Mission
Kickstart’s mission is to produce and present works by artists with disabilities and to promote artistic excellence among artists with disabilities working in a variety of disciplines.
Mandate
Kickstart Disability Arts and Culture (formerly the Society for Disability Arts and Culture) was incorporated November 1998 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Our objectives are:
- to produce cross-disciplinary festivals of disability arts and culture,
- to encourage and support artists to create and present authentic interpretations of the disability experience,
- to provide opportunities for the development and advancement of artists with disabilities and
- to promote practices that will make the arts more accessible to all members of the Canadian public.
Board of Directors
Meg Torwl is an interdisciplinary artist and writer who has worked in community outreach and as a producer for the CBC, NFB, RNZ, and Kickstart. At Kickstart – and in her own artistic practice – Meg values collaboration, mentorship and the opportunity to facilitate the professional development of other artists. Though she’s worked with Kickstart before, Meg is a new addition to the Board of Directors.
Adam Warren (Co-chair) is a freelance writer, director and screenplay analyst. 2012 saw the success of his short film, Float, at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) and his Pick-of-the-Fringe production, CAPS LOCK! The Musical. Adam joined the Board this year in order to strengthen his own ties to the disability arts communities and encourage a new generation of artists to do the same.
Glenn Alteen is returning for a third year with the Kickstart Board. As Program Director at the Grunt Gallery, Glenn is a fixture in the local arts community, and he’s worked hard to cultivate the gallery’s reputation as “a place to see the kind of work that might not be seen in all the other places”. Glenn brings that same mindset to Kickstart, and the Board is happy to welcome him back.
Linda Chernoff (Secretary) is a visual artist, and another long-standing member of the Board. Since joining Kickstart’s Directors in 2004, Linda has been a constant source of encouragment for the professional – and personal – development of new and established artists alike. Linda has recently moved to Powell River, but will remain involved with Kickstart from her new home.
Gina Robinson (Treasurer) is both an accountant and a patron of the Arts. She brings a unique combination of skill and appreciation to her place on the Board of Directors, and has been an integral part of its management, growth, and success since 2009.
Deb Dawson is the newest member of the Kickstart Board of Directors, joining us in early 2013. Deb is a freelance artist and independent filmmaker, and is currently working part-time for Bardel Animation. She also does illustration work and graphic design, and freelances in the workplace safety industry.
Linde Zingaro (Co-chair) is a privately practising counsellor, and her work affords her extensive knowledge of the unique challenges that come with running non-profit organizations. She’s been bringing that knowledge – and a steadily growing appreciation of Kickstart’s work – to the Board of Directors since 2001, when she sang in the Swamp Angels choir during the very first Kickstart Festival.
Gord Tulloch retired from Kickstart’s Board of Directors in February 2013, and is the new Director of Innovation for posAbilities.
