markham Theatre
Alicia Rose, National Outreach and Program Manager, Business for the Arts
Kate Cornell, Executive Director, Canadian Dance Assembly
Bruce Pitkin, Interim Executive Director, Theatre Ontario
Warren Garrett , Executive Director, Community Cultural Impresarios/Ontario
Presenters Network
Kevin A. Ormsby, Kashedance
Helen Yung, Independent Artist and Former Co-Coordinator Canada Council
Stand Firm Network (Ontario and Manitoba)
Lata Pada, Sampradaya Dance
Mimi Beck, CanDance Network
Cindy Yip, Little Pear Garden Theatre Collective
Milli Knapp, Association of Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts
Ravi Jain, why note theatre
Harvey Weisfeld, wind in the leaves collective
Anita Agrawal, Consultant and Former Co-Coordinator Canada Council Stand
Firm Network (Ontario and Manitoba)
Charmaine Headley, Collective of Black Artists
Soheil Parsa, Modern Times Theatre
Bea Pisano, Aluna Theatre


Members of CPAMOs Roundtable:

As a resource to plan and coordinate its activities, CPAMO has set-up a Roundtable
comprised of ethno-racial and Aboriginal creation-based arts organizations and
individual artists from these communities.The members of the Roundtable are:

Anahita Azrahimi, Visual Artist
Denise Fujiwara, Canasian Dance
Charmaine Headley and Bakari Eddison Lindsay, Collective of Black Artists
Lata Pada, Sampradaya Dance Creations
Nova Bhattacharya, Nova Dance
Seema Jethalal, Manifesto Festival of Community and Culture
Anne Frost, Cultural Pluralism in the Arts/University of Toronto Scarborough
Phillip Akin, Obsidian Theatre
Marilo Nunez, Alameda Theatre
Mae Maracle, Centre for Indigenous Theatre
Brainard Bryden-Taylor, Nathaniel Dett Chorale
Emily Cheung, Little Pear Garden Theatre Collective

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Spy Denome-Welch, Aboriginal Playwright
Sedina Fiati, Actor
Ravi Jain, why not theatre
Sinara Perdomo-Rozo, alucine latino film festival
Shannon Thunderbird, Teya Peya Productions
Olga Barrios, Olga Barrios Dance
Santee Smith, Kahawi Dance
Menaka Thakker, Menaka Thakkar Dance Company
Kevin Ormsby, Kashedance
Sandra Laronde, Red Sky Performance
Ahdri Zena Mandiella, b-current
JDavid Yee, fu-GEN Theatre
Cahoots Theatre
Bea Pizano, Aluna Theatre
Korean Canadian Dance Studies of Canada
Millie Knapp, Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts
Gina Badger, Fuse Magazine
Harvey Weisfeld, wind in the leaves collective
Lua Shayenne Productions
Sheniz Janmohamed, Ignite Poets