St. Catharines

The arts are an important part of our community and bringing everyone together is very important for our mental health and well being.

I believe I have been a strong supporter of the Arts community over my time in office. I am particularly proud of the efforts made to increase funding and ensure SCCIP funding keeps up with inflation going forward.

(Candidate completed the survey, but did not leave additional comments.)

(Candidate completed the survey, but did not leave additional comments.)

I can confidently say that I support many of the priorities and themes reflected in this survey and strongly recognize the important contribution that arts and culture make to our community. Arts and culture enrich our quality of life, strengthen community identity and bring people together. I particularly value their ability to inspire and educate young people. Access to music, theatre, visual arts and other creative programming can help young people develop confidence, creativity and new interests while exposing them to opportunities and experiences that can have a lasting impact on their lives. At the same time, as someone who has not yet been elected to City Council, I believe it would be premature for me to make specific funding commitments without first having the opportunity to fully understand the City's financial position, existing commitments and the many competing responsibilities that must be considered through the municipal budget process. If elected, I would approach these decisions with an open mind and a commitment to responsible stewardship of public funds, while recognizing the important social, educational and community benefits that a vibrant arts and culture sector provides to St. Catharines.

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I am a lover of the arts. I have attended a few concerts at the PAC in the recent past, many concerts at OLG. I was in Italy last year and visited several museums. I have attended several performances at the Shaw within the last few years. I play guitar and I have written a song. I had a cameo appearance in a play 5 years ago at the PAC when councillors were invited to play a very small role. I follow the " galerie degli uffici " on IG adn I actually visted that gallery! What a thrill. I was involved in skits and varity shows in high schoolwon the lead role in a Brock U play as a former student. I took improv lessons at second city TV when I lived in Toronto and also followed up with additional improv training. I watch all different genres of music on you tube from Susanna Rigacci to Billy Strings. I love the blues and classic rock. I was also the board chair of the former folk arts for 5 out of the 12 year s as a board director. I was heavily inolved in the folk arts festival and open houses, the festival in the park and I have been a prarticipant in the Grape and Wine parade on several ocassions.

I believe strongly in the impact arts and heritage make on the life of the region. I am a member of CAEA and ACTRA, and have been a professional artist for almost 20 years. Here in Niagara, I work as a writer, an actor and creator, and sing with the St. George’s Anglican Choir. We know that industry follows the arts, and that the arts have for decades generated more impact on the Canadian economy than sports and many other industries. Supporting them through public funding is a logical position to take, and as proven in this survey, provides economic return on investment. We have a vibrant and growing arts and heritage sector here in Niagara, and I am truly excited to work across disciplines and cultural expressions to ensure the arts reach all residents, and that the sector thrives and grows. Arts and heritage bring us joy, they challenge us in our perspectives and grow our empathy, they help children learn and elders feel seen, they make life richer for all people. They are an expression of freedom and true human ingenuity. Investing and supporting the arts makes economic sense and human sense too.

St. Catharines already has the tools to support arts, culture and heritage: a Council-endorsed Culture Plan, the St. Catharines Cultural Investment Program, a Public Art Policy, and City-owned venues including the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre and the St. Catharines Museum. My priority is using them well. That means holding the Culture Plan to its own measurable goals, with results reported publicly each year; maintaining Cultural Investment Program funding in real terms so organizations can plan beyond a single year; protecting heritage buildings through consistent property standards enforcement, before they are lost to neglect; allowing live/work and studio uses in more zones, a low-cost zoning change that creates space for artists; and advocating for Niagara Region to resume a role in arts investment. I run Welby Consulting, a St. Catharines digital agency, previously consulted at Google, and worked on Calgary's East Village redevelopment.

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ArtsVote feels personal to me because this is a community I’ve been connected to for a long time. Many of the artists, organizers and arts and culture folks involved are people I know, have worked with, learned from and, in many cases, consider friends. I currently sit on the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre Board and the Downtown Association Board, and I’m a regular at exhibitions, performances, openings and cultural events. Before Council, I was involved with Walk STC, including our photography exhibit that got people walking around the city, taking pictures and looking at familiar places a little differently. I’ve also had the chance to help make some public art happen — including the mural at 282 Ontario Street and working with NAC on the Lincoln and Welland Regiment mural at Welland and Lake. I previously chaired the City’s Heritage Advisory Committee, which gave me another perspective on how we tell and protect the stories of this community. That’s really where my connection to ArtsVote comes from. I know how much work goes into making arts and culture happen here, and I know some of the challenges because I hear about them directly from the people doing the work. I care about this community. I value those relationships and conversations, including when we don’t agree. I’ll keep showing up, listening and looking for practical ways the City can be a better partner to the people who make St. Catharines such an interesting and creative place to live.

(Candidate completed the survey, but did not leave additional comments.)

Arts and Culture is vital to maintaining a healthy quality of life to the residents of all of Niagara. If there is one improvement to be made it is in the form of communication. Residents need to know what, where and when! Municipalities should ensure that upcoming events are displayed on visual screens within all of their buildings (arenas, gyms.aquatic centre.city hall, museums) in order to attract larger audiences.

Arts, culture and heritage help define the character of St. Catharines, contributing to a vibrant community and our local economy. During my time on Council, I have supported protecting our built heritage, celebrating Port Dalhousie's 200th anniversary and recognizing our city's cultural history. I also serve as a Council representative on the Neil Peart Commemorative Task Force. I believe the City should work collaboratively with artists, local organizations and heritage groups. Our cultural community not only improve quality of life, but also helps attract visitors and investment to the city. As a long-time community volunteer and current City Councillor, I will continue supporting our rich history, strengthening our cultural sector and making arts and culture accessible to residents across St. Catharines.

Thanks, Arts Vote Niagara for engaging candidates and advocating for an even more vibrant arts and culture scene in St. Catharines.