CHAIR

Kyra Safar is an economist by trade, but spends much of her free time working with the arts community in Kingston in a variety of capacities, from participating in classes and workshops to coordinating exhibitions and volunteering for boards. She believes strongly in the role of mutual support in art and has loved being part of the community here in Kingston. She is thrilled to be part of the Board and excited to continue to support emerging and established artists!

CO-CHAIR

Morgan Wedderspoon is an artist, educator, and arts administrator who is passionate about art practice in community and its potential for grassroots-led social transformation—both imagining and working toward a more just and livable future for all. She earned a Master of Fine Art in Printmaking from the University of Alberta and holds a Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) from Queen’s University.

TREASURER

Faten Mitwasi is a Palestinian conceptual artist, curator, and scholar whose work centres on survivance, cultural memory, and the aesthetics of resistance. Through multimedia installations—integrating handmade elements alongside digital media—and research-creation methodologies, her work explores home, identity, fragmentation, and Palestinian visual culture. With a background in fine arts leadership and community-grounded pedagogy, she curates exhibitions, develops cultural programs, and teaches creative practices shaped by decolonial, relational, and community-based frameworks. Faten is currently pursuing a PhD in Screen Cultures & Curatorial Studies at Queen’s University.

SECRETARY

Noah Mirembe Gabigogo is a 2nd year PhD student in the Cultural Studies Department at Queen’s University. He is a mission-driven policy and development professional with over eight years of experience advancing gender equity, human rights, and inclusive programming across Africa and North America. Currently serving as Development Officer at the Equality Fund, he manages a CAD $20 million grant portfolio and leads engagement strategies with philanthropic partners to fund transformative feminist work. He is the co-founder of The Taala Foundation in Uganda, supporting LGBTQ+ mental health and legal advocacy, and has worked with organizations like Rainbow Railroad and the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice to support displaced communities through strategic partnerships and donor engagement. A Ford Foundation Global Fellow and graduate of the University of Oxford and Harvard Law School, he brings deep experience in governance, equity-centered strategy, and community building. Based in Kingston, he is committed to supporting Cultivate Art Commons’ mission to champion experimental art and foster inclusive, artist-led spaces.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Luis Vega is a Colombian photographer and designer based in Kingston, Ontario. He is a fan of supporting artists, and evoking emotions with visual media. With a degree in Graphic Design from St. Lawrence College and 8 (and counting) years of experience in the creative arts, he’s very excited to be a part of the Board.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Madeleine Dempster is a PhD candidate in Art History at Queen’s University where her research focuses on the art collections of 18th century French artists and architects. Her work is generously funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. She holds a master’s degree in Art History from Queen’s, in which she explored the art market connections between France and Canada and the fonds Desjardins. Madeleine is passionate about interdisciplinary research and arts-based community engagement. When she is not researching or exploring galleries and museums, Madeleine is out hiking, birding, and camping!

BOARD DIRECTOR

Dr. Milburn is an Indigenous artist (Métis Nation of Ontario), curator, and scholar specializing in contemporary Indigenous art, research-creation, digital art, collaborative art processes in Indigenous contexts and investigates the decolonial possibilities of artificial intelligence. Dr. Milburn is an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Education at Queen’s University, where she teaches Indigenous education and related topics, and she is also affiliated with the Royal Ontario Museum through the Rebanks Postdoctoral Fellowship.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Isabella Altoé is a researcher, educator, and cultural worker interested in the convergence of art and ecology. Her approach is aligned with environmental perspectives that both emphasize the political and collaborative character of art and seek to learn from and with multispecies worlds. As an interdisciplinary scholar, she is drawn to projects that are in motion, that spread beyond art spaces, and that invite public reflection to promote new ecological and social alliances. She holds a PhD in Cultural Studies from Queen's University and a MA in Social Sciences from Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo.  

BOARD DIRECTOR

Lola is a Kingston-based multimedia artist who embraces the intersection of queer and disabled life experiences with her love of nature, animals, and colour. Variety is her medium; soft sculpture and illustration are her current focus, but she loves exploring new mediums and finding new ways to engage her artistic practice with the world around her.