The Community and Cultural Spaces Trust (CCST) is pleased to welcome four new candidates to join the Board of Directors on a trial period of four months. Their expertise will help steer the organization to full operational readiness by the end of 2025.
We thank all who applied to our latest recruitment cycle. We intend to form a Steering Committee in the coming months and will continue reviewing applications we received and interviewees we engaged for these purposes. We also thank you for your patience with our recruitment process! CCST is an entirely volunteer-run organization and genuinely appreciates the time all applicants put into connecting with us.
Meet our new candidate members:
Chris is a passionate cultural leader with a wealth of experience in the arts & culture, as well as in the non-profit sector. With a Master of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation, he is dedicated to fostering communities that are not only more connected but also better equipped to navigate the obstacles and possibilities of the future. Approaching his work through the lens of a futures design strategist, he specializes in designing innovative systems that drive collaboration, engagement, and transformative change. Guided by curiosity, Chris is deeply committed to reimagining the past and present as pathways to inspired future possibilities, particularly through a Black cultural lens. His work reflects a profound dedication to exploring how we envision and utilize our collective futures to build stronger, more meaningful communities.
Why did you want to join the CCST?
Much of the work that I do is within the area of community and cultural spaces. I am wrapping a MDes in Strategic Foresight and Innovation where I've gotten the chance to explore conversations around this topic. I also have gotten the chance through my previous work experience as a strategist to work alongside individuals and organizations that are passionate about this topic and through this have gained insights to help support the trust. I also live within the Ward and that is extremely important to me.
Danielle is a Recruitment Lead with TalentLift. She previously practiced as a lawyer with a real estate law firm and later as VP of Commercial and Hospitality at a real estate development company based in Toronto. Her experience in steering complex real estate projects, building and maintaining tenant relationships and managing marketing strategies has equipped her with a unique perspective on team dynamics and the ability to connect skilled individuals with transformative opportunities. Danielle also holds a Master’s of Comparative Politics and Human Rights and a Bachelor of International Development and History.
Why did you want to join the CCST?
I am deeply committed to fostering community development and believe strongly in the vital role that access to cultural and arts programs plays in both children's and broader community growth. These programs enrich our neighbourhoods, shaping them into vibrant, inclusive spaces where people of all ages can connect and thrive.
Eryn is wrapping up a Masters in Urban Planning with a focus on arts and culture planning informed by experiences gained during a 15-year career in the music industry as a technician, technical director, tour manager, promoter, and musician. His focus is on how diversity and inequality in access to employment in music spaces and how informal training (job shadowing and DIY labour) alongside informal spaces (DIY venues and events) can affect the diversity of the music industry labour force and create more entrenched systems of inequality. Alongside creative industries research Eryn also studies active transportation and social planning and policy.
Why did you want to join the CCST?
While working and performing in a variety of music venues in Toronto I observed a continuous struggle with access to space for both performance and rehearsal opportunities. Music spaces are under threat from rising costs, development pressures, building codes, and noise complaints. Protecting and preserving cultural spaces is an integral component of my academic research and I am excited to work with CCST on creating a Toronto future that includes access to cultural space.
What are you most excited to work on or contribute to in the coming months and years?
In the near future I am most excited about working on the community needs assessment project while forging connections with other arts and culture organizations in Ward 9. In future years I am excited to use my expertise in venue/facility operations to support the design and fit up of community space. The objective of property acquisition for cultural preservation and community use is extremely exciting.
James began his career at the age of twenty-two when he founded the Blyth Festival. This theatre in small town Ontario was one of the first to specialize in producing new Canadian works, and remains one of the most successful theatres in Canada today. Between 1980 and 1986 James was Artistic Director of the Belfry Theatre in Victoria, British Columbia and the Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg. James joined CBC Radio Arts and Entertainment in 1990 and for two decades he was the Executive Producer of Network Radio Drama, as well as producing his own drama series. Following two years as Head of Radio A&E, he left to lead the CBC team that launched Radio One on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. From 2015 until 2023 James was Creative Director for Amazing Agency and its sister company, IT World Canada.
Why did you want to join the CCST?
Throughout my career I have seen artists’ spaces created and then disappear as they become too expensive. Through the CCST I am determined to help obtain new places and venues that will remain in perpetuity with our city’s artists. This will guarantee untold richness to our lives and our children’s lives. That is the exciting opportunity that the CCST promises.
Eryn, James, Danielle, and Chris join the following Board Directors for 2025:
Chair - Hannah Fleisher
Vice-Chair - Maggie Hutcheson
Director - Erella Ganon
Director - Sean Fitzpatrick
Communications Lead - Julia Culpeper
Secretary - Liz Hysen
Network Development Lead - Alycia Shanika Doering
There will be additional opportunities to get involved in the coming months, including on a Steering Committee and as a General Member. We are also accepting donations to the CCST Operations Fund, which helps pay for the administrative costs of the CCST.
Reach out at any time to board@communityculturalspacestrust.ca with questions.
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