At the Annual General Meeting on January 30, 2012, the members of Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation elected a total of three new Directors to their Boards.

At the Annual General Meeting on January 30, 2012, the members of Toronto Arts Council  elected three new Directors to its Board. The new appointments are Janet Carding, Director and CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum,Colleen Smith, Director of Operations at the Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, and Harold Chmara, financial executive with over 25 years experience in public companies.

John D. McKellar, C.M., Q.C. continues as Chair of Toronto Arts Council, Karen Tisch as President, Cindy Wan as Secretary and Randal Levine as Treasurer. "We think the new Directors will have a tremendous impact on the ability of Toronto Arts Council to fulfill its mission,” said John McKellar.

That same evening at the AGM for Toronto Arts Foundation (TAF), Harold Chmara was also appointed to the TAF Board of Directors, Susan Crocker was confirmed as TAF Chair with Cindy Wan as Secretary and Randal Levine as Treasurer.

“We are looking forward to the broad cultural perspectives that Janet Carding and Colleen Smith both offer,” said Claire Hopkinson, Executive Director of TAC and TAF. “Meanwhile, the strengths in fiscal governance that Harold Chmara brings will benefit both Council and Foundation. I am truly delighted with the incredible range of expertise and experience both boards represent.”

Ms. Hopkinson was wholehearted in her praise and thanks for the dedication and contributions of current and departing members of both TAC and TAF Boards of Directors. She included a special thanks to TAC Committees members who donated 5,000 hours of work over the course of 2011.

After six years, the last five as Vice-President, Jini Stolk has retired from the TAC Board. Board members congratulated her on her years of service not only on the TAC Board of Directors, but also as a member of both the Large Institutions Committee and the Advocacy Committee.

Also retiring at this time is Martha Burns, a distinguished stage and television actress, who has sat on the Toronto Arts Council Board since 2008. Members of the Board valued Martha’s insight and perspective as a leading professional actor, and thanked her for her contribution to the Council throughout the creation of the Creative City: Block By Block Vision Plan completed in 2010.

Having completed her term on Toronto Arts Foundation Board, Dr. Sara Diamond, O.O., President and Vice Chancellor of OCAD University stepped down. Susan Crocker and members of the TAF Board recognized her for the unique insights and incredible energy that she brought to her six years as Director, during a time of growth for the Foundation.

Biographies of New Members of the Board of Directors

Janet Carding, Director and CEO at the Royal Ontario Museum, is the first woman appointed to this prestigious position. Ms. Carding is responsible for furthering the ROM’s mission, advocating for its ongoing public and private sector support, promoting its research, programs, and collections, and overseeing the management of the Museum’s operations, including exhibitions, programs, education, visitor services, administration and facilities management. Previously, Ms. Carding was the Assistant Director, Public Programs & Operations with the Australian Museum and Head of Planning and Development with the National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI). She also taught the Museums and Galleries Administration segment of the University of Sydney's Museum Studies program. Ms. Carding obtained her degree from Cambridge University in History and Philosophy of Science and a Masters from the University of London in History of Science and Medicine.

Colleen Smith comes to the Board with the experience of a career that spans over 15 years and multiple provinces. Prior to her work at the Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, where she is currently the Director of Operations, Colleen was the Managing Director of the Factory Theatre, has served as a Director of Finance and Education at the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, and was in a management role for the Royal Conservatory of Music'sLearning Through the Arts program. She serves on a number of volunteer committees in both the arts sector as well as the Entertainment District BIA, and has served as a member on a number of non-profit Board of Directors.

Harold Chmara brings his expertise from the financial district to both the Board of Directors for Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation. Chmara’s most recent focus is tax technology, tax process improvement, risk and governance. He previously moved through a series of progressive roles at Deloitte’s Business Tax Consulting group, Hudson’s Bay Company, last as Vice-President Tax and Risk Management. His areas of expertise are tax technology solutions, financial reporting, strategic planning, risk and insurance, acquisitions and disposals, tax, and pensions. He has served on the boards of Tapestry New Opera, Hudson’s Bay Charitable Foundation, and served as Director of Hudson’s Bay History Foundation. Mr. Chmara is acknowledged for his successful leadership of multiple teams of professionals working with complex issues.

Complete List of Toronto Arts Council Board Members

Complete List of Toronto Arts Foundation Board Members

Toronto Arts Council (TAC) is the City of Toronto's funding body for artists and arts organizations. Since 1974, Toronto Arts Council (TAC) has played a major role in the city’s cultural industries by supporting a very broad range of artistic activity. From the emerging artist to the most established, from celebrated institutions to arts that challenge convention, TAC is typically the first funder to offer support. Today, TAC grants lead to exhibitions, performances, readings and workshops seen annually by over 7.5 million people. Through its ongoing funding, TAC cultivates a rich engagement between artists and audiences. It is proud to reflect Toronto’s vibrancy through the diversity of artists, arts communities and audiences that it serves.

Toronto Arts Foundation (TAF) was incorporated in 1995 as a sister organization to Toronto Arts Council (TAC). It has a two-fold mission: to increase awareness of the value that artists and arts organizations bring to the City of Toronto; and to increase resources for the arts. In addition to administering programs which further the above goals, TAF offers individuals, foundations and corporations the opportunity to support a broad spectrum of initiatives and arts disciplines in the City of Toronto through tax-deductible contributions.