About Us
Fostering collaboration and innovation across
sectors towards an inclusive Creative Economy
A THRIVING CREATIVE ECONOMY REQUIRES A FOCUSED TEAM OF INDUSTRY LEADERS, JOINING FORCES TO PROVIDE STRUCTURE AND SUPPORT TO THE SECTOR.
We are a mixture of artists, arts centres, arts organizations and representatives from tourism and economic development. We are collaborating and innovating across sectors in support of an inclusive Creative Economy. We believe in ‘thinking and acting’ like an ecosystem, which for us means caring about the well-being of every community in our super-region. And it means filling gaps in supports and services – especially to equity-denied populations, so everyone can participate.
MEET OUR TEAM
Illana Hester
Illana Hester is a Curatorial and Marketplace Advisor; an art coach and appraiser, and a trusted advisor to both artists and businesses on best practices in the cultural sector. She brings extensive expertise in career management, digital transformation, and sector development, backed by over a decade of experience managing arts organizations with annual revenues ranging from $1 to $3.5 million in New York City’s competitive arts marketplace. Illana is regularly invited to speak and present to organizations across Canada, offering insights into the underleveraged potential of the Canadian art market and the strategic opportunities emerging in rural and regional centres. She is also the Executive Director of The Old School House Arts Centre.
Jenny Farkas
Jenny Farkas – Jenny is an artist, maker, writer and Creative Economic Developer with a 30-year background in policy analysis, project implementation and communications across the public, NGO and private sectors. For close to a decade she has been building relationships and connectivity in the creative sector across Vancouver Island super-region. Since 2019 she has supported dynamic, super-regional initiatives through Creative Coast (creativecoast.ca) – a deep collaboration lab of artists, arts centres and tourism and economic development organizations. In this time she has helped secure over $3 million in grants to amplify and strengthen the arts ecosystem, and advocate for an Inclusive Creative Economy. Outcomes include the inaugural Arts Impact study for Vancouver Island/Rural Islands and numerous pilot projects designed to fill gaps in infrastructure and business development. In 2024 Jenny joined the Board of the South Island Prosperity Partnership to further this work, and also formed the MakeSpace for Art Society to build and operate infrastructure that supports creative entrepreneurship.
Karen Bannister
Creative Coast’s tourism advisor, whose career spans key roles at 4VI (Director of Marketing, then VP of Operations), as well as senior fundraising and marketing positions with the Shaw Festival Theatre, and the Canadian Stage Company. During the pandemic, Karen spearheaded the award-winning Vancouver Island Tourism Resiliency Program – a program that was quickly adopted by the rest of British Columbia. Karen is currently leading a collaborative project between Creative Coast and 4VI entitled: Foundational Inquiries: Exploring opportunities for Cross-Sectoral Partnerships Between the Creative and Tourism Sectors.
MEET OUR COLLABORATORS
Erica Mattson
Creative Coast’s economic development advisor, Erica is a seasoned sector development strategist, with two decades of leadership in cultural institutions, creative economic development organizations and arts funders. Erica brings exceptional skillsets in program management, design thinking and strategy development that function to strengthen sectors, build business models and shift cultures. She is currently co-leading the NFRF project with Jenny, and fulfilling the role of Data Coach for Mass Culture’s Data Narratives for the Arts.
Naas Rain
Creative Coast Advisory Circle Member Naas is a Hesquiaht Two-Spirit artist working to build networks of care, empowerment and collaboration, particularly for Two-Spirit, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ communities. By creating spaces where lived experiences are shared openly and without fear, they help foster community resilience and a deeper connection to identity, while also supporting initiatives that advance economic sovereignty and cultural resurgence. Naas lives in Ucluelet and is playing a key role in an exciting 2025 collaboration between Creative Coast and Coastal Queers Alliance.
Arianna Augustine
Creative Coast Advisory Circle Member Arianna is a Hul’q’umi’num artist, filmmaker and graphic designer with a keen interest in blending the digital world and Coast Salish Culture. She has directed two short documentaries of acclaim: 10000 Gifts (2023) and Everybody’s Child: Feeding Community Youth (2025). She has studied the Coast Salish form line through her grandmother, Jane Marston, and her aunt, Angela Marston. Arianna brings grounded wisdom to Creative Coast conversations about filling structural gaps in supports to Island artists.
WORK WITH US
Over the years we have assembled an incredible list of talented reseachers, artists and consultants with deep expertise in Arts + Culture, Tourism, Economic Development Government sectors. We can help connect you with local experts who can provide strategic guidance, creative solutions and tailored support.
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www.creativecoast.ca is a continuation of the digarts.ca project, with funding provided by the Canada Council for the Arts, Digital Strategy Fund. Site design by Clever Jane.
©2025 Creative Coast BC