Tell me about your new role at the Creative Entrepreneurship Lab. 

As the Coordinator of the CEL, my role involves designing and implementing the workshops, seminars, educational and mentorship programming that we offer to students, alumni, and the broader arts community to develop the skills and confidence they need to commercialize their talents and thrive in a business economy.

How did you get into this line of work? What was your path from graduation until now? 

After I graduated from ��ܽ����Ƶ, I did a Master degree in Art History at the University of Essex. My plan was to continue in an academic framework and get my PhD but when I completed my Master degree, I realized I needed a break from school. I moved to Toronto and started working. I did everything from waitressing to farming, but I continued to stay engaged in the arts community. I wrote reviews and articles on art, food, women’s issues, among other topics, that were published in various national papers, journals, and magazines. I loved writing and attended artist residencies in Canada and the U.S., connecting the work I was doing to a wider creative community. Eventually, I converted my experience as a participant into a creative directorial role, starting my own artist residency program with a partner in 2013. Based in an Etruscan castle in Tuscany, Italy, artists and writers came from all over the world. I facilitated their experience so they could focus on their creative practice and share their evenings in conversation with other artists and writers. I did this for five years while also working on an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of New Orleans.

When I finished my MFA, I returned to Nova Scotia. I had always wanted to participate again in ��ܽ����Ƶ in some kind of capacity. My experience here was so transformative that I wanted to be a part of that experience for other people. When I saw that the CEL coordinator position was available, I jumped at it.

How did your time at ��ܽ����Ƶ contribute to your career path?

I’ve always felt most at home amongst artists and I liked the intimacy that ��ܽ����Ƶ provided. It offered a safe space for conversation and ideation. I wanted these conversations to continue after graduation and I think this is why I liked artist residencies so much. In my own residency program, I tried to replicate the intimacy and collaboration I felt at ��ܽ����Ƶ, building an environment where participants are encouraged to engage with each other about their artmaking. I think a lot of important learning and opportunities come out of this peer-to-peer experience.

What do you like most about working at the Creative Entrepreneurship Lab? 

I like that CEL is rife with possibility. In Canada, there is a significant gap for creatives right out of college, who, like myself, loved their art college experience, but still need to work on their skill-building, networking, and career opportunities, particularly in entrepreneurship. They don’t know what’s available to them, how to market or grow their talents, ideas or products, how to find support beyond the college. There is often a long period of feeling like an imposter, where you think you know where you want to go but don’t know how to get there. I think the programming at CEL aims to address this gap, offering participants comprehensive support to launch their post-graduate careers.

What does being a Creative Entrepreneur mean to you?

I didn’t always think of myself as a creative entrepreneur—that moniker can make a lot of artists uncomfortable—but I am increasingly understanding how those two things co-exist; an interest in the arts and participation in a business economy. I think that my role in CEL is to offer opportunities for participants to also appreciate that relationship.

How do you see the Creative Entrepreneurship Lab complementing other organizations that are supporting working artists in Nova Scotia?

I see CEL as a conduit or gateway to increased knowledge about being a creative worker. We are here to illuminate the existing opportunities, and to fill in the gaps in support of creative financial literacy. There is a lot of opportunity for partnership with other organizations that students may or may not be aware of, programs that already support professional development for creatives like those offered by VANS, Craft Alliance Atlantic, Arts Nova Scotia, the various incubators (VOLTA, Ignite Labs), or other business initiatives that they may not currently feel comfortable participating in.

What activities do you have on the horizon at Creative Entrepreneurship Lab that would be of interest to ��ܽ����Ƶ alumni and members of the local arts community?

In the winter semester, there will be an intensive program of workshops and lectures about the creative and cultural economy, and a career Expo for Creative Workers featuring the TD Financial Literacy Program for Creative Entrepreneurs. Stay tuned!

What do you think is next for you?

Continuing the development of the Creative Entrepreneurship Lab. I’d like to grow it into a space not only for entrepreneurial development but for early career development for all ��ܽ����Ƶ students.

What piece of advice would you give your younger self on your first day at ��ܽ����Ƶ?

Don’t be afraid to have a bumpy, non-linear journey. Just because you don’t think you look good on paper, doesn’t mean your life isn’t full of opportunities.

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��ܽ����Ƶ University is saddened to announce that retired Professor Emeritus H. Dennis Young has passed away. Dennis came to Nova Scotia by way of England and Toronto. In 1972, he met ��ܽ����Ƶ legend Jerry Ferguson, who would become his long-time friend. Jerry visited Dennis at the Art Gallery of Ontario with a portfolio of prints from the ��ܽ����Ƶ Lithography Workshop. A year later, Dennis was invited to create the Art History Department at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.

Dennis initiated ��ܽ����Ƶ’s extensive slide collection and worked with then-President Garry Neill Kennedy to build the Craft Division. When the college created the ��ܽ����Ƶ Press, Prof. Young chaired the publications committee and oversaw the design and translation of its first book, Paul-Émile Borduas: Écrits/Writings 1942-1958.

Dennis retired in 1990 after serving as Chair of the Art History Department for eighteen years. He was then conferred as Professor Emeritus. The Board of Governors appointed Dennis as a Life Fellow of ��ܽ����Ƶ University in 2017.

Memories of Dennis Young, by Jayne Wark, March 31, 2021

I first knew Dennis Young when I was a student in his twentieth-century art history course at ��ܽ����Ƶ in 1977. Thinking I was a little smarty pants who didn’t need to study much for the midterm exam, I was shocked when I got a “pink slip” advising me to drop the course. When I took the course again, it was with a much greater respect and appreciation for Dennis’ erudition, especially his deep insight into Marcel Duchamp (this time I got an A+). One might say that Duchamp was Dennis’ avatar, both as a Socratic educator and as an elegant person of great wit and charm. Dennis’ teachings about Duchamp stayed with me and through a circuitous path would lead me on to study art history in graduate school. When I heard that Dennis was retiring in 1990, I jumped at the chance to apply, successfully as it turned out, for his vacated position. After moving to Halifax to take up this position our relationship changed from teacher and student to friends and colleagues. Dennis graciously came as a guest to my classes many times to lecture on Duchamp.

Over the years we had many fine times together, including lunches at Dennis’ apartment and family dinners at our house. We shared a love of esoterica about turn-of-the-century art, cabaret performance culture and the eccentric and often subversive characters that animated it. While Dennis embodied the disposition of the upright English decorum in which he was raised, he was also a Francophile who took perverse delight in the black humour and anti-bourgeois insults of such people as one Joseph Pujol, who became famous as Le Pétomane for his ability to fart The Marseilles onstage. Such was Dennis’ incongruity, and such was the basis of what became our deep friendship. We spent many happy hours talking and laughing as we perused his extraordinary collection of rare and precious books and ephemera. Dennis was a captivating storyteller, and there was a story behind every one of these treasures. Dennis loved a bit of gossip too, truth be told, as long as it was lively and not too mean-spirited.

Dennis played an important role in the formation of ��ܽ����Ƶ as we know it today. Although art history courses had been degree requirements since 1969, Dennis was recruited from his post as Curator of Contemporary Art at the Art Gallery of Ontario in 1973 to form an Art History Division and formalize a slate of courses comparable to art history programs at other universities. Dennis also made a major contribution to research by organizing an international conference in 1987 on Marcel Duchamp and editing the resulting book, The Definitively Unfinished Marcel Duchamp, co-published by the ��ܽ����Ƶ Press and MIT Press in 1991.

Dennis Young lived a long and rewarding life. I was honoured to be one of his many students, friends and colleagues. He was well cared for in his final months by two other former students and great friends, Lorelei Horne and John Kennedy. Dennis will be much missed.

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Fogo Island Arts (FIA) and ��ܽ����Ƶ University are pleased to announce a new internship partnership made possible through the generous support of artist and former ��ܽ����Ƶ faculty member Eric Fischl. The Eric Fischl Fogo Island Arts Internship will offer two ��ܽ����Ƶ University students or alumni the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in arts administration with Fogo Island Arts in 2021-22.

“We are delighted to pursue our work with Eric Fischl and to forge new connections across the Atlantic Region, all in the service of creating exceptional opportunities for learning and exchange,” said Nicolaus Schafhausen, FIA Strategic Director. “We are extremely grateful for Eric’s support as well as the chance to work with students trained within the rigorous creative framework and celebrated history of ��ܽ����Ƶ University.”

Participants in The Eric Fischl Fogo Island Arts Internship program will work as support staff in the offices of Fogo Island Arts, contributing to day-to-day program operations and communications over a three-month period. The interns will receive a stipend and will be provided with housing, travel expenses, and studio space, in addition to invaluable opportunities to engage with FIA’s international artists-in-residence and community members across Fogo Island. The ��ܽ����Ƶ University partnership is the second FIA internship program funded by Fischl and follows the same parameters as the ongoing partnership with the New York Academy of Art (NYAA), established in 2017.

“Fogo Island Arts is a place where artistic exploration, research and knowledge-sharing is nurtured and encouraged,” says Melanie Colosimo, Director of ��ܽ����Ƶ University’s Anna Leonowens Gallery. “This type of learning opportunity is incredibly valuable, as putting practice into play can prove to be a pivotal moment in establishing a career in the arts. The ��ܽ����Ƶ community is fortunate to have access to this internship.”

The partnership between FIA, Fischl, and ��ܽ����Ƶ University reflects a shared understanding of the need for expanded educational opportunities within the contemporary art world, as well as the critical role that art and education play in enriching communities.

Applications will be open to ��ܽ����Ƶ students and alumni in March 2021. For more information on the internship and application procedure, please visit ��ܽ����Ƶ University’s .

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During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Duane Jones (BDes 2004) launched the #KeepCreating��ܽ����Ƶ initiative to celebrate ��ܽ����Ƶ alumni and friends’ amazing work.

#KeepCreating��ܽ����Ƶ gives our community a chance to both inspire and be inspired.

Share your work today by using the hashtag #KeepCreating��ܽ����Ƶ and enjoy what others have made.

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Siobhán Gallagher (BDes 2012)
Artist Spotlight: Meet Siobhán Gallagher
Siobhán Gallagher grew up in Moncton, obsessing over sitcoms set in glamorous New York apartments and wondering if she was missing out on something more.

Carrie Allison (BA 2014, BFA 2014, MFA 2018)
The Quiet Resistance
For artist Carrie Allison, beadwork is a methodology to decolonize, the pull of threads a memory device to connect through generations.

Shannon Donovan (BFA 2018)
North Sydney native wins award at national art exhibit
A visual artist originally from North Sydney was the recipient of the People’s Choice Award at the opening reception of an exhibit in Edmonton. Shannon Donovan received the award for work she has exhibited at the InFocus Photo Exhibition in the Alberta city.

Karen Crocker (BFA 1992)
Queen musical at Scotiabank Centre ready to rock you
Fittingly for people working on a touring production of a Queen musical, they sometimes come under pressure. Recently, in wintry Ontario, logistical snags came up but the crew handled it like the champions they are. Head of wardrobe Karen Crocker, a ��ܽ����Ƶ alumni, is in charge of caring for the elaborate outfits worn by the cast of the futuristic show.

Susanna Heller (BFA 1977) and Medrie MacPhee (BFA 1977)
Studio visit: Susanna Heller’s endless strength
Before Susanna Heller’s paintings were wrapped and shipped to Toronto for her upcoming solo show at Olga Korper, I brought Sharon Butler by her studio, which straddles the line between Greenpoint and Williamsburg. Susanna and I moved from Halifax to the East Village after we graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in the 1970s.

Stephanie Yee (BFA 2013), Kaashif Ghanie (BFA 2015), Camille Valcourt-Synnott (MFA candidate), Louis-Charles Dionne (MFA candidate) and Jessica Wiebe (BFA 2015)
New Art 2020
Eight rising artists creating the fresh works you need to know about this year.

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��ܽ����Ƶ welcomes a new president, Dr. Aoife Mac Namara

Aoife jumped into the role feet first, and has spent her first four months meeting key partners within the ��ܽ����Ƶ Community as well as supporters from the community at-large – locally, nationally and internationally. These meetings will continue into the near year and are informing Aoife’s vision for the institution as the art school of the future. This vision will focus on strengthening partnerships with communities in and around the province, recognizing the value of ��ܽ����Ƶ’s contribution to the economy, environment and creative industries. Moreover, ��ܽ����Ƶ is excited to continue consultations with partners, including Develop Nova Scotia, around the possibility of developing campus facilities close to the AGNS building. We look forward to completing our facilities review and being in a position to announce a final decision in 2020.

��ܽ����Ƶ shines bright at Nocturne

Nocturne 2019: Art at Night saw a record number of artists affiliated with ��ܽ����Ƶ. More than 50 Nocturne participants were ��ܽ����Ƶ students, faculty, alumni and staff. “Nocturne brings so much energy to the city, and the art festival is especially captivating as it shines brightly into the night. It’s easy to see why so many members of the ��ܽ����Ƶ community want to contribute,” said Catherine Allen, manager, Extended Studies. Catherine collaborated in Embed and Embody, a workshop led by ��ܽ����Ƶ student facilitators, in partnership with newcomers from Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS). The finished products were on display at the Anna. Read more: /nocturne2019/

Commitment to supporting significant research, pedagogy, and creative production

��ܽ����Ƶ celebrated the signing of the Dimensions charter, demonstrating our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). The program addresses obstacles faced by, but not limited to, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minority/racialized groups, and members of LGBTQ2+ communities. ��ܽ����Ƶ understands that – when EDI is a priority – an institution will benefit from improved access to qualified potential participants, enhanced integrity of a program’s application and selection process ��ܽ����Ƶes, strengthened research outputs and increased overall excellence in research.

In addition, the new Strategic Research Plan was completed and shared widely, detailing the university’s direction for 2019 – 2022. ��ܽ����Ƶ’s research is driven by the goal to demonstrate its leadership in four distinct themes: visual and cultural literacies, sustainability and adaptability, material exploration, and art/design education and pedagogy. The Strategic Research Plan can be viewed here: https://issuu.com/nscadadmissions/docs/nscad_strategic_research_plan_2019-2022_online

Lastly, ��ܽ����Ƶ successfully launched the new Master of Arts in Art Education – accepting its first students in September 2019. The graduate program is designed to develop educators and researchers with the advanced knowledge to lead art education initiatives in a range of settings, including museums, art galleries, heritage sites, and community and educational organizations. More on the program can be found here: /study-at-nscad/graduate/master-of-arts-in-art-education/

��ܽ����Ƶ on the road – Alumni events in Ottawa and Toronto a great success

In the fall, ��ܽ����Ƶ hosted two alumni events in Ontario to connect with ��ܽ����Ƶ grads and introduce them to Aoife. Both events were well attended, and it was great to see many familiar faces. We are looking forward to planning more alumni events in 2020.

The revival of the ��ܽ����Ƶ Lithography Workshop

The ��ܽ����Ƶ University Lithography Workshop was established in 1969, earning international recognition and redefining the artistic potential of print in the 20^th century. It had a significant and lasting impact on the world of art and design, and included several famed artists from Canada and around the world. After two years of hard work and dedication from ��ܽ����Ƶ’s Anna Leonowens Gallery Systems, the official revival of the workshop took place in November 2019.

Artists Shuvinai Ashoona, Jordan Bennett, Shary Boyle, Brendan Fernandes, Amy Malbeuf, Ed Pien, Derek Sullivan, and Ericka Walker, in collaboration with Master Printer Jill Graham, created new, compelling and diverse lithographs that represent the new direction the project will take moving forward. The lithographs are available for purchase through nscad.litho.ca, the proceeds of which will be reinvested in collaborative printing and the ��ܽ����Ƶ Press. Read more: /lithographyworkshop/

��ܽ����Ƶ honours and hosts creators, curators and visionaries

The 2019 ��ܽ����Ƶ University graduation saw Rebecca Belmore, Michael Donovan and Robert Storr each awarded with a Doctor of Fine Arts. By honouring these three remarkable individuals, we recognize their substantial contributions to art and art education.

��ܽ����Ƶ also hosted an array of significant visiting artists and guests, including Paula Fairfield, Ben Pike, Raphaëlle de Groot, Mary Anne Jordan, Misha Horacek, Ufuk Gueray, Louise Perrone, Lauren Schaffer, Patrick Cruz, Hedi Kyle, and Paul Roth, among others.

Numerous distinctions merited by students and alumni

��ܽ����Ƶ students and alumni were well decorated this year, and we are very proud of their accomplishments. A few notable alumni wins were the BMO 1^st Art Award (Seamus Gallagher, BFA 2019), Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award (Ursula Johnson, BFA 2006), Emmy Award (Paula Fairfield, BFA 1984), TIFF’s FIPRESCI prize (Heather Young, BFA 2009), Governor General’s Literary Award (Sydney Smith, BFA 2006), among others. Students Ada Denil and Jessie McLaughlin were awarded the Nova Scotia Talent Trust Award –  Ada the recipient of the Susan Wood Award and Jessie the Charlotte Wilson-Hammond/Visual Arts Nova Scotia Award. Rebecca Devenish won the Mattinson Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities, and students Emma Allain, Tyler Anderson, Drayden Decosta, Megan Kyak-Monteith, Alex Linfield, Liv Mansveld, Luke Mohan, Kim Paquet, Mark Sark and Wiebke Schroeder were all shortlisted for the 2019 Starfish Student Art Award, with Paquet winning the grand prize.

2020 at a glance

Key events to keep in mind in the new year (dates to be announced as they become available):

• Portfolio Day
• Wearable Art Show
• Fashion Show
• Graduation
• Public Lecture Series – Mark Dion (March 10, 2020, 6 p.m. Halifax Public Library) and Eames Demetrious (March 18, 2020, 6 p.m. ��ܽ����Ƶ’s Bell Auditorium, Fountain Campus)

Keep an eye on nscad.ca for additional events and details. Thank you to everyone who made 2019 such a success at ��ܽ����Ƶ!

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��ܽ����Ƶ alumni Danny Hussey (BFA 1990) is our kind host, welcoming everyone to his Central Art Garage, with Group Exhibition 19 on display. The reception is from 5:30-7:30 p.m., 66 B LeBreton Street North, Ottawa.

Dr. Mac Namara will be joined in Ottawa by Dr. Ann-Barbara Graff, Vice President Academic and Research, and Linda Hutchison, Associate Vice President University Relations. They look forward to hearing about your ��ܽ����Ƶ experience!

Please RSVP to rsvp@nscad.ca by Tuesday, November 19. We can’t wait to see you!

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When: Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at 5:30
Where: Art Bar +Projects space (1873 Granville Street) on the Fountain Campus

Join Zoom Meeting
By internet:
By phone, find your local number:

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You should apply if:
• You would like to have access to a (shared) studio for your own practice.
• You have an interest in community engagement, community development or social justice work.
• You would like to increase your teaching skills or understanding of artistic residencies.
• You are eager to share your work, skills and interests with diverse groups of people.

For more information, including the application form, click here.

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Photos by Frankie Macauley.

2017 marks 130 years since Anna Leonowens first opened the Victoria School of Art (now known as The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design) in 1887. In celebration of this anniversary, the ��ܽ����Ƶ Alumni Association presents Underpinnings: 130 Years of ��ܽ����Ƶ. Over 90 alumni have submitted work to exhibit in the gallery named after Anna herself.

Always in a state of evolution, ��ܽ����Ƶ has maintained its reputation as one of the last century’s most influential art schools under many names, locations and presidents. After Anna Leonowens opened the school in 1887, ��ܽ����Ƶ had a number of other significant leaders. In 1916 Group of Seven member, Arthur Lismer became president to the tiny population of 12 students who attended the school. Later in 1967 Garry Neill Kennedy took over as president and oversaw the school through the 70s when ��ܽ����Ƶ became known as a hotbed of conceptual art.

The alumni exhibiting in Underpinnings span a large range of ��ܽ����Ƶ’s history. The exhibition features works by artists who attended ��ܽ����Ƶ from 1958 through to graduates from 2017. The artists are currently located all over the world; from Bangalore to LA. When reflecting on the differences in the direction and professors at ��ܽ����Ƶ through those years, as well as the political changes Halifax has seen, Underpinnings is left with a question: what is the essential ‘��ܽ����Ƶ-ness’ that holds these practices together?

Participating artists were asked to submit works that embody the physical and conceptual underpinnings of their practice that were developed during their time at ��ܽ����Ƶ. What was the one thing they learned at ��ܽ����Ƶ that has become part of the foundation of their work? For graduates from 2017, this may seem like a simple task compared to those who attended ��ܽ����Ƶ twenty, thirty or even forty years ago.

The alumni approached this in a number of ways. Some submitted work in the medium in which they received technical instruction at ��ܽ����Ƶ. Some submitted older work that they created during their time at ��ܽ����Ƶ. Others submitted work that dealt with the same themes or conceptual ideas they were dealing with during their time at the school. But there was one consistent theme throughout the applications to the exhibition – a heavy dose of nostalgia.

While all of their practices have developed on their own unique path, the alumni’s artistic childhoods all took place in the same home. Many participating artists expressed excitement about the chance to show again in the gallery that held their first solo show. Artists inquired about who else in their year might be attending the opening. The show became a family reunion for the things we create.

Underpinnings aims to be a visual cross section of ��ܽ����Ƶ’s past, present and future. A celebration of the unique quality this iconic institution has imprinted on artists for 130 innovative years.

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