Equity, Diversity and
Inclusion in the
Cultural Sector:

Nicole is Métis, of Haudenosaunee, Nisga’a, and French ancestry. Her family has lived on Vancouver Island for six generations as grateful, uninvited visitors on unceded Lekwungen Territory, and she has been proud to live and work in Tkaronto for the past five years on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. Nicole has worked as a Project Consultant with the Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) for the past two years and as Project Manager for the CLMA’s recently launched national study, “Closing the Gap: Impact and Representation of Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour Live Music Workers in Canada.” She is also a member of the team at the Indigenous Music Alliance and International Indigenous Music Summit, and is proud to be supporting the development of an Indigenous Music Office in Canada.

Mercedes is the Artistic Co-Director for Sunfest-London Committee for Cross Cultural Arts, which presents thoughtful, innovative global arts programming in London, Ontario. She is also Head of Programs for Small World Music which produces the music conference, Global Toronto, and the Emergence Music Incubator, which showcase and support culturally diverse artists and partners in Toronto, Ontario. In 2019, Mercedes was awarded the Contributor of the Year Award from the Forest City London Music Awards and serves as a contributing member of the City of London’s Business of Music Committee, prioritizing programming with a focus on intersectional representations, all while also serving as a board member of Tourism London (London, Ontario) and the Association for Performing Arts Professionals (APAP)(Washington, DC).

Trained formally in Indian Classical Music from the age of 7, Tarun’s involvement in Vancouver’s underground electronic music scene in his early 20s led to the formation of well-known Canadian band Delhi 2 Dublin in 2006. He has since led the band to Glastonbury (UK), Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (US), Woodford (AUS) and almost 2000 other club and festival gigs around the world. He is Executive Director of 5X Festival, Canada’s largest South Asian youth event. He is a board member of the Canadian Live Music Association, a member of FACTOR’s Diversity and Inclusivity Committee, and the leader of the 2019-2022 Music BC Trade Missions to Mumbai. Tarun manages emerging Pakistani-Canadian electronic artist Khanvict, and is the co-founder and owner of digital label Snakes x Ladders which focuses on the new wave of hybrid South Asian artists.

Alan serves as the Festival Director for the sākihiwē festival and runs the artist and project management company, Ogichidaa Arts. He also volunteers with the Polaris Music Prize board of directors; the RBC Convention Centre board of directors; the Rap category committee at the JUNO Awards; the Mayor’s Indigenous Advisory Circle for the City of Winnipeg; and the Indigenous committees at the National Music Centre and the Winnipeg Folk Festival. In 2020, Alan received the Arts Award of Distinction from the Manitoba Arts Council and the Kevin Walters Legacy Award from Manitoba Music. Alan is a member of the Peguis First Nation.