Development Incubator 

A collaborative professional development conference in Nipissing First Nation territory supporting artist-run centres and contemporary arts festivals through collaborative development. With an emphasis on performance and multi-arts, this 2-day event allows stakeholders to share skills, conduct technical training, participate in professional development activities and engage in collaborative arts creation.

This intensive incubator accommodates 20 participants, so space is limited.

SCHEDULE

Note: This schedule is designed to be a casual day where participants come and go from the room taking breaks as needed.

  • Collaborative development session facilitated by Clayton Windatt of Studio Project and Kevin Ormsby of the Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO)

  • Brainstorming session discussion facilitated by Jonathan Middleton of Artist-Run Centres and Collectives Conference (ARCCO)

  • Participatory workshop with Sid Bobb and Penny Couchie and the Aanmitaagzi Storymakers team.

Biographies

Sid Bobb is an acclaimed Indigenous arts leader, actor, and presenter from Salish territory. He is the Co-Artistic Director of Aanmitaagzi, a multi-disciplinary artist-run company based at Nipissing First Nation. Aanmitaagzi, meaning "he/she speaks," is a platform for social activism that revitalizes traditional and contemporary Indigenous arts practices by engaging youth and Elders. A Gemini Award-winning artist, Bobb uses his work to strengthen communities and bring Indigenous stories to the forefront.

Jonathan Middleton is an artist, curator, and publisher known for his extensive work in Canada’s artist-run centre sector. Based between Toronto and Vancouver, he currently serves as Coordinator for the Artist-Run Centres and Collectives of Ontario (ARCCO). His previous leadership roles include Executive Director of Art Metropole,  Director/Curator positions at Or Gallery and Western Front, founding Publisher of Fillip, and first editor of ArcPost.ca; underscoring his vital contributions to Canadian contemporary art publishing and administration.

Penny Couchie is an Anishinaabe choreographer, dancer, and arts educator from Nipissing First Nation. She serves as the Co-Artistic Director of Aanmitaagzi, an acclaimed Indigenous arts organization she co-founded, which focuses on community-engaged, land-based, and intergenerational performance. Her work is deeply committed to revitalizing Anishinaabeg history and culture, making her a vital contributor to contemporary Canadian performance and artist-run culture.

Clayton Windatt is a non-binary multi-artist, curator, writer, and filmmaker deeply invested in arts advocacy. While they maintain a diverse artistic practice, with films featured in festivals like TIFF, their professional focus is primarily on strengthening the Canadian arts ecosystem through organizational leadership and policy work.

Tara Windatt is an artist and arts administrator from Northern Ontario. She is a member of Studio Project Arts Collective, and is a programmer for the Bay of Blood International Film Festival. Her arts practice includes visual arts, installation, performance, poetry, media arts, photography, and craft. With over a decade of experience in the not-for-profit arts sector, Tara has worked with several arts organizations including the White Water Gallery and the Indigenous Curatorial Collective and currently holds administrative positions with both the ON THE EDGE Fringe Festival and Aanmitaagzi Story Makers.