Brampton reaches new milestone with Arts, Culture and Creative Industry Development Agency

THE VOICE OF CANADA – BRAMPTON, ON – Appointed by Brampton City Council , Nuvi Sidhu has been confirmed as the inaugural Chair to lead the start-up and incubation of the City’s first-ever Arts, Culture and Creative Industry Development Agency.

For the past eight years, Nuvi Sidhu has been a champion of the local artist community, utilizing strong communications and project management skills to build relationships and support for Brampton’s emerging artist community. She has ten years of community engagement experience in the GTHA and has worked with numerous artists and local non-profits managing artist showcases and developing workshops to support the creative sector.

She will be joined by Senior Program Lead Michael Vickers to guide the startup and eventual formation of an independent non-profit to support a robust, creative and entrepreneurial ecology in Brampton. Michael brings ten years of experience shaping initiatives from the ground up, having built a reputation as a strategic leader responsible for developing and strengthening diverse, creative communities and programs. Most recently, Michael was the Co-Director of the Toronto based arts organization Akin, where he spearheaded strategic planning and operations to create Canada’s largest provider of affordable, shared studio spaces.

This new organization will operate at arm’s length to the City and is a key partner in delivering the City’s ambitious vision for arts, culture and creative industries as articulated in the City’s strategic vision and Culture Master Plan.

The Agency is envisaged as an arts, culture and creative industry development agency, incubating, growing, celebrating, advocating for and connecting the sector through the provision of a range of programs, services and resources.

The City of Brampton approved its Cultural Master Plan in 2018 to establish a strategic path to become a creative, expressive and connected urban city.

About Nuvi Sidhu

Nuvi Sidhu is a Project Management Consultant, and has run NuvCo Inc. for the past 5 years, to provide project management services to local artists, creatives, and/or non-profits. Currently Nuvi is a Senior Producer at Point Blank Creative, an advertising agency that focuses on digital campaigns and creative projects previously, Nuvi served as a Project Manager for Brampton artists and clients including Rupi Kaur Inc, SOCH, The Element, and Noyz. Nuvi has previously held a variety of public sector roles as Senior Project Management Consultant at Centennial College, and Infrastructure Ontario. Nuvi brings 9 years of project management experience, 4 years of government relations experience, and 10+ years of organizing community projects in arts and culture within the Peel Region to the role of Inaugural Chair of Brampton’s first-ever Arts, Culture and Creative Industry Development Agency. Nuvi holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from York University and a Project Management Certificate from Sheridan College. She is recognized as a Project Management Professional (PMP), by the Project Management Institute.

Nuvi will hold the volunteer role of Inaugural Chair, as the Arts, Culture and Creative Industry Development Agency incubates, and successfully transitions to not-for-profit status over a 3 year period. The recruitment of the Chair followed the process and detailed qualification matrix approved by the Council in January 2020.

About Michael Vickers

An award-winning artist recognized by the Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and Canadian Council for the Arts; for the past 9 years, Michael has served as Co-Director of Akin Collective, a GTHA arts organization that provides creative studio space as well as arts-based programming. These studios provide a working environment which offers an inspiring atmosphere where people can work on creative endeavors and entrepreneurial undertakings of all kinds. Akin builds community through monthly art critiques, workshops, open studio events, gallery tours, exhibitions, as well as various other art projects. Prior, Michael held roles at various galleries in Toronto and New York City. Michael has taught Contemporary Art at Humber College, lectured at Humber College and OCAD University, and held art residencies at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity- Leaders’ Lab, AZ West- Andrea Zittlel Wagon Station Encampment in California, and VSVSVS Studio Residency in Toronto. Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in Visual Arts from the University of Ottawa, and a Master of Arts in Contemporary and Modern Art History from the University of Toronto.
Quotes

“This Agency will play a critical role in strengthening the arts as an economic driver and transforming the City’s current cultural environment into a thriving arts scene – complete with opportunities to produce, participate in and consume creative products that drive cultural and community progress, attract investment and build Brampton’s identity.”-Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton

“Having an agency that’s solely focused on arts, culture and creative industry development in line with the City’s Culture Master Plan is a critical link in building a robust creative and entrepreneurial ecology in the City of Brampton. Brampton’s Arts Community will be an important part of Brampton’s Economic Recovery and this new milestone will help the Arts, Culture and Creative Industry Development Agency advance that important work.”- Rowena Santos, Regional Councillor, Wards 1 & 5; Chair, Community Services, City of Brampton

“Appointing a Chair who will oversee an advisory panel and provide governance and leadership is a milestone in the startup and development of Brampton’s first Arts, Culture and Creative Industry Development Agency. This role, along with the Senior Lead, will be pivotal in advocating for the importance and status of arts in Brampton.”- Harkirat Singh, City Councillor, Wards 9 & 10; Chair, Corporate Services, City of Brampton

“Brampton’s Arts, Culture and Creative industry is an integral part of our city’s vibrant Mosaic. Through close collaboration with the Agency’s expert advisory panel, our team is committed to fostering a thriving arts and culture scene in Brampton that contributes to the overall well-being of our community.”-David Barrick, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Brampton

“I am excited to begin the undertaking of City of Brampton’s first-ever Chair for Arts, Culture and Creative Industry Development Agency, I look forward to reaching out to and working with the many talented artists and arts organizations who contribute to the diversity of Brampton’s creative community. Collectively, with Brampton artists are the forefront, I hope we can work to see the vision for the agency come to life. I am also excited to be working with Michael Vickers, in his role as Senior Project Lead, who will provide leadership and strategic planning expertise for launching this new and exciting organization.”-– Nuvi Sidhu, Chair, Brampton’s Arts, Culture and Creative Industry Development Agency