March 31, 2020 - Fenelon Falls, ON - A jury of local arts and cultural members was selected to review the submissions. The jury members are:
Lesley Drummond is an artist, educator, and curator who has been actively involved in the Arts community of the Kawartha Lakes for close to 30 years. Before coming to the Kawarthas, Drummond completed her studies in painting at Queen’s University and worked at Gallery Moos, the Ydessa Gallery, and Harbourfront Art Gallery in Toronto. From 1998–2000 she was the artist in residence at Wakami Lake, Ivanhoe and Lake Superior Provincial Parks. Drummond was the Head of Visual Art and Media at I.E. Weldon Secondary School, Lindsay, as well as a senior member of the Trillium Lakelands Arts Camp Steering Committee where she has been Head of Visual Arts for the last ten years. Drummond is also the Director of the Kawartha Arts Network, an artists co-operative in Lindsay, Ontario.
Donna Goodwin has worked in the public and not-for-profit sectors for over 20 years. She is passionate about engaging residents and visitors in the many unique cultural facilities found in rural Ontario. A lifelong learner, Donna holds a Masters in Urban Planning specializing in local economic development and revitalization through the cultivation of cultural communities. For the last 10 years, she worked in the County of Simcoe, developing product that celebrated the authentic stories of rural life. She was a member of the Orillia Public Art Committee, initiated community art initiatives such as the Simcoe County Barn Quilt Trail and administered funding programs to support local arts, culture and heritage initiatives. She is excited to begin her work with the City of Kawartha Lakes as the Economic Development Officer – Arts and Culture.
Darcie Kennedy is currently the Managing Director at Colborne Street Gallery, Fenelon Falls, Ontario. She holds a Honours Bachelor of Arts, Specialist in Art & Art History, from the University of Toronto, a Diploma in Art & Art History from Sheridan College, and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Ottawa. She has worked at Lonsdale Gallery, Blackwood Gallery, the Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area (BIA), and interned at the Canada Council for the Arts in the Audience and Market Development Department. Kennedy was also a Teaching Assistant at Sheridan College and the University of Ottawa.
Susan Taylor is the Executive Director of Kawartha Art Gallery, formerly The Lindsay Gallery. While a passion for art saw Susan pursue a post-secondary education in fine arts, a desire to earn a living saw Susan pursue further education in the field of management in the not-for-profit sector. Working now from behind a desk rather than an easel, Susan advocates for investment in the creative economy of the City of Kawartha Lakes through working to build partnerships between the municipal government and the cultural sector.
Jessica Wilson is a Curator and Collections Manager at Westerkirk Capital. She holds a Masters in Archives and Records Management from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Criticism from the University of Western Ontario. She was a founding board member of Kawartha Lakes Culture and Heritage Network, and currently serves as Vice-President of the board at Victoria County Historical Society. She has experience working in artist run centres, museums, and art galleries in both Canada and the UK.