To reach us email info@folkawards.ca
MAILING ADDRESS:
Canadian Folk Music Awards
26 Noble St. Unit 12, Toronto M6K 2C9
Media
Kimberly Sinclair
SpinCount
(902) 350-3968
kimberly@spincount.com
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Board of Directors
April O’Donoughue
April successfully orchestrated all three editions of the Montréal International Celtic Festival and countless concerts. She currently focuses her volunteer energies on organizing – both as Executive and Artistic Director – the Celtic Harmonies International Festival, a 9-day music festival that has taken place in the Eastern Townships of Québec every two years since 2011. Having graduated from the École Supérieure de Musique Vincent D’Indy in Montréal with a Diplôme Supérieur II, Grande Distinction/Piano, she has spent the last twenty years researching, promoting… and appreciating Celtic music.
Bob Stark
Bob is a performing songwriter and recording artist, originally from Ottawa, ON, who relocated to the left coast in 1996, where it is much warmer. Bob teaches songwriting in Vancouver, BC, through the Moveable Music School and Georgia Strait Guitar Workshop. Bob has worked for the CRTC as a radio programming analyst, radio policy wonk, and client service ‘dodge and re-directer’.
Diana Stewart-Imbert
Diana is currently on staff at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival, Board President of VICO, the Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra, and “extreme vocalist” in the VOICE OVER mind Choir. A graduate of Studio 58 Theatre Arts Program, her credits include Production Stage Manager for various Vancouver theatre companies, world music agent (France & Canada) and founder of the Vancouver World Music Collective. She has been with the CFMA since 2013.
Graham Lindsey
Graham Lindsey owns a media production company (focusing mainly on website development) and plays in a number of Celtic, folk and roots bands in Ottawa and Montreal. A relatively recent (2007) addition to the folk scene, he is happiest when playing music—as evidenced by the “idiot’s grin” he often sports while playing.
Grit Laskin
Grit Laskin is an Order of Canada and Estelle Klein Award recipient, given for his profession as a guitarmaker and also his dedication to the Folk Music community. He is a founding partner of Borealis Records, a founder of the CFMAs, and one of the directors of The Woods music camp.
Jocelyne Baribeau
Jocelyne was the recipient of the Francophone Artist of the Year Award at the Western Canadian Music Awards in 2016. Her music has brought her to many beautiful destinations in our country and she passionately shares her French-Canadian roots and songwriting.
Judith Laskin
Judith Laskin spent 33 years in Education, as teacher, principal, curriculum leader and teacher trainer for York University. A life-long love of folk music is reflected by her years on the Mariposa Festival Board under Estelle Klein, her years as music coordinator for the Common Thread Choir, her ongoing co-directorship of The Woods music camp, and as a founder of the CFMA.
Rob Oakie
Currently the Executive Director and founding Board Member of Music PEI, Rob Oakie has been instrumental in the current growth of PEI’s music industry. Since helping to establish the organisation in 2008 the number of PEI exporting and internationally touring artists has grown by over 400%.
Robert Soucy
Bob has been active as a musician for many years playing solo and in various bands and, notably, as the composer for the CBC/Disney kids’ TV series Under the Umbrella Tree in addition to a number of film projects. He was also the Director of the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office and currently sits on the board of the Forum for Research and Policy in Communications.
Scott Merrifield
A founder and past Artistic Director of Northern Lights Festival Boréal for 14 years, Scott is also a director and past President of Folk Music Ontario. Since 1992 he has been presenting approximately 8 house concerts per year, and he also curates a bi-weekly dinner concert series at The Motley Kitchen in Sudbury. He retired as Director of Policy & Planning for FedNor in 2008 after 33 years in the federal public service, delivering community-based social and economic development programs throughout Northern and rural Ontario, including extensive work with Aboriginal communities and the Community Futures Program.3
Shaneen Robinson-Desjarlais
Shaneen Robinson-Desjarlais is a multi-award-winning journalist/broadcaster/writer who’s been on Canada’s media scene for nearly two decades. Over the years she’s spent time at CTV News, APTN and NCI FM. She was honoured to win first place for the Canadian Aboriginal Writing Challenge in 2008 for her play, Notay Kiskintamowin “Wanting to Know”, the same year she was named a National Aboriginal Role Model by the Governor General of Canada—and graduated from the University of Winnipeg.
Vic Close
Meet Vic Close, a self-confessed Folk Music addict. He has attended Festivals and events from Coast to Coast. Over the last 4 decades Vic has worked in the Coffeehouse / Folk Club world as an organizer and Artistic director, worked in Marketing of Folk Music Events, dabbled as an Agent, and a Presenter of Events. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Calgary Folk Festival, The Arts Touring Alliance of Alberta and presently The Canadian Folk Music Awards. His Education includes College specializations in Marketing and Business, University specializing in the Arts and Special Events and The Banff Centre School of Management in Arts Administration. Vic is currently the Artistic Director and overall Vision Coordinator of Fish Creek Concerts, a very successful series of events held in Calgary Alberta.
