Meet The Team
Creative . Collaborative . Committed
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Meet The Team Behind Manitoba Arts Network
Manitoba Arts Network consists of a team of 6 professionals, often
augmented by interns and volunteers, who support, promote, and advocate for the arts and culture.
Art is an amazing tool for cultural exchange, education, expression, therapy, connection and interaction.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Rose-Anne Harder
Rose-Anne is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg’s Manitoba Arts and Cultural Management Certificate Program, the University of Manitoba’s Theatre program, and is a certified Event Coordinator.
As Executive Director of the Manitoba Arts Network, she aims to increase access to the arts in rural and northern Manitoba. Rose-Anne has been Chair of Creative Manitoba and a board director for Artspace.
Prior to working at MAN, Rose-Anne had 10 years of experience working at two sector councils the Manitoba tourism education Council and Film Training Manitoba. Before that, she has been a director, stage manager, production manager and scenic artist.
“I will guide your organization and your stakeholders through an approach that develops effective and creative solutions. Working together, we will create a plan that stimulates participants to a quick implementation of the plan creating confidence in your organization and its future”.
Manitoba Showcase Manager
Cheryl Ewing
Throughout her career, Cheryl Ewing has developed creative and innovative solutions for the cultural sector and has helped organizations with strategic planning, event and project management, and administration.
Working with organizations such as Atlantic Presenters Association, Guelph Jazz Festival, Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival, CCI – Ontario’s Presenting Network, Great Canadian Theatre Company (Ottawa), Lakeshore Arts (Etobicoke), St. Jamestown Festival (Toronto), Cheryl appreciates the time, energy and commitment invested in the cultural field as well as the challenges that face the sector.
As project manager for a provincial performing arts conference – Ontario Contact and a cutting-edge marketing research project, the Values & Benefits Study, she brings an overall perspective to the assets and resources of the cultural sector.
Cheryl brings strong facilitation skills, passion, an ability to engage others in my sessions, whether training or planning, and an intense interest in communicating the value of the arts in our communities.
“500 years of pain – song shows our incredible resilience and how we are finally coming together, all of humanity, to love and to be kind to one another, despite our differences and our past.”
Indigenous Touring Coordinator
Rhonda Head
Thirteen-time international award-winning Mezzo-Soprano vocalist, Rhonda Head is from the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in northern Manitoba.
Rhonda recently won a 2022 LIT Talent award for her single 500 Years for Best Social Impact Song and for Kisahkihitin I Love You for Best Collaboration. She also won a 2022 One World Music Award for her single 500 Years and a Global Music award for Coming Home for Best Protest Song. She is the official recipient of the Global Music Awards for a pair of her most celebrated songs. Judged by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning artists, Head’s impactful anthem, 500 Years, received a Bronze Medal in the Protest Music category. The lyrics share her emotional journey, moving through the pain of being an intergenerational Residential School Survivor.
Visual Art Coordinator
Nicole Shimonek
Nicole is MAN’s Visual Arts Coordinator. Outside coordinating touring exhibitions at the ArtsNetwork she is a visual and multi-media artist.
Nicole has an MFA from the Chelsea College of Arts and Design, University of the Arts London and a BFA Honours degree from the University of Manitoba. She works in the arts professionally; in curated exhibitions, set and audio design, self-initiated projects and as an instructor. She makes art at home in her studio and in national and international residencies.
performing arts Coordinator
Leah Borchert
Leah has a broad background in the performing arts, including a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Theatre from the University of Winnipeg and a Master’s in Creative Arts Therapies from Concordia University.
She has previously worked for the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival, Prairie Theatre Exchange, and Manitoba Theatre for Young People. In her own practice as a performing artist, Leah has been a creator, performer, producer, and stage manager, as well as a singer with her choir, SonoLux. She is a strong believer in the essential value of the arts and is grateful that her work at the Manitoba Arts Network allows her to expand the presence of performing arts throughout Manitoba.
“I appreciate the social implications that can be found in art, and how social and cultural history is reflected through art and the art world. I believe every piece of art has a story behind it in how it ties into its physical world, past and present”.
pROGRAM Coordinator
Sarah Brereton
Sarah has been the Program Coordinator at Manitoba Arts Network since 2020.
Sarah holds a BA (Hons) in History of Art from the University of Winnipeg, where she studied and explored settler-Indigenous relations and how such shared histories of colonialism affect contemporary curatorial and collection management practices within organizations and institutions. Outside of Manitoba Arts Network, Sarah spends time hiking and camping and works with the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health as a Communications Contractor.