Press

For immediate release

Inaugural President and Board of Directors Announced for BC Artscape

May 7, 2015

VANCOUVER, BC— Genevieve Bucher has been named the first President of BC Artscape , the non-profit, independent organization affiliated with Toronto-based Artscape established to make space for creativity and transform communities in British Columbia. Ms. Bucher’s experience in the planning, project development and financing of community spaces is broad-ranging through her roles in government and the private sector. She comes to BC Artscape from the City of Vancouver, where as Senior Planner she facilitated complex, multi-partner affordable housing projects.  Ms. Bucher will commence her position on May 25, 2015.

Howard Jang , a member of the inaugural BC Artscape Board of Directors who served on the Search Committee, said, “There was tremendous interest in this position and Genevieve distinguished herself among a very strong field of candidates. The Board of BC Artscape is confident that Genevieve’s experience in social housing, when combined with Artscape’s history of success in creative placemaking, will produce many innovative projects that serve the arts and grow our cities.”

Genevieve Bucher said, “I’m thrilled at the opportunity to lead BC Artscape.  The arts contribute in a unique way to our communities, and affordable and secure space is critical to their success. I’m looking forward to bringing my energy, experience and focus to contribute to cultural space development in BC communities.”

Tim Jones, CEO of Artscape , said, “Genevieve Bucher has a great passion for social purpose real estate and brings an extraordinary track record of negotiating complex deals and making projects happen. She is an excellent choice and we look forward to working with her to make BC Artscape a success.”

As President of BC Artscape, Ms. Bucher will lead the organization as it examines the potential of several cultural facility development prospects in the Greater Vancouver Area and as it determines priorities for the future. Details on BC Artscape’s first initiative, the Cultural Space Development Mentorship & Coaching Program , will be announced in June 2015.

In addition, eight individuals have been named to serve on the inaugural Board of Directors of BC Artscape, guiding the organization as it develops its strategic plan: David Allison , Founder of B/A Marketing Buildings; Kate Armstrong , Director of the Social + Interactive Media Centre at Emily Carr University of Art + Design; Barbara Cole , Executive Director of Other Sights for Artists’ Projects and Principal of Cole Projects; Bruce Flexman , Treasurer of the Vancouver Economic Commission and former Managing Partner of KPMG’s tax practice; Norman Hotson , Founding Principal of the Vancouver studio of DIALOG; Howard R. Jang , Professor of Professional Practice in the School for Contemporary Arts, Simon Fraser University and Director of the SFU Woodward’s Cultural Unit; Derek Lee , President of Prospero International Realty Incorporated; and Doug Robinson , development consultant.

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MEDIA INQUIRIES:

Artscape

Liz Kohn, Director of Communications
416-392-1038 x25
[email protected]

Claire Pfeiffer, Communications Manager
416-392-1038 x 45
[email protected]

BACKGROUNDER

ABOUT ARTSCAPE

Artscape is a not-for-profit urban development organization based in Toronto that makes space for creativity and transforms communities.

Artscape’s work involves clustering creative people together in real estate projects that serve the needs of the arts and cultural community and advance multiple public policy objectives, private development interests, community and neighbourhood aspirations and philanthropic missions.

Since its beginning in 1986, Artscape has become recognized as an international leader in creative placemaking, a practice that leverages the power of art, culture and creativity to catalyze change, growth and transformation in communities. The organization achieves its mission through developing and managing unique cultural facilities—including community cultural hubs, multi-purpose creative spaces and artist live/work projects—and delivering programs and services that promote creativity and cultural space development.

BC ARTSCAPE PRESIDENT

Genevieve Bucher

Genevieve Bucher is a leader in the social purpose real estate sector whose professional aim is to create change through urban development. She was named the President of BC Artscape, the first affiliate organization of Toronto-based Artscape, in May 2015. Until then, she was a Senior Planner with the City of Vancouver, responsible for the successful creation of complex affordable housing projects through partnerships with the development community, non-profit sector and by leveraging the City’s land assets. Prior to this she was Acting Director of Regional Development with the BC Housing Management Commission, where she developed, implemented and reviewed social housing supply and financing programs in the Vancouver Island Region. The focus of Genevieve’s career has been work across sectors to transform ideas into built community spaces. Her experience in planning, project development and financing is broad-ranging through her roles in government and the private sector.  Genevieve has a Master of Urban Studies from Simon Fraser University (2008).

BC ARTSCAPE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

David Allison

David Allison has been a marketing and branding consultant since 1990. In 2004, he founded B/A Marketing Buildings, a global real estate development marketing consultancy that to date has worked on hundreds of large-scale residential, commercial and recreational projects around the world. Since 2005, Allison has partnered with author, artist and designer Douglas Coupland on various commercial design projects for large corporations. In 2015, Allison joined forces with Meyler Capital, creating brand and marketing strategies for hedge funds, private equity funds and other alternative investment groups. He is a frequent keynote speaker and panelist, and has taught undergraduate and graduate marketing courses at the University of Calgary. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Urban Development Institute Pacific Region, the Contemporary Art Gallery, the Canadian Photographic Portfolio Society and the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. He was appointed to the Acquisitions Committee of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Kate Armstrong

Kate Armstrong is the Director of the Social + Interactive Media (SIM) Centre at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, a research lab that investigates the critical impact of art and design on innovation in business, technology and social enterprise, and that supports early stage ventures driven by artists and designers. As a curator she has produced exhibitions, events and publications in contemporary art and technology in Vancouver and internationally. She founded Upgrade Vancouver as part of an international network of art and technology organizations in 30 cities, was a founder of the Goethe Satellite. Kate is Artistic Director of the 21st International Symposium on Electronic Art and past Acting Executive Director and Board President of the Western Front. She is the author of multiple books, and her writing has appeared in many publications. Her interdisciplinary art practice merges networked media, written forms and urban experiences and engages with open forms of production that bring poetics and computation together in physical or network space.

Barbara Cole

Barbara Cole is an artist, educator and curator, and is the founder and Executive Director of Other Sights for Artists’ Projects, a non-profit society that collaborates and shares resources to present artworks that consider the aesthetic, economic and regulatory conditions of public places and public life. She is also the Principal of Cole Projects, a public art consulting firm that promotes experimental approaches to public art planning and commissioning. Barbara has led workshops, lectured widely and published articles on the subject of art in public space. She taught at Emily Carr University from 1984 to 1999, and worked as a consultant to the City of Vancouver’s Public Art Program from 1999 to 2004. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Contemporary Art Gallery and Artspeak Gallery, and is currently a member of Doryphore Independent Curators Society and the PuSh Festival Leader’s Council. Barbara received the Mayor’s Award in 2011 for her contributions to the advancement of public art in Vancouver.

Bruce Flexman

Bruce Flexman was a Managing Partner of KPMG’s tax practice and the President of the AdvantageBC International Business Centre in Vancouver until his retirement in 2014. He currently serves as a director on the Board of Directors of Providence Health Care, Vancouver Economic Commission, Arts Club Theatre Company, Arts Club Foundation, Fraserside Community Services and AdvantageBC, and is a past director with KPMG Canada (Chair), KPMG America, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants Tax Policy Committee (inaugural Chair). Bruce is Treasurer and Board member for Vancouver Economic Commission, an agency of the City of Vancouver with a mandate to strengthen the City’s economic future. He was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC and also received his FCA (Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia) for his service to the CA profession and community. He has completed 20 marathons to date.

Norman Hotson

Norman Hotson is an architect, and the founding principal of the Vancouver studio of DIALOG. Since 1973, he has designed and managed diverse project types in architecture, planning and urban design including the master planning of large-scale, urban sites for major redevelopment initiatives, and in architectural works such as university buildings, public markets and high-density residential projects. Through this body of work he has planned a major portion of central Vancouver. One of Norm’s definitive works is the redevelopment of Granville Island where he has served as the coordinating architect for the Government of Canada since 1977. Heralded worldwide as one of the most important urban precedents of our time, this mixed-use environment has become a cultural legacy for the citizens of Vancouver and lives up to the original mandate of creating a “people place” in the city. In all of his work, Norm has pursued his personal interest in the “street” as the lifeblood of the city, and in the creation of animated spaces for public interaction and enjoyment in the built environment.

Howard R. Jang

Howard R. Jang is a professor of Professional Practice in the School for the Contemporary Arts, Simon Fraser University, and is the Director of the SFU Woodward’s Cultural Unit. His prior roles include Executive Director of Arts Club Theatre Company in Vancouver, Executive Director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Executive Director of Ballet British Columbia. He has been an active member of many volunteer boards and committees, notably: the Canadian Arts Summit; Orchestras Canada; the Canada Council for the Arts; Vancouver Alliance for Arts and Culture; the Vancouver Foundation’s Arts and Cultural Advisory Committee; PAL Vancouver; the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres; Tourism Vancouver; and the TELUS Vancouver Community Board. Howard also serves as a member of the BC Culture Days Task Force and is a lifetime Honourary Governor for the Leon and Thea Koerner Foundation. He is honoured to be a “Knowledge Philanthropist” with Vantage Point Vancouver.

Derek Lee

Derek Lee is the President of Prospero International Realty Incorporated, an integrated property management, brokerage and development company that manages and owns a diversified real estate portfolio of retail, office and apartment properties throughout British Columbia. The company is well known for its extensive expertise within the North American real estate market and its numerous business contacts throughout North America and the Pacific Rim. He is a past director of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC, the Urban Development Institute, Tennis BC and SUCCESS.

Doug Robinson

Doug Robinson is an expert in planning, non-profit housing development, project facilitation and community development. In his 40-year career, he worked with the City of Vancouver for over ten years in numerous roles related to planning and development, and spent 20 years as a development consultant to non-profit and co-operative housing organizations, overseeing the development of 50 housing projects, mostly in Metro Vancouver. Doug’s volunteer experience includes the Seniors Housing Information Program Society (New Westminster), the Provincial Child Care Council (Co-Chair), the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada and the Kitsilano Child Care Society. Doug has lived in a housing co-operative for 31 years and plans to retire to Sechelt in 2015.