Assistant Professor Aziza Chaouni has been selected to be a mentor by the Arts Facilities Mentoring Network, an initiative of ArtsBuild Ontario and WorkInCulture. Comprising a diverse cross section of Ontario’s arts organizations, the Arts Facilities Mentoring Network assists arts sector leaders who manage creative spaces, including theatres and galleries.

This year, it will match 15 arts and cultural facility managers from around Ontario with experienced mentors from their own or other sectors. The focus will be on strengthening the business and management skills needed for arts facilities.

Each mentoree has identified a key learning topic, and the Arts Facilities Mentoring Network matches them with a senior mentor who has tackled a similar challenge.  The learning topics range from planning a major capital project to generating sustainable revenue from a creative space. Pairs meet for three hours every month and take part in two in person workshops that provide the opportunity to meet with their Network peers.

For the next year, Chaouni will mentor Sharon Godwin, Director the Thunder Bay Art Gallery (TBAG), on the deisgn and building process for the future extension of TBAG gallery.

This program has been made possible by funding from the Government of Canada and The Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Arts Facilities Mentoring Network, with its emphasis on arts facilities, is the first of its kind in Ontario.