Intersecting Cultural Markets is a panel focused on the impact of tourism and cultural exchange in the arts sector on the economy.
Marta Keller-Hernández (She/Her)
Managing Director, Mural Routes
Originally from Spain, Marta Keller-Hernández is an arts administrator who moved to Toronto in 2012. She holds Degrees in Tourism and Humanities, a master’s in social media marketing from the University of Alicante (Spain) and became an international student of the Culture and Heritage Site Management program at Centennial College in 2013. In Toronto, Marta has worked with a wide range of arts and culture organizations such as Black Artists’ Networks Dialogue, Latin American Canadian Art Projects and Sur Gallery, Heritage Toronto, and Art Starts. Currently, she is Managing Director at Mural Routes. Marta is the co-founder of Paralia Newcomer Arts Network, a Toronto-based non-profit that supports newcomer artists. She is also the recipient of the 2017 and 2022 Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship grant from the Toronto Arts Council in the capacity of mentor and a 2018 Toronto Arts Council Leaders Lab fellow.
Anahita Azrahimi
Executive and Creative Director, Toronto Outdoor Art Fair
Anahita Azrahimi is a seasoned arts manager and an art maker. Bringing artists and audiences together to nurture the joy of engaging with art has been the core of her arts management work for the past 20 years. Anahita is the Executive and Creative Director of Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF), Canada’s leading outdoor art fair (since 2016). Anahita has experience working with a diverse range of organizations and artists in contemporary dance, theatre, and visual arts. As a volunteer, she has served on the advisory board of the Arts Management program at Centennial College, the WeeFestival of Arts and Culture for Early Years, Modern Times Stage Company, and currently is a board member of Koffler Gallery.
Christine Harris
Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Luminato Festival
Christine Harris moves people with emotive storytelling, bold vision, and impactful experience design.
A multi-passionate leader with broad experiences across media, education, health, arts and design, she is able to identify strategic areas of opportunity and intersection to make change.
Christine is the VP of Marketing and Communications at Luminato Festival Toronto. Previous leadership roles include Innovation Manager at the Canadian Cancer Society, Branding & PR Manager at TVO, and Marketing Manager at YMCA Canada. She was founding Board Chair of North York Arts and served as Board Vice-Chair at Scarborough Arts.
Moderator
Kathleen Sharpe (She/Her)
Executive Director – Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund
Kathleen Sharpe is a senior manager in government and the cultural sector. She has been Executive Director of the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund since its inception in 1999. The Fund, a unique program established to support cultural tourism attractions through a combination of grants and loans, has committed over $90 million to more than 900 cultural tourism projects around Ontario. Prior to OCAF, Kathleen was Director of the Culture Division of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, a post she held from 1991 until amalgamation of the municipality into the City of Toronto in 1998. Kathleen’s leadership led to the adoption by Metro Council of its first comprehensive cultural policy, Metro’s Culture Plan, in 1994. She managed the transition of cultural programs and staff of 150 during the changeover from Metro to the new amalgamated City of Toronto. Kathleen has also held management positions at the Ontario College of Art and Design and The Banff Centre. Kathleen is past chair of the Toronto Arts Foundation board; past chair of Toronto Artscape Inc.; past president of the Canadian Conference of the Arts and a member of the TO Live board.