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February 28, 2022

PRESS RELEASE: ArtStarts Announces Co-Director Model

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PRESS RELEASE: CO-DIRECTOR MODEL ANNOUNCEMENT February 28, 2022

ArtStarts embraces shared leadership model and moves forward with Co-Director leadership team

Recruitment for a third Co-Director begins

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: VANCOUVER, B.C. — FEBRUARY 28, 2022

ArtStarts in Schools is excited to announce a new chapter in its organizational evolution through embracing a collaborative leadership model. This team includes Emily Beam, Director of Administration, and Paneet Singh, Director of Programs and we will add a new Co-Director, to be hired in the coming months. The leadership team will manage the organization, working with the Board of Directors and eight part-time and full-time staff.

ArtStarts’ Interim Executive Director, Winnie Tam, will continue through the coming months to support the transition. Winnie joined ArtStarts in July 2020 after Navida Nuraney, longstanding Executive Director, moved on to a new job. Winnie was tasked to work with the Board of Directors and staff members to lead opportunities for the organization's evolution that had been seeded already or were ripe for moving forward.

“Working with the Board and Staff to develop the shared leadership approach has been an immensely joyful process. When I landed at ArtStarts, the team’s ethos of shared leadership was already budding,” says Winnie Tam. “Over this past year and a half, ArtStarts has extended our learning journey, deepening our understanding of how we can disrupt systems and traditional ways of doing things that uphold engrained colonial notions of leadership and organizational management. The flattening of the leadership team is an important way to live out ArtStarts' social justice and anti-oppression values by decentralizing power and control, including multiple and diverse leaders, and building more sustainable organizational and leadership capacity.”

“The Board is so excited about this new approach to organizational leadership for ArtStarts,” says Kevin Ly, ArtStarts Board Director, on behalf of the Board. “Shared leadership harnesses the power of diversity rather than the power of one. When multiple people with different backgrounds, experiences and expertise share leadership within an organization, it allows for greater inclusion of diverse voices, perspectives, and strengths. In the coming months we’ll be working with staff on the transition plan and the recruitment process to bring on our new Co-Director, Development to join Emily and Paneet on the leadership team.”

ArtStarts is now actively recruiting for a third Co-Director who will have strategic oversight of ArtStarts’ fund development to build and activate a mission-aligned network of supporters. Applications will be received until March 27, 2022.

ArtStarts in Schools provides innovative arts programs for young people, practical resources for teachers and artists, and leadership in advocacy for arts in education to activate learning and nurture creativity in British Columbia's young people. Since 1996, ArtStarts has collaborated with educators, artists, families and community to promote art as an essential part of learning and life.

For additional questions and inquiries, please contact Winnie Tam, [email protected]. Winnie will continue as Interim Executive Director through June 2022 to provide on-going advisory services during ArtStarts’ leadership transition.

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