Kevin Matthew Wong awarded inaugural Jini Stolk Creative Fellowship

Photo by Dahlia Katz

Toronto ON, December 6, 2023 — Kevin Matthew Wong, Senior Producer and Artistic Associate with Why Not Theatre, has been awarded the inaugural Jini Stolk Creative Fellowship. The Fellowship was created in memory of arts leader Jini Stolk and continues her legacy by supporting the field of arts management through an award of $20,000 over two years ($10,000 per year) to an arts manager of a small to mid-sized Toronto arts organization.

About Kevin Matthew Wong

Kevin is a Hakka Chinese-Canadian theatre creator, performer, dramaturg, facilitator, video artist, and producer who collaborates, creates, and consults across a wide spectrum of artists and organizations -- from Toronto’s independent performing arts scene, to some of Canada's largest theatres, and internationally renowned organizations and presenters in the USA, UK, Macau, and Germany.

Kevin Matthew Wong was selected from among 29 nominations. With the funds supported by the Fellowship, Kevin aims to examine and propose “mutually beneficial collaboration models between BIPOC companies and large-scale performing arts institutions.” Through research, sharing and reporting Kevin will examine “how [we] can work together towards a more dynamic, equitable arts ecosystem.”

"I'm deeply honoured to be the inaugural Jini Stolk Creative Fellow, and I hope to carry forward Jini's inspiring legacy of research, collaboration, and advocacy,” says Kevin Matthew Wong. “My sincere thanks to all who've made this life-changing award possible for me and for the fellows to come."

The Selection Process

The jury, consisting of Claire Hopkinson, former Director & CEO, Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation, Jane Marsland, arts consultant and advocate, and Michelle Yeung, Managing Director, Art Canada Institute, were unanimous in their decision. “We were thrilled with the outstanding caliber of nominations for this inaugural year of the Jini Stolk Creative Fellowship. Kevin’s nomination stood out for his innovative approach to collaboration among large and small arts organizations and for the potential of this work to have real impact on Toronto’s arts community. We are excited to see his own growth as an arts leader through the development of this project and can’t wait to see what happens over the next two years.”

About the Jini Stolk Creative Fellowship

The Jini Stolk Creative Fellowship is an annual award that encourages the development of the field of arts management through professional development, research, networking and sharing. The Jini Stolk Creative Fellowship Fund was established at the Ontario Arts Foundation and made possible by lead donors Sandra and Jim Pitblado and Tim and Frances Price, as well as many others who contributed to the endowment that supports the fund. Donations to the fund can be made here.

For more information about the Fellowship:
Sarah Gladki
jinistolkfellowship@gmail.com
jinistolkfellowship.ca

For more information about the Ontario Arts Foundation:
Bruce Bennett, Executive Director, Ontario Arts Foundation
416-969-7413 | bbennett@oafdn.ca

Established in 1991, the Ontario Arts Foundation (OAF) is passionately committed to building long-term support for the arts in Ontario. In 2022-2023, the OAF paid $4 million in endowment income and 450,000 in awards and grants.