Challenges and solutions to equity, diversity and inclusion issues facing cultural organizations (Panel)
Moderated by Jézabelle Toulouse Davidson
In French | Simultaneous interpretation in English and LSQ
Cultural organizations face issues of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). The inclusion of EDI principles must be integrated into all of the activities of these organizations, from the constitution of their board of directors or staff teams to the projects they undertake or the services they offer to their members. EDI is therefore at the heart of the management of these organizations but can present certain challenges for their managers. In this panel, managers of cultural organizations will present their personal experiences and discuss the challenges and issues they face, as well as the solutions their organizations are implementing to promote inclusion in the cultural sector. Real initiatives will be presented in addition to personal testimonials from our panelists.
Jézabelle Toulouse Davidson (Moderator)
Jézabelle Toulouse Davidson holds a master’s degree in project management (M.Sc) from the Université du Québec en Outaouais. She is currently a doctoral student at Laval University in the marketing department. Her fields of interest and research are arts marketing and cultural consumption as a whole (i.e., processes, influencing factors and consumer behaviour).
Valérie Beaulieu (Panelist)
A graduate of the Conservatoire d’art dramatique de Québec, Valérie Beaulieu has been working in Montreal’s cultural sector for nearly 20 years.
Her career path has led her to work for several cultural organizations such as the Théâtre Aux Écuries, the Festival du Jamais Lu and La Ligne Bleue | Réseaux et quartiers culturels, an organization she co-founded in 2011 and directed for three years.
Since 2016, Valérie Beaulieu has been the Executive Director of Culture Montréal, an organization whose mandate is to affirm the central role of arts and culture in all spheres of Montréal’s development. She is co-president of the Réseau des Conseils régionaux de la culture du Québec since 2019.
Julie Martineau (Panelist)
Executive Director of Culture Outaouais since 2013, Julie Martineau has an in-depth knowledge of the region’s cultural reality and its various stakeholders. She also led the cultural diagnosis project of the Outaouais in 2013. As Executive Director, she acted as a founding member of the housing cooperative Ateliers du ruisseau, in addition to representing the sector’s interests in terms of underfunding within the Table du Front régional de l’Outaouais and she has set up various outreach and work sites, including one on equity and accessibility within Culture Outaouais. She holds a master’s degree in regional development and is currently pursuing a master’s in business administration.
Nadine Medawar (Panelist)
Executive Director of the Regroupement québécois de la danse for almost a year, Nadine Medawar worked for the federal government for more than four years on issues of culture, diversity, and inclusion, as well as citizen mobilization. She was specifically responsible for the development of communication strategies and specialized in crisis prevention and management.
Nadine Medawar has also worked in the media sector for several years.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Administration and a master’s degree in Conflict Studies. She is a professional musician, founded a music production and performance company, True Music, toured the world with La La La Human Steps, and released two albums as a singer-songwriter.
Marie-Aimée Fortin-Picard (Elle/she/her) (Panelist)
With a Bachelor’s degree in social work, Marie-Aimée turned to community intervention. As Executive Director of the Coalition d’aide à la diversité sexuelle de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue (Sexual Diversity Coalition of l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue) for four years, she mobilized the region to create inclusive environments for 2SLGBTQ+ people. She has worked as a development officer for the Conseil de la culture de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue (Abitibi-Témiscamingue Culture Council) for over two years. Based on the needs of the regional cultural sector, Marie-Aimée develops initiatives and supports artists in their professional development. This work currently includes coordinating a process of exploration and inclusion of diversity in all its forms, across disciplines, within her region.
