Stephanie Draker

Stephanie is a Toronto-based arts manager with over 18 years of experience serving the Ontario arts and culture sector. As Program Manager for Work in Culture (since 2015) she oversees the development, delivery, and evaluation of a range of programs, projects, and partnerships focused on advancing the cultural workforce through business skills and entrepreneurial skills training. Stephanie is also the fund administrator for Work in Culture’s Catalyst and Transformation Fund which provides support to Ontario arts organizations to investigate, plan, and implement substantive change in their operations.

Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University and a Project Management Diploma from Humber College. She has exhibited as a visual and craft artist and has served as a production and stage assistant for Fly By Night Theatre Company and Kaeja d’Dance. Stephanie is a 2024 Toronto Arts Council Leaders Lab Fellow. She is deeply committed to the transformative power of the arts, recognizing its ability to foster social cohesion and drive economic growth.

I am a former practicing artist and creative entrepreneur turned arts administrator and work for an organization that supports the career development of people who work in the arts. I enjoy working with mentees who are interested in defining and refining their career pathways, who are looking to build confidence and connections in the sector, and are interested in creative problem solving and project guidance.

I possess knowledge in the following areas and would welcome conversations with artists and arts administrators working in any discipline:

• Arts & culture sector navigation and career development guidance
• Grant writing/Proposal development
• Project/program design and implementation
• Event planning
• Evaluation and reporting
• Community engagement
• Partnerships and collaborations
• Strategic planning

Artistic Discipline and/or Areas of Practice:

Multidisciplinary/Arts Administration

Where are you located?

Toronto

Identity

Person of Colour [non-white]

Pronouns

She/Her

Type of mentorship

Grant and Proposal Writing
Artist Statements, CVs, and Bios
General Critique and Feedback on Work
Industry, Business, or Career Advice
Event or Program Planning
Community Engagement / Collective Organizing
General arts and culture sector navigation and career development guidance

How are you available to mentor

My availability would be most flexible through Zoom meetings.

I may also be able to arrange for in-person meetings in downtown Brampton (near the BAO space) on days I’m already planning on being in Brampton (e.g. in-line with any WIC x BAO partnership programming!).

Similarly, if a mentee is planning on being in Toronto, I would be more than happy to meet them in-person if schedules align.

Application Process

Please start by sending an brief email and provide the following background information:

If you work for an organization, please specify your role at the organization and provide a brief overview of what your organization does. Please include your organization’s website if available and links to any additional support material that may add context (e.g. if you are applying for a grant, please specify which funder, stream, etc.).

If you are an artist, please provide a brief overview of your artistic practice and experience. This could supported by including a CV or links to your artist website/social channels. As above, if you have links or additional support material that might help add context, please include them!

Once you’ve summarized your background information, please provide me with a brief overview of the idea, challenge, or opportunity you are looking to address or receive feedback on, or the skills or experience you are looking to build upon. Here are some prompts you can follow (as applicable):

• What is the idea/challenge/opportunity you are looking to address?
• What stage are you at in your planning?
• What specific skills are you looking to improve?
• Are there specific areas you feel stuck or uncertain about?
• What do you hope to gain from this mentorship experience?

Interested in connecting with me? Please click on the ‘Let’s Connect’ button to access an online form and submit your details for review. I’ll be in touch as soon as possible to explore next steps together.