As the UK’s most in-demand dramaturg, Lou has collaborated with some of the best known and most exciting dance, theatre and performance artists across the world.

She has been dramaturg on well over 150 shows, many of which have won awards, and has worked at all scales, across all genres and in a huge range of contexts.

Miranda Mulholland is a JUNO nominated Canadian Singer and Fiddler. She is in high demand as a solo performer and as a collaborator. Dubbed the “Sweet secret weapon of Canadian Roots Music'' by Brad Wheeler at the Globe and Mail, her touring and recording credits include Great Lake Swimmers, Belle Starr, Bowfire, Harrow Fair, Alan Doyle, The Jim Cuddy Band and many, many more. She has performed on over 100 albums as well as on TV show and film scores and in theatre.

She runs a boutique record label out of Toronto called Roaring Girl Records which is the home to a select group of diverse artists and is the founder and Artistic Director of the Muskoka Music Festival. She is passionate about collaboration and bringing artists together to make art larger than the sum of their parts. This has been exhibited in her festival, her work “Letters from the Great War” with Soulpepper and “Dear Canada; Letters from the Second World War” with the Canada Council for the Arts and the N.A.C. 

Over the past seven years, Miranda has emerged as one of the World's foremost Artist Advocates speaking at the WTO and WIPO in Geneva, a CUSMA negotiating round in Washington, CMW, MIDEM, Banff World Media Festival and was the first creator to take the podium at the Economic Club of Canada. 

She was presented with the Global Intellectual Property Champion award from the US Chamber of Commerce and was Runner up to Margaret Atwood for 2019’s Artist of the Year in the Globe and Mail. Miranda was awarded the ABJ Fellowship for the Banff Forum in 2024. 

Miranda serves as the Creative Culture Advisor for Music Canada and is the Vice Chair Emerita of the Board of Governors, Massey/Roy Thomson Halls.

Neil is an experienced creative project manager, and artist-development specialist working mainly in music, but also on cross genre commissions. 

Over the past 13 years he has devised and managed over 15 creative projects, including The Lost Words: Spell Songs, a major commission with musicians and authors, that has performed at The Royal Albert Hall, The Natural History Museum, Hay Festival, and in major venues across the UK. 

He was employed by UK Parliament to devise and manage a new song commission to celebrate 750 years of Parliamentary democracy; resulting in performances in Westminster, a UK tour, and an album release. In addition, he has worked with international partners and delivered new music commissions in South East Asia and Canada. 

His projects have been performed on over three continents, to over 200,000 audience members, and the projects have won three BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. 

He is an experienced artist development specialist and has worked with many clients, including Rose Cousins, The Small Glories, Julian Taylor, Music PEI, Roaring Girl Records and more on UK development strategies and delivery. 

Since 2012 he has programmed the UK elements of the Folk Alliance International annual conference, and was in-house programmer for Cecil Sharp House in London for 6 years. He is an alumnus of the Clore Leadership Course, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. 

Aysanabee is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer songwriter currently based in Toronto. He is Oji-Cree, Sucker Clan of the Sandy Lake First Nation a remote fly-in community in the far reaches of Northwestern Ontario.

Solemn and soaring, backed by a swirling blend of indie, soul and electronic soundscapes, mournful saxophone and pulse-quickening finger-picking, Aysanabee’s striking sound is equal parts hypnotic and melodic which has been compared to Bon Iver, Matt Corby, Don Ross, Kim Churchill, Kings of Leon and Sam Smith.

He made history as the first ever Indigenous Artist to win the JUNO Awards for Alternative Album of the Year and the coveted Songwriter of the year, for Here and Now. 

Catherine MacLellan has been captivating audiences around the world for over two decades. Raised in the idyllic province of Prince Edward Island, Catherine's songs reflect her deep connection to the land and the people that call it home. Her passion for songwriting runs in the family; her father, Gene MacLellan, wrote beloved hits like "Snowbird" and "Put Your Hand in the Hand."

While rooted in folk, Catherine has evolved to embrace a wide range of influences over the course of her 7 albums. From heart-wrenching ballads to uplifting anthems, her music speaks to the struggles, triumphs, and joys of life. 

In addition, Catherine has also dedicated herself to shining a light on her father's legacy, producing an award-winning documentary and stage show that explore his life and struggles with mental illness.

Through it all, Catherine remains committed to her craft and the art of connection. Catherine's warm, calming presence and heartfelt music create an unforgettable experience for all who hear her.

Born and raised in Douala, Cameroon, Clerel grew up surrounded by music, from the rich sounds of Makossa and Highlife to the soulful melodies of American R&B. A self-taught musician, he picked up the guitar while studying chemistry in Ohio, discovering a passion that would shape his future.

Now based in Montreal, Clerel has made a name for himself with his warm, velvety voice and timeless songwriting, drawing comparisons to legends like Sam Cooke and Al Green. His music blends soul, folk, and R&B, evoking nostalgia while remaining fresh and deeply personal.

From appearing on La Voix (The Voice Canada) to performing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Clerel’s journey has been defined by authenticity and connection. Whether serenading festival crowds or crafting intimate ballads, his mission remains the same: to create music that soothes, uplifts, and invites listeners into a world of beauty and emotion

Old Man Luedecke is one of Canada's best loved roots musicians and few banjo troubadours. Known for his high energy banjo stompers and touching guitar ballads on subjects from nature to spirit and family to food, Luedecke charms his audiences by elevating the mundane to the wonderful. An award winning musician, Luedecke is also quite funny in his presentations. In a twenty year career, Luedecke has won two JUNO awards and holds an honorary doctorate from King's College in Halifax.

Emily Barker is an award-winning UK/Australian singer-songwriter. She had early success as the writer and performer of the theme to the hugely successful BBC/PBS Masterpiece crime drama Wallander starring Kenneth Branagh,and has since gone on to forge an acclaimed catalogue of releases.

Barker has released music and toured as a solo artist as well as with various bands and collaborations, most notably her long association with Frank Turner, and has written for TV and film, including composing the soundtrack for Jake Gavin’s lauded debut feature Hector starring Peter Mullan and Keith Allen.

“One of the most literate and probing folk albums of the year. I really love it.” Ann

Powers, NPR Music

“an album of spare, striking beauty” Mojo ★★★★

England's one and only John Smith has been at the pioneering forefront of British Folk Guitar Music for twenty years. He has amassed over 100 million Spotify streams and played his songs all over the world. He cut his teeth opening for the late, great John Martyn, and has since worked with Sarah Jarosz, The Milk Carton Kids, Dan Mangan and Jackson Browne. His latest album 'The Living Kind', produced by Joe Henry, is a soulful and intimate exploration of emotional, Americana-influenced atmospherics.

For over 45 years, Lorraine has created a versatile career through music, activism, and art to to focus on lasting social change. As the co-founder and lead singer of The Parachute Club, she helped define the sound of 1980s political pop while using her platform to amplify marginalized voices. Her passionate songwriting and stage presence has earned the band many awards including Canada's Walk of Fame.

Whether wielding a guitar, a camera, or leading cultural events as an artistic director, Lorraine believes in the power of art to build bridges, challenge perspectives, and create meaningful social transformation. Her decades of grassroots activism and community-driven artistic projects have also earned her Canada's highest civilian honour – the Order of Canada. No matter what the medium, Segato’s work continues to resonate and inspire. Her unwavering empathy and charismatic leadership have established her as both a cultural icon and a champion for positive change.

Michele Stodart is a multi-award-winning singer-songwriter, producer, musical director and multi-instrumentalist.

Born in the Caribbean, raised in Queens, New York, she’s now based in London, UK. Best known as bassist, vocalist and co-songwriter of Mercury-nominated, double-platinum-selling band, The Magic Numbers, with whom she continues to tour world-wide.

As a solo artist, Michele’s most recent release, ‘Invitation’ received outstanding critical acclaim and went on to win ‘UK Album of the Year’ at the UK Americana Awards 2024, where Michele also scooped the coveted award for ‘UK Artist of the Year’.

Michele’s diverse skills have seen her in the role musical director at various multi-artist bills and award shows, tutoring at songwriting retreats/workshops, as well as many other collaborative projects on stage and in the studio with artists such as Candi Staton, Judy Collins, Allison Russell, Billy Bragg, Kathryn Williams, The Waterboys, Julian Taylor, Bernard Butler, Hannah White, Bill Fay amongst many others.

Mimi O’Bonsawin is a contemporary roots singer-songwriter born in Northeastern Ontario and is French Canadian & Abénaki, a member of Odanak First-Nation. Through her rhythm and story-driven songs, Mimi’s music embraces the beauty of the Land. The ethereal quality of her music whisks you away with uplifting melodies and introspective lyrics that weave pop sensibilities with acoustic instruments. The layers of percussion and surprising harmonies make you feel the music rather than just hear it. 

As an Artist & Gardener, Mimi Says “Making music and growing food are very much the same. They both start with a seed, and with proper care, can grow into a beautiful garden that we all can share. I put intention and love into every seed and every note.”

Sadie Jemmett is a critically acclaimed Singer Songwriter, composer, musical director, theatre director and writer, based in France and the UK.

Sadie was first discovered and mentored by legendary folk singer Judy Collins, and was signed to her label Wildflower Records for her first album. Since then she has released two more studio albums and one live album and has toured extensively as both a solo artist and with her band.

From 2022 - 25 Sadie has been the Artistic Director and resident Composer for the internationally renowned theatre company Footsbarn Travelling Theatre.

Where she created two critically acclaimed shows; La Petite Gerda, which opened at The Edinburgh Festival and toured in both French and English, and Twelfth Night, which opened at the York International Shakespeare Festival and toured throughout Europe

T. Thomason has captured audiences with high energy, emotional indie pop performances in Canada & beyond since his teenage years.

A passionate advocate for queer/trans rights, T. aims to create life affirming, joyful experiences for his community (& everyone else) through music. He approaches songwriting as a commitment to “Say tough things tenderly,” a practice revealing an impressive depth of wisdom, clarity & courage in the young artist.

Collaborating with Sarah McLachlan, opening for Carly Rae Jepsen, & touring with Collective Soul are only some highlights of T.’s exciting career to date. T.’s most recent album ‘Tenderness’, released by Six Shooter Records in 2024, is “filled up with odes to quiet, beautiful, and scary moments of intimacy” (Range Magazine), and “Contains multitudes. It starts off as shimmery, dreamy, and intimate and slowly builds into a pop-rock explosion of nostalgia and feelings: longing and gratitude, love and fear, determination and joy.” (CBC Music).

In March 2025, T. sets off on his “Dirty Thoughts” EU/UK tour, performing at queer/feminist sex stores for three weeks.

Wesley Stace was born in Hastings, East Sussex in 1965. He released many albums under the name John Wesley Harding, before switching back to his birth name for more recent recordings, including 2021’s Late Style. He has recorded duets with, among others, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, and Rosanne Cash.

Stace has published four novels, including the international bestseller Misfortune, and recently co-wrote Mark Morris’ memoir Out Loud. He also created Cabinet of Wonders, a monthly show that plays at New York City’s City Winery, and which The New Yorker called “one of the finest nights of entertainment this city has to offer.” He has taught at Princeton, Swarthmore and Fairleigh-Dickinson, and writes regularly for the Times Literary Supplement and the Wall Street Journal. He lives in Philadelphia.

Ali Hand (she/her) is a disabled theatre artist and disability advocate on a journey with the goal of singing show tunes, telling stories, and making this wild industry inclusive and accessible for those who create and those who consume. Ali studied American Sign Language and Deaf culture at George Brown College, Leadership in Accessibility and Inclusion at Toronto Metropolitan University and musical theatre at Randolph College. Whenever Ali isn't singing or studying, she is most likely spending her time cooking or hiking.

Brendan van Niejenhuis is a leading litigation counsel and strategic advisor at Stockwoods LLP in Toronto. He has extensive experience across a wide range of cases before all levels of court in Canada, as well as administrative tribunals. He has acted as trial or appeal counsel in a variety of specialized fields, including professional and securities regulation, competition/antitrust law, class actions, intellectual property litigation, judicial reviews and appeals, First Nations litigation, corporate and contractual disputes, commercial arbitrations and municipal law. In addition to representing private firms and individuals, he has often been retained as counsel for governments & Crown agencies, police services, municipalities, industry regulators, and professional discipline tribunals in difficult cases or in response to judicial reviews and civil litigation.

Brendan is a security-cleared special advocate in security certificate matters arising under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. He has also acted as counsel to senior federal political officials in the Public Order Emergency Commission and the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference.

Brendan is a Senior Fellow of Massey College, as well as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. There he teaches a seminar on the Administrative State. From 2006 to 2021, he taught Administrative Law as Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School and at the Queen’s University Faculty of Law. He continues to regularly speak and write at professional conferences on a variety of subjects.

David Sax is a writer, speaker, and journalist from Toronto. He is the author of five books, including the global bestseller The Revenge of Analog and its cousin, The Future is Analog, as well as a book about entrepreneurs, and another one about food trends. His first book is Save the Deli, a chronicle of the rise and fall and rebirth of the Jewish delicatessen worldwide (but not in PEI...yet!). Talk to him about all things analog or smoked meats.

Emily Maxwell is the Artistic Director & Founder of The Disability Collective. Emily is a queer, disabled, and neurodivergent artist who spent the first decade of her career working as a stage manager for theatre and live events. Emily founded The Disability Collective in 2020 as a way to combine her love for art with her passion for disability justice.

In June 2023, Emily received the inaugural Christine Karcza Disability Leadership Award at the 43rd Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards, in recognition of her dedication to creating opportunities for disabled artists to showcase their work, and fighting for accessibility in performing arts spaces, both on and offstage.

Additionally, Emily works as an Access Program Manager for Luminato Festival Toronto, an Accessibility Coordinator for the Toronto Fringe Festival, and worked as the Accessibility and Events Manager for ReelAbilities Film Festival Toronto

Julie Pellissier-Lush is a Mi’kmaq storyteller, photographer, actor, drummer, best-selling author, and the first Indigenous Poet Laureate for PEI.

Through her books, songs, poetry and other creative pursuits, Julie celebrates and shares the powerful stories of the Mi’kmaq on PEI. Amongst her many accomplishments, Julie helped script the play ‘Mi’kmaq Legends’, which has been performed countless times over the past 13 years across the Island.

 At her essence, Julie is a cultural teacher and knowledge keeper. She finds inspiration from her elders, as they bravely share their stories, and from today’s courageous youth who are embracing and celebrating their rich culture. Her five children serve as her greatest inspiration and enduring reason for getting up each day to teach, sing, and create in celebration of her Mi’kmaw roots.

 The multi-talented, heart-centred artist’s contributions to the Mi’kmaw community and PEI have not gone unnoticed. She is the recipient of the Queens Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Senators 150 Medal.

 Her plays continue to grow in popularity and are featured in various festivals and stand-alone productions across Atlantic Canada. Julie is currently writing a new children’s series with the seven sacred teachings.

Johanna Mizgala is the Chief Curator of the House of Commons Collection. She has lectured and published extensively on museology, architecture, and contemporary art. She is a recognized leader in Canadian arts and cultural heritage institutions, and has significant experience as a curator, in arts education and cultural literacy, and as a freelance art critic. She has curated exhibitions for the National Gallery of Canada, Library and Archives Canada, the Portrait Gallery, London, le Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, the Confederation Art Centre, the New Brunswick Museum and the Remai Modern, amongst other institutions.

Prior to joining the House of Commons Administration in 2014, she was the Director of Exhibitions at Library and Archives Canada, with responsibility for renegotiating the institution’s travelling exhibition program and the partnership with TD for their Summer Reading Club: a free, bilingual, literacy program offered through public libraries across the country.

Kiki Benzon is a media scholar, multi-arts practitioner, and interdisciplinary educator. A Canadian based in Los Angeles, Kiki is an associate professor at the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. Her research and practice extend across the arts and sciences, dwelling chiefly at the intersection of media art, technology, and cultural studies. Committed to interdisciplinarity and polymathy, Kiki holds degrees in English Literature and Neuroscience, and has published on diverse subjects such as media and cognition, multimodality and storytelling, and democracy and games. Balancing critical analysis with creative and design practice, Kiki teaches courses on interactive media, digital culture, game design, multimedia narrative, and critical theory. Her artwork, which has been exhibited in North America, Europe, and Asia, renders technological artifacts, scientific iconography, and computational language through traditional crafting materials and methods. Kiki is director of the Situation Lab, an experiential and immersive design initiative stationed at USC and the Tecnológico de Monterrey School of Architecture, Art and Design.

Nathan Sartore (he/they) is the Managing Director of The Disability Collective. A queer and disabled theatre arts administrator, Nathan is dedicated to bringing accessibility and inclusion to all arts spaces. In addition to his work with The Disability Collective, Nathan is an Access Program Manager for Luminato Festival Toronto, and an Accessibility Coordinator for the Toronto Fringe, and worked as the Programming & Accessibility Coordinator for TO Live. In his spare time, Nathan enjoys reading, crafting, and spending time with his family. Nathan lives and works in Toronto with his wife, Emily, and their two cats, Merry and Pippin.

Rhiannon Rosalind is the Founder and CEO of Conscious Economics, a serial entrepreneur, social innovator, and economic wellness advocate. Dedicated to equity, inclusion, and systemic change, she merges business, public policy, music, and art to drive social impact.

As former CEO of The Economic Club of Canada, Rhiannon hosted global leaders like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Barack Obama, and Amal Clooney. She is the youngest woman in Canadian history to be inducted into the Most Powerful Women in Business Hall of Fame three times.

Her passion for art, music, and experiential learning has shaped programs impacting 50,000+ youth, promoting social change, reconciliation, and economic healing. She uplifts Canadian artists and musicians annually, integrating creativity into economic dialogue. Recognized as a "Change Agent" by Canadian Business Magazine, she has awarded $150,000+ in scholarships through The Jr. Economic Club of Canada.

Through Conscious Economics, Rhiannon challenges corporate Canada to embrace financial wellness, creativity, and self-mastery, redefining the future of work.

Dr. Robin Mazumder is a neuroscientist with a keen interest in how urban design impacts individual, community, and societal well-being, and currently a postdoctoral fellow with the Future Cities Institute at the University of Waterloo. An outspoken advocate for healthy urban design and has been invited to give more than 60 keynotes internationally. He was named Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue Magazine, an Edmontonian to Watch in 2015 by Metro Edmonton, and in 2018 was awarded the University of Waterloo’s President’s Community Impact Award in recognition of his leadership and advocacy.

In 2023, Robin was invited to give the McMaster University Zeidler-Evans Architecture of Health Lecture. Robin is also passionate about science communication and has been interviewed by and written for major media publications, including the CBC, Wired, BBC, and Forbes. He is writing a book on his research and advocacy and is represented by literary agency Cooke-McDermid.

Brittany Farhat (she/they) is an award-winning filmmaker, director, cinematographer, photographer and creative director known for their visual work within the Canadian music industry.

Farhat’s debut feature documentary, “July Talk: Love Lives Here”, premiered at Hot Docs in 2023 and won Best Documentary Feature at the Forest City Film Festival. Farhat’s story-driven music video for Donovan Woods’ “How Good” was awarded the Technical Merit award at the 2024 Forest City Film Festival. Brittany is also an independent cinematographer and editor for CBC Music and Massey Hall’s “Live At Massey Hall” concert series and CBC Music Live.

Farhat’s past experience includes working in post-production on Oscar award-winning filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro’s film “Crimson Peak”, in-house creative director and designer at Royal Mountain Records, and Video Producer at Universal Music Canada.

Farhat’s collaborators include July Talk, Donovan Woods, Aysanabee, Miranda Mulholland, Monowhales, Tokyo Police Club, PUP, Hollerado, Dizzy, Tara Kannangara, Scott Helman, Our Lady Peace, Valley and more.

Alongside their partner Matthew Fong, Brittany founded creative studio and production company Good Job Hi Five, based in Grand Bend and Toronto, Ontario.

Matthew Fong is a multi-disciplinary visual artist, video producer, and musician based in Grand Bend and Toronto, ON working in video production, photography, animation, graphic design, and music.

Alongside filmmaker Brittany Farhat, Matthew is one half of Good Job Hi Five, a full service creative agency producing and creating films, music videos, and visuals primarily for the music industry. Clients & collaborators include July Talk, Donovan Woods, Miranda Mulholland, The Strumbellas, Yukon Blonde, Electric Youth, Dizzy, Scott Helman, and Venus Fest.

Matthew is a camera operator for CBC Music’s Live at Massey Hall series and worked as a camera operator, video editor, animator, and score arranger on the award-winning feature documentary July Talk: Love Lives Here, which premiered at Hot Docs in 2023.

Matthew also holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto and has toured & performed with Tara Kannangara, Electric Youth, Lowell, Friendly Rich and The Lollipop People, and Ivana Santilli.