The Barrie Public Art Committee’s (BPAC) goal is to enhance Barrie with art, and encourage residents and visitors alike to visit public spaces.
Mandate
The Barrie Public Art Committee (BPAC) provides expert community input on the City of Barrie’s public art policies and procedures, giving guidance and advice to City departments, agencies, sponsors, boards, and commissions from the earliest stages of public art projects proposed for City-owned lands and potential donations to the City.
Mission Statement
The Barrie Public Art Committee will enhance the City of Barrie by purposefully acquiring public art that inspires and connects the community in our public spaces. We will promote art appreciation and build lasting relationships through education, integration and activation that engages the community, creates conversation and demonstrates the value of public art.
Role
The Barrie Public Art Committee:
- reviews and develops public art policies
- develops competition guidelines for public art commissions
- reviews and recommends proposed donations of artwork to the City of Barrie
- provides advice to City staff on the management and promotion of the City of Barrie public art collection.
Current Members
The committee is comprised of two City Councillors, local artists, art and design professionals, and interested community members. The Public Art Coordinator serves as staff liaison representing the Development Services Department.
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Nadine Carr is a Ceramic Artist specializing in hand built, slip cast and press mold functional works and art pieces. A graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, Nadine was awarded an additional year apprenticing in Florence Italy, further developing her artistic vision. Born in Owen Sound, Ontario, Nadine moved to Barrie in 1993 and owned a very successful restaurant for 16 years. Nadine is a past board member of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Barrie and has volunteered for many years at the MacLaren Art Centre.
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Cassandra Cleveland is a communications and creative strategy professional with over a decade of experience in the municipal and cultural sectors. She currently serves as a Communications Advisor with the City of Vaughan, leading award-winning campaigns and creative initiatives that strengthen community engagement and promote local culture. Cassandra has previously held communications and cultural roles with the Art Gallery of Ontario, Town of Orangeville and Headwaters Arts, contributing to arts promotion, cultural tourism and public engagement initiatives. She also currently serves as a Director-in-Training with the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Passionate about the intersection of art, storytelling and placemaking, Cassandra brings a strategic and inclusive perspective to supporting Barrie’s growing public art program.
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Amy Courser was elected as Ward 4 Councillor for the City of Barrie in 2022. Born and raised in this vibrant city, she has a deep-rooted love for her community and a strong desire to make positive change. Based on her diverse background and extensive community advocacy experience, Amy strives to create an environment of collaboration and inclusivity.
In addition to the Public Art Committee, Amy currently serves as the chair of the Arts Advisory Committee, and serves on the Community Safety Committee, Barrie Public Library Board, and Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Board. Amy is well known to be an avid learner, exceedingly approachable and forever hopeful.
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Emily Emond, an OCAD University graduate, has led an Information Design & Visual Analytics practice at Deloitte Canada for over 7 years. Prior to working in business management consulting, Emily led an independent design consultancy, helping clients with a range of solutions such as branding/visual identity, marketing, publication, digital, and environmental design.
With a keen eye for creative and critical thinking, Emily has volunteered for Deloitte’s Arts Committee for Workplace Strategy & Design, the Georgian Bay Land Trust Fundraising Committee, and annual Bayscapes Art Auction. Emily lives in Barrie with her husband and dog and enjoys hiking, interior design, photography, and spending time at their cottage.
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Laura Kelly has worked in the arts sector for over two decades. She is the Vice President of Philanthropy for the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka. She was Director of Development for the MacLaren Art Centre. Laura is the former Director of Development for the Orillia Centre for Arts + Culture, where she oversaw all fundraising activities and related initiatives for the organization. Prior to this role, she worked in fundraising for the Canadian Opera Company.
She has worked with Boards and has been a member of a number of committees with various organizations, including the Canadian Opera Company, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Sweetwater Music Festival, and the MacLaren Art Centre. She holds an Honours BFA from York University, specializing in music, and is fluent in French. Laura has deep roots in Barrie and is very committed to the success of this city.
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As a longtime Barrie resident, Kim has been involved with cultural and other non-profit organizations over three decades. She has served on the Boards and in executive positions for the Maclaren Art Centre, Talk is Free Theatre, and the International Academy of Family Lawyers, as well as the Women and Children’s Shelter and the John Howard Society. Kim spent almost four decades as a litigation lawyer and holds a Masters of Law degree in Dispute Resolution. Her professional focus is now solely focused on dispute resolution as a mediator and arbitrator.
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Rebecca Kokosarevic is a Barrie, Ontario native with a longstanding passion for the arts and community development. As a graduate of Queen’s University with a degree in Political Science, she now serves as the Marketing, Events, and Membership Coordinator for the Downtown Barrie Business Improvement Association (BIA). In this role, she supports economic growth through event facilitation, policy and partnership development, and public realm initiatives.With a background in the arts, Rebecca is passionate about promoting creative expression and fostering collaboration among local artists, businesses, and community stakeholders to further enrich Barrie’s vibrant cultural landscape.
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Joan Lehman moved to Barrie with her family in 1978. First elected to the Board of Directors of the MacLaren in 1993, Joan served on many committees helping to transform the dedicated service volunteers into a policy board. From 1996 until it opened in 2001 Joan chaired the building committee for the conversion of the Carnegie library, coordinating the work of the architects, consultants, contractors, Board members, politicians and members of the community to bring the vision of the new art centre to life. Again as chair of the building committee, she guided the construction of a clubhouse for Gilda’s Club of Simcoe Muskoka, which opened in 2010.
The recipient of several municipal and provincial awards for her volunteer work in the community, Joan was given the award of excellence by the federal Canadian Museums Association in 2002 and the Legacy award by the MacLaren in 2019. A lifelong interest in sculpture, visual art and architecture informs her perspective on art in the public realm: the differing cultural approaches to the use of spaces such as parks, streets, sidewalks and buildings.
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Chairperson Janet Lougheed has been a Barrie resident since 1987. She has volunteered over the years at Maycourt Club, YMCA, MacLaren Art Centre, Talk is Free Theatre, the United Way and more. Janet chaired the fundraising campaign for the new MacLaren Art Centre in 1997. Subsequently, she was hired as a fundraising professional by the MacLaren and worked there for 8 years, finishing in the position of Director of Development. Following that Janet was Director of Development of the Georgian Bay Land Trust for 10 years. Janet likes adventure and fun of all kinds, she is an avid skier, hiker, walker, and kayaker.
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Jessica has been leading teams and facilitating conversations within Canadian arts and education organizations for more than 20 years. She is currently the Director of Career Services and Co-op for Lakehead University. In addition to her undergraduate degree in Music History from Western University, Jessica Lovett holds an MA and a PHD in musicology from the University of Toronto, where she wrote her dissertation on the sound culture of space science. She has been a resident of Barrie since 2015 and is delighted to serve as part of the Barrie Public Art Committee.
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Neda Mazhab Jafari is an Iranian-Canadian multidisciplinary artist and arts educator whose practice spans sculpture, painting, photography, and graphic design. She holds a Bachelor of Sculpture from the University of Art in Tehran, as well as a Masters and PhD in Art Research. Since arriving in Canada in 2018, Neda has continued her artistic practice and completed studies in Graphic Design at Georgian College. In 2022 she received the Newcomer Artist Award at the Newcomer Recognition Awards hosted by the Local Immigration Partnership of Simcoe County. Neda is also a volunteer member of the Barrie Arts Advisory Committee, supporting the city’s cultural initiatives and community engagement in the arts.
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Robert Thomson was elected to his first term on City Council, representing Ward 5 in 2018. Robert has been a proud Barrie resident for over 20 years. He lives in Ward 5 with his wife and two sons. Robert has worked in the construction business for most of his life. Since 1997, he has been the Project Manager of a family-owned construction company.
On top of the Public Art Committee, he also sits on several committees including the Affordability Committee, Community Safety Committee, Finance & Responsible Governance Committee, and Infrastructure & Community Investment Committee, as well as the Mayor’s Priority & Planning Task Force. He is also the Vice Chair of the Police Services Board. In his spare time, he volunteers at the Barrie Women’s Shelter and enjoys the odd round of golf. Robert prides himself on being a good listener and is always interested in hearing new ideas to help make Barrie an even better place to live.