We are the organizational face and collective voice that is needed to provide arts space advocacy at all levels of government. We bring our knowledge and expertise together to identify and partner with community leaders and influencers to champion the need for creative hubs, live/work space, and look for other opportunities to grow arts spaces in Edmonton.
Partners include
- The City of Edmonton
- Edmonton Arts Council
- Edmonton Heritage Council
- Creative Hubs across Canada
- Calgary Arts Development Association
- Various Community Groups
Meet the Arts Habitat Team
Al Chapman
Executive Director
Over the past 30 years, Al has built a career as an innovative leader in project management, program development, governance, and events management. He began his professional journey as a music educator in a small rural school division and then moved to the Alberta public sector, where he worked on many rewarding initiatives within the Government of Alberta, the Legislative Assembly Office, and the University of Alberta. Al was recently part of the team at the Alberta Mentoring Partnership (AMP).
Al is an active volunteer spending time as a big brother with BGCBigs and is involved with his dog Daisy doing community wellness visits as part of the Chimo Animal Assisted Wellness and Learning Society (CAAWLS).
Aaron Wicks
ArtsHub Ortona Asst. Facility Manager
Aaron has been serving and contributing to Edmonton’s dynamic arts community since 2009. After completing post-secondary education in Theatre Production at Vancouver Island University in 2005, he was then based in Vancouver, BC, plying the waters of False Creek, and serving the surrounding stages and venues. He also toured that province extensively, working on projects of many shapes and colours on the island, mainland, and interior. In 2009, Aaron officially made landfall east of the Rockies.
Aaron has since contributed to Edmonton’s Theatre community as a technician, designer, Technical Director, and educator. His technical expertise is known to encompass many disciplines, and his experience in facility management is enriched by the variety of experiences Edmonton has granted him. Most importantly Aaron loves to utilize those skills to bolster his community and support the voices of artists.
Aaron is a fervent believer in the impact of art in action. He is excited to continue serving his community through ArtsHub Ortona.
Doris Car
Finance and Administration Manager
A few years ago, Edmonton became Doris’ new home city and Canada a new life adventure. She graduated from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology as an International student and after working for multiple organizations within the not-for-profit sector, she discovered her passion for not-for-profit accounting and financial policies. In addition to her work dedication, she is eager to experience culture and taste the variety of culinary treasures of our world.
Kelly Gardiner
Communications Manager
Kelly is enthusiastic about placemaking projects that contribute to the vibrancy of Edmonton. Her interest in the field sparked while working as the Marketing and Operations Intern at Vignettes™ in 2019. During her time there, she contributed to numerous placemaking installations in the downtown core, a K-Days exhibition hall, and the Vignettes Design Series Festival: Muse 2019. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta. While pursuing her degree, she was an active Campus and Community Recreation leader and served as the University of Alberta Squash Club President during the 2018-2019 academic year. Following her passion for community development, she has pursued a career in communications and stakeholder engagement, as demonstrated by her previous work in nonprofits and fundraising campaigns.
Raj Nigam
General Manager - ArtsHub Ortona
Raj has been actively involved in the Edmonton arts community for 35+ years. He holds Bachelor’s and Masters Degrees in Applied Music (Performance, Percussion) from the University of Alberta and a certificate in Arts Administration from Grant MacEwan College. An active freelance musician, he spent decades playing in the percussion section of the ESO. He also has extensive experience working in the world of festivals and events, as he was the Programming Manager for both, E2001 Festival of The Worlds, and the Francis Winspear Centre for Music. He was Executive Director of the Edmonton Heritage Festival Association, and from 2007-2013 he worked in Ottawa as the Senior Manager of Programming & Celebrations for the National Capital Commission (NCC), a role that saw him manage both Canada Day in the Capital (including the activities on Parliament Hill) and Winterlude. Most recently, Raj served as Programs Officer for the Edmonton Screen Industries Office (ESIO).