The Work in Culture team wishes you a wonderful holiday season and a very happy new year! ✨
Please note that our office will be closed for the holidays from December 20 to January 4, reopening on Monday, January 5, 2026.
Due to our holiday closure, the main office email will only be monitored occasionally and delayed responses can be expected regarding questions about Work in Culture programs as well as job postings and career development opportunities on the Job Board.
We look forward to seeing you in the new year! ❤️
Here for you,
The WIC Team
2025: A Year in Review
by Diane Davy, Executive Director of Work in Culture
As we close out 2025, I find myself grateful for another remarkable year at Work in Culture. This has been a year of growth, innovation, and deepening connections within Ontario’s creative community – and I’m excited to share some of the highlights with you.
Growing Our Team
This year brought exciting changes to the Work in Culture team. We were thrilled to welcome Bianca Chambers to our staff in March as our new Finance and Operations Manager, bringing fresh energy and expertise to our work.
We also announced an important leadership transition: Stephanie Draker, our Program Manager since 2015, is taking on the new title of Associate Director. This role reflects Steph’s proven leadership over the past decade and supports our succession planning as I look towards retirement in late 2026. With over 18 years of experience in the arts and culture sector and deep knowledge of our organization and community, Steph is perfectly positioned to guide Work in Culture into the future.
New Leadership on Our Board
We’re deeply grateful to our outgoing Board Chair, Mike Rudolph, for his dedicated leadership from 2023 to 2025. Mike’s steady guidance helped WIC navigate through important organizational developments, and we’re fortunate to have his continued support as Past Chair.
We also bid farewell to Amanda Hancox, who served on the Board from 2016 to 2025, including as Chair from 2021 to 2023. Amanda provided invaluable leadership during a time of significant change, and her contributions have helped shape Work in Culture’s direction and impact. You will always be a lifelong friend of WIC, Amanda!
At the same time, we’re delighted to welcome Sheliza Jamal as our new Board Chair. Sheliza has served on the Work in Culture Board since 2021 and leads our IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility) working group. As the Founder and Executive Director of Curated Leadership, she brings deep expertise in building equitable and inclusive workplaces. We look forward to this next chapter under her leadership.
We also welcomed Heather Watts to the Board. Heather is an educator, storyteller, and policy strategist whose work bridges Indigenous knowledge systems, education, and institutional transformation. As Principal & Partner at First Peoples Group, she leads national initiatives in reconciliation action planning, cultural competency training, and Indigenous engagement.
Programs That Made a Difference
Throughout 2025, we continued to create opportunities for creative professionals to learn, connect, and grow.
The Catalyst and Transformation Fund returned again this year, providing crucial support to 31 Ontario arts organizations navigating significant change.
We also reunited with the Brampton Arts Organization to collaborate on their mentorship program that helps Brampton’s creative community strengthen their professional practice and business skills. This program continues into 2026 with a new cohort of mentees and mentors, and a special series of virtual “Meet the Expert” workshops on growing a creative career in Brampton.
If you’re based in the Brampton area, we invite you to join us for the next session on securing arts funding with grant professional Vanessa Burns, happening online on Thursday, January 22, 2026 from 6 to 8 pm ET. Registration is open now and it’s free to attend.
We welcomed new collaborations this year as well, including the ArtWorksTO Newcomer Program, a partnership with Toronto Arts Foundation’s Neighbourhood Arts Network to help connect GTA organizations with newcomer artists for a fully funded media arts or arts education project.
During Ontario Culture Days, we brought together artists and funders for a special “Meet the Funders” session, demystifying the grant application process and creating valuable connections.
And in a Work in Culture first, we opened our doors for our inaugural Open House! It was wonderful to meet so many of you in person, share our space at 401 Richmond, and connect face-to-face with the community we serve.
Research and Resources
This year, we deepened our commitment to understanding the evolving landscape of creative work in Ontario.
We launched Making It Work 2025, our latest workforce survey examining how Ontario’s creative professionals are navigating post-pandemic realities, the rise of AI, and the ongoing challenges of gig-based work.
Speaking of AI, in partnership with Nordicity and Avery Swartz, and with support from Ontario Creates, we released our research report on AI for Administration in Ontario’s Creative Industries. The launch event at Canada’s Theatre Museum brought together 60 sector leaders for important conversations about how AI tools are being used for business and administrative tasks across the creative industries.
Thank You
None of this work would be possible without our partners, funders, and community.
Thank you to our program partners — the Brampton Arts Organization, Toronto Arts Foundation’s Neighbourhood Arts Network, Nordicity, Avery Swartz, Ontario Culture Days, and so many others who collaborated with us this year.
Thank you to our funders and supporters, including Ontario Creates, the Ontario Arts Council, the Cultural Policy Hub at OCAD University, the Canada Council for the Arts, and all those who make the Catalyst and Transformation Fund possible.
Thank you to the Ontario Arts Council, whose operating funding provides the foundation for everything Work in Culture does.
And most importantly, thank you to the artists, creatives, and cultural workers who make up this community. Your resilience, creativity, and dedication inspire us every day. We’re honored to support you at every stage of your creative career.
Wishing you a restful holiday season, and we look forward to connecting with you in 2026!