“So I’ve saved, I don’t know, 1,000,000 hours in the last year, not writing 1 grant from scratch — because the purpose of grant writing is not to be artistic, it’s to get the money.” Owais Lightwala shares 5 practical examples of how he uses AI in daily work. Owais is a producer, entrepreneur, and professor focusing on entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation in creative industries, as well as founding Director of Chrysalis, a multidisciplinary performance hub, at the Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University.

“When you go to events and when you’re chatting with your colleagues, tell them about the great work that you’re doing. Oftentimes not only would it inspire other people to do great work, but they may need that very thing that you’ve been successful at.” This High Five episode focuses on Working in Community. Menon Dwarka, principal of MPD Culture Consultants, shares his insights into creating caring work environments and successful careers in arts and culture.

“We are people in the arts who are overwhelmingly empathic. Overwhelmingly, people who care. We tend to be ones who give, give, give. We got to remember, you know, you can't pour from an empty cup.” Today's High Five features a conversation I had with Adam Malcolm about generosity, strategic giving, and impact. Adam Malcolm is a financial planner focused on helping business leaders to have more impact in arts, culture, and community.  

“Disabled people make up approximately 30% of Canada's population right now. We have one or more disabilities. And so whenever you're thinking about people, whether you're thinking about staff, patrons, artists, anything, make sure that disabled people are among that group of people.” Shay Erlich joins me to share insights and key moments to consider accessibility in project and program planning. Shay is a disability justice world builder and champion of disability inclusion in the arts and media sector. They are an artist, producer, journalist, accessibility consultant, wheelchair dancer, and founder of disability experience firm Ready For Access.

“Authenticity draws people towards you, not just because of what you do, but actually because of who you are.” In this High Five, Zainub Verjee shares five insightful actions for leaders working to create systemic change, collective progress, and long-term sustainable impact. Dr. Zainub Verjee, CM, is a powerful voice in the arts, a visionary and institution-builder, and a public intellectual dedicated to using art's transformative potential to influence and enrich cultures worldwide.

Today’s High Five is a big picture self-check-in with Jutta Brendemühl, a Toronto-based cultural catalyst and arts curator working in international cultural relations. Most arts leaders and creative entrepreneurs have task lists, calendar reminders, work flow charts - but what feeds our creative thinking & making? Jutta shares five questions to ask yourself throughout your creative day.

“Humans are born storytellers. We can all do it. And it’s such an important part of all our lives. I think we’ve all been regaled by a great story that can inform you or inspire you or persuade you to do something. Stories are such powerful tools to do whatever it is that we’re trying to do, as we’re posting to social media.”

In today's High Five, marketing consultant and video producer/editor Michael Morreale joins me to give us encouraging tips for cultivating storytelling skills and sharing content on social media.

"It's impossible to see every exhibition, attend every art fair, and read every critique. You will miss openings and you simply cannot support every artist, cause or project that you'd like to. The key is to not feel bad about missing out on things, if it means being able to take better care of yourself."

In today’s High Five, public art curator Katriina Campitelli shares valuable tips and techniques for taking care of ourselves and avoiding burnout.

"We are all living through these tumultuous times, and we absolutely need to have compassion for one another in a decent workplace."

Kate Cornell, Principal consultant with Purposeful and an independent consultant, shares valuable tips and resources related to decent work.

The reason that you are a multi-hyphenate is because you have many gifts. And I think that sometimes the celebration of those gifts aren’t right in our face. But it’s the truth.

So many arts leaders and creative entrepreneurs are multi-hyphenate, with multiple talents, roles, interests, and projects. Rebecca Singh speaks from her experience as an entrepreneur, actor, musician, and CEO of Superior Description Services, to bring us 5 thoughtful points for maintaining our hyphens.

Art is really a relation. It’s a form of communication, of understanding each other and of truly relating to one another.

Today we are going to talk about the importance of the arts and why as cultural entrepreneurs and arts professionals we do what we do. Why it’s important. Independent curator and writer, Mona Filip, joined me to share her insights on the profound importance of the arts.

Hello! I am excited to invite you to get a High Five from me each week. I will be inviting guests to bring us five pieces of information, five actionable insights or sparks of inspiration to help us as arts leaders and creative entrepreneurs be how we want to be in the world and do the meaningful work that we do.