High Tea and Panel | International Women’s Day

Megan Dart (she/her) is an arts administrator, communications professional, playwright, and theatre collaborator based in amiskwaciywâskahikan (Edmonton). She brings 18 years' experience in event production, arts administration, theatre creation, public and media relations, marketing, and communications.

Megan is honoured to serve our community as the Executive Director with Edmonton Fringe Theatre, producers of the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival and a home for more than 500 community arts events year-round. The Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival is the largest, longest running Fringe Theatre Festival in North America and among the top 5 worldwide alongside Edinburgh, Scotland and Adelaide, Australia. Fringe Theatre is a community hub for artistic activity in Edmonton all year round. We don’t just want artists to visit the Fringe Theatre Arts Barns. We want them to inhabit it. Wake it up. Fill the quietest corners with all the noise of artmaking. This is a safer space for brave ideas and big artistic risk. This is where chance encounters grow into meaningful collaborations; where messy first inklings become brilliant realizations.

Megan is also the co-Artistic Producer with Catch the Keys Productions, an award-winning scrappy indie theatre company specializing in site-specific, immersive creation, perhaps best known for its annual historically-inspired site-specific Halloween romp, Dead Centre of Town (recipient of an Award of Excellence in Interpretation from Interpretation Canada).

Megan was named one of the Top 100 Women in Business by The Wanderer, is a University of Grant MacEwan Distinguished Alumni, and a recipient of the Edmonton Artist Trust Fund Award.

Jenny McAlister has been volunteering as the producer of the Strathearn Art Walk for the past 14 years, leading a dedicated team in planning and executing this vibrant community festival. Under her guidance, the Strathearn Art Walk has become a celebrated event that showcases local artists while fostering a strong sense of community. Jenny’s leadership is rooted the Art Walk core values of community, opportunity, and sustainability, ensuring that the festival not only highlights artistic talent but also provides a platform for growth and connection for both participants and attendees. In addition to her work with the Art Walk, Jenny is the founder of Strathearn Psychology, where she supports individuals in their mental health journey. With her passion for both the arts and mental well-being, Jenny continues to make a lasting impact on Edmonton’s cultural and wellness landscape.

Christy Morin is a visionary leader, community builder, and champion of the arts in Edmonton. As co-founder and Artistic Director and General Manager of two Edmonton Signature Festivals: Kaleido Family Arts Festival, Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival, and founding member of Arts on the Ave Edmonton Society, she has dedicated her life to transforming neighbourhoods’ through creativity, culture, and connection.

Living in the heart of the Alberta Avenue District, Christy has worked tirelessly to create inclusive, vibrant spaces where art and community intersect. Through her leadership, Arts on the Ave has become a beacon for artistic expression and grassroots engagement, fostering a sense of belonging and revitalization in one of Edmonton’s most diverse neighborhoods.

Since 2005, Christy has served as the Executive Director of Arts on the Ave Edmonton Society, leading initiatives that bring artists and residents together in meaningful ways. She is also the Artistic Director and General Manager of the Kaleido Family Arts Festival, a multidisciplinary celebration that transforms streets and alleys into a dynamic artistic landscape. Additionally, she has played a pivotal role in the Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival, which has become a signature event in the city, celebrating winter.

Beyond these large-scale festivals, Christy has been deeply involved in the development of community arts spaces, serving as General Manager of The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse since 2007.  Prior to her work with these organizations, she spent over a decade as an artist-in-residence, collaborating with Edmonton Public Schools, Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord, and Elk Island School Division to inspire young artists.

Her passion for using the arts as a tool for community transformation extends beyond Edmonton. In 2021, she worked as a consultant for winter festival development in Regina, Saskatchewan, helping to shape strategies for cultural engagement in the city. She has also shared her expertise as a speaker at the Michaëlle Jean Foundation’s Power of the Arts Conference, highlighting the ways in which cultural initiatives can drive social change and community renewal.

Christy’s contributions to the arts and community development have been recognized through numerous awards and honors. In 2019, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate for her outstanding contributions to the arts and community-building. She is also the recipient of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022), the John Humphries Human Rights Award (2021), the Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow Recognition (2015), the Edmonton Police Service Harry Hole Policing Award (2013), and the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Award (2010). Most recently, in 2024, she received the King Charles Award in recognition of her ongoing impact in the arts and culture sector.

With over two decades of experience in arts leadership, Christy continues to inspire and mobilize artists, volunteers, and community members to build a more connected and creative Edmonton. Her work has transformed the Alberta Avenue District into a thriving hub of artistic expression, proving that art is not only a reflection of community but a catalyst for its growth and renewal.