Board of Directors
Meet the Board of Directors
The Manitoba Arts Network operates under the auspices of a Board of Directors, which consists of a four-member executive and eight regional representatives from different areas of the province.
Katharine Kingdon
Chair
Westman Regional Rep,
Minnedosa Performing Arts Committee
Katharine has sat on the MAN board since 2017, working as a rep for the Westman region and now as Board chair. Retiring from a career as a band teacher, she now farms full-time with her husband south of Minnedosa. In her “past” life Katharine sat on the Heritage Coop Board (lead 4-H), and was a founding member of the Minnedosa Performing Arts Committee in 1991 and is still active with this group. Family, quilting, gardening, and supporting live music are her passions.
Rrain Prior
Vice-Chair
Artist, News and Events NACTV
A lifelong participant in the arts, Rrain Prior has been the Director of Programming at ArtsForward, organizing classes, performances, exhibitions and other programs as well as summer camps, festivals, and other arts and cultural experiences. She also serves on the local boards of the Margaret Laurence Home, a Level II museum in Margaret Laurence’s childhood home; NACTV, Neepawa’s local cable access television station; and the Neepawa Public Library advisory committee. She was production editor of the journal Transformative Works and Cultures from 2011 to 2020 and formerly served on the board of the Association of Community Theatres of Manitoba.
Rrain is an avid choral singer with the local community choir as well as Rainbow Harmony Project, and an active participant in the Neepawa visual arts and theatre communities.
Josh Marantz
Treasurer
Interlake Rep,
Arts Management
Has writen and performed in over 40 CBC radio and television presentations, numerous stage productions, and owning and operating Yuk Yuk’s (Winnipeg) and the Ironwood Stage and Grill (Calgary).
With over 40 years in Art management experience, Josh spent 6 years as Director of programming and communications at the Calgary Centre for Performing Arts. He was President of the Calgary International Film Festival, leading the organization from inception through the successful conclusion of its first year. Marantz Productions established in 1997 involved artist management, concert, CD, video, film and event production, graphic arts and performing arts consulting. Josh also owns Tunzen Music, a publishing company with the copyright to over 50 recorded songs. He has served on the boards of numerous festivals and arts service organizations, conducted workshops and strategic planning, was a two-time JUNO judge, and was twice Executive Director of the Manitoba Arts Network covering Rose-Anne Harder’s maternity leave.
Judith Dandridge
Secretary
Parkland Regional Rep,
Wasagaming Community Arts
Nina has sat on the Manitoba Arts Network board for many years starting in the late 1990s. She first sat on the board while she was employed as administrator of the Dauphin and District Allied Arts Center and after a break she returned as a member of their board. She has been involved in the Arts for many years and has proven her worth as a steadfast supporter of arts in rural Manitoba and especially the Manitoba Arts Network.
She is an artist in her own right participating in activities like quilting, other fibre arts, stained glass, and choral singing. She enjoys creating, taking part in and being part of the arts community in Manitoba.
Anthony Kost
Eastman Regional Rep,
Fire and Water Music Festival
Janet Head
Member at Large
Opaskwayak Cree Nation
Health Support Worker
Throughout her career, Janet has specialized in using arts for trauma-informed care, providing support to families in Manitoba First Nation Communities, particularly those affected by grief and loss. She has facilitated sharing circles, offered trauma counseling, and conducted presentations on intergenerational residential school impacts, lateral kindness, and grief.
Her employment history includes roles at Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, Inc., Cree Nation Tribal Health, and Eyaakeen Healing Centre, where she provided emotional support, facilitated workshops, and managed community development activities. Currently residing Opaskwayak Cree Nation (north of 53rd parallel), Manitoba she has also worked for the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and Indian Council of First Nations of Manitoba.
Andria Stephens
NorMan Regional Rep,
Mall of the Arts, Thompson
Andria Stephens was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, and worked as a professional singer and performer before moving to Thompson, Manitoba, in 2014. She toured across Alberta and Saskatchewan, performing with Toshi Jackson and the Silhouettes, Gary Martin and the Heavenly Blues Brothers, and Donald Ray Johnson and the Raylettes. With years of experience in songwriting and Digital Audio Workstations, she has recorded music with producers worldwide since the late 1990s.
She holds a diploma in Business Administration and a Computer Science certificate from Mount Royal University (2003).
As Co-Founder of Mall of The Arts (MOTA) in Thompson, she works to create a welcoming space for artistic and cultural events. Collaborating with the Women’s Enterprise Centre of Manitoba, she developed a business plan guiding MOTA’s growth, including building a board of directors, expanding its artist network, and securing a physical space. Her efforts have led to increasing community engagement, new partnerships, and a growing workshop audience.
MOTA’s documentary, “We Are the Artists of the North,” is available on YouTube.
Opeyemi Matthew Olukotun
Opeyemi Olukotun was born in Ipetu Ijesha, Osun State, Nigeria, in 1989. He earned a Bachelor of Technology in Fine and Applied Arts from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in 2012. After graduation, he worked as a Creative Arts teacher at a senior secondary school for two years before transitioning to a full-time career in visual arts in 2016.
Fascinated by human anatomy, he explores movement, facial expressions, and proportions in his work, using harmonious colors and expressionistic techniques to depict the human form. His signature style includes visible sketchy lines, creating a sense of flow and connectivity in his subjects. Constantly refining his drawing and painting skills, his work has evolved into series such as “Okada” (commercial bikers), “Night,” “Market,” and portraits.
He has exhibited in several group shows and competitions in Nigeria, Canada, and internationally.