Jaime Martino awarded the second annual Jini Stolk Creative Fellowship
Toronto ON, November 25, 2024 — Jaime Martino, Executive Director with Tapestry Opera, has been awarded the second annual 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 Jaime Martino
Jaime Martino is the Ruby Award-winning Executive Director of Tapestry Opera, where she and Artistic Director Michael Mori have launched two national initiatives, produced 14 world premieres, and are currently building a new studio theatre in downtown Toronto. As Director of Operations for Pride Toronto, she steered one of the largest celebrations of queer and trans communities in the world. She is a dancer, choreographer, producer, activist, parent, and a true and loyal friend. She believes in transformational change, collective joy, and the queer art of failure - she knows that art can change the world, if we do it right.
Jaime Martino was selected from among 16 nominations. With the funds supported by the Fellowship, Jaime aims to bring together stakeholders from across classical music to work together to find levers in their systems to change the culture within them. Her goal is for unions, industry associations, and leadership from major organizations to work together to provide training, support, and accountability to address deep inequities in companies across the classical music sector.
“I am delighted and so grateful to receive the second-ever Jini Stolk Creative Fellowship, and I take very seriously the trust and responsibility that this Fellowship represents,” says Jaimie Martino. “Jini cared very deeply about the way that we work together to create art, and I am inspired by her work to challenge and rework systems to make them more human-centred. I am honoured to carry on her legacy, and to use the next two years in this Fellowship as a way to continue her work to make a kinder, more inclusive sector for us all.”
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 Anahita Azrahimi, Executive and Creative Director of Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, were unanimous in their decision.
“We want to thank everyone for their fantastic nominations this year. Jamie’s nomination stood out for her commitment to collaboration - from organizational leaders to industry associations to unions. The breadth of this network has real potential to make positive change in the classical music world and beyond. We are excited to watch the development of this project 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.
Read the press release on the OAF website.
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For more information about the Fellowship:
Sarah Gladki and Kasia Gladki
jinistolkfellowship@gmail.com
www.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 2023-2024, the OAF paid $4.6 million in endowment income and $500,000 in awards and grants.