ON-Ramp: New Horizons in Cultural Tourism

ON-Ramp: New Horizons in Cultural Tourism

Together, with the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund and Destination Northern Ontario, Ontario Culture Days is thrilled to host expert presentations on arts and culture destinations in a context of regenerative tourism, diversity and inclusion.

IN-PERSON: Wednesday, June 8 to Thursday, June 9, 2022
Toronto Reference Library, Toronto, ON

VIRTUAL: Key presentations from June 8, 2022 streamed online

Our second annual symposium, ON-Ramp: New Horizons in Cultural Tourism, is an intimate, two-day event investigating the state of reopening for the arts, culture and tourism sectors.

The road to recovery has presented new challenges to audience development and community engagement. At this gathering, the arts, culture and tourism sectors can convene to discuss and solve for these challenges.

Christopher Bloore
President and CEO,
Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

Heather Bot
Executive Director,
Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association

Carol Caputo
Northern Partnerships,
Destination Ontario

Louis-Etienne Dubois
Associate Professor, Creative Industries Management,
Toronto Metropolitan University

Stéphanie Filippi
Project Manager – Chef de Projet
La Maison de la Culture Francophone du Niagara

Kathy Fisher
Curator/Supervisor,
Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site

Carol Greenwood
Vice President,
Membership & Business Development,
Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

Christy Haldane
Sculpture Artist,
Board Member at Craft Ontario

Janna Hiemstra
Executive Director, Craft Ontario

Donna Hilsinger
Executive Director,
Algoma Fall Festival

Sarah Jarvis
Director of Community Engagement,
Destination Toronto

Tim Jennings
Executive Director,
Shaw Festival

Jasmina Jovanovic
Executive Director
Art Gallery of Algoma

Jacoba Knaapen
Executive Director,
Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts

Vikas Kohli
Head of MonstrARTity
and Vice Board Chair,
Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund

Justin Lafontaine
Program Lead,
Tourism Innovation Lab

Jaymie Lathem
Executive Director,
Creative Industries North Bay

David MacLachlan
Executive Director
Destination Northern Ontario

Rachel Marks
Network Coordinator,
Réseau SPARC Network

Jacqueline Scott
Blog Writer for Black Outdoors
and PhD Candidate, University of Toronto

Kathleen Sharpe
Executive Director,
Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund

Catherine Tàmmarro
utrihǫt /Artist
People of the Little (Spotted) Turtle
Wyandot of Anderdon Nation
Wendat Confederacy
Indigenous Arts Program Manager
Toronto Arts Council

Ruth Burns
Executive Director,
Ontario Culture Days

Louis-Etienne Dubois
Associate Professor, Creative Industries Management,
Toronto Metropolitan University

Shawn Newman
Research Advisor and Consultant

Enna Kim
Murialist, and Hike Leader, Let’s Hike T.O.

Danny Pivnick
Hike Leader, Let’s Hike T.O.

Jacqueline Scott
Blog Writer for Black Outdoors
and PhD Candidate, University of Toronto

DAY 1 – Wednesday, June 8, 2022

8:30 – 9:30 am Registration and Refreshments
9:30 – 9:35 am Thanksgiving Address, Elder Catherine Tàmmarro
9:35 – 9:45 am Welcome
9:45 – 10:45 am Black Tourism: Trends and Expectations
Presentation by Jacqueline Scott
10:45 – 11:00 am Break
11:00 – 11:45 am Understanding Economic Impact: What Role Does Culture Play?
Moderated by Kathleen Sharpe
Panelists: Tim Jennings, Shaw Festival; Vikas Kohli, Bollywood Monster Mashup/ MonstARTity; Louis Etienne-Dubois, Associate Professor, Creative Industries Management, Toronto Metropolitan University
11:45 am – 1:15 pm Catered Lunch
1:15 – 2:15 pm Multi-sector Collaboration in Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma: Connecting Culture and Tourism Through Compelling Visitor Experiences
Presenters: David MacLachlan, Executive Director, Destination Northern Ontario; Carol Caputo, Northern Partnerships, Destination Ontario; Donna Hilsinger, Executive Director, Algoma Fall Festival; Heather Bot, Executive Director, Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association; Jasmina Jovanovic, Executive Director, Art Gallery of Algoma; Kathy Fisher, Curator/Supervisor, Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site
2:15 – 2:30 pm Break
2:30 – 3:30 pm Collaborating with RTOs and DMOs: A Case Study with TAPA and Destination Toronto
Presenters: Jacoba Knaapen, Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts; Sarah Jarvis, Destination Toronto
3:30 – 3:45 pm Break
3:45 – 4:45 pm Pivots to Pirouettes: A Path for Regeneration and Recovery in Arts and Tourism
Tim Jennings, Shaw Festival
4:45 – 5:00 pm Wrap Day One: Remarks by Ruth Burns; dance and musical performance by Isaiah Cada, Nichole Leveck and Nazarene Pope
5:00 – 6:30 pm Reception

DAY 2 – Thursday, June 9, 2022

8:45 – 9:00 am Registration, coffee and tea
9:00 – 9:45 am The Creative Sector and Placemaking: Artists as Part of Healthy Communities
Janna Hiemstra, Craft Ontario; Jaymie Lathem, Creative Industries North and Christy Haldane, Artist
9:45 – 9:50 am Break
9:50 – 10:45 am Session Two
10:45 – 10:50 am Break
10:50 – 11:50 pm Session Three
11:50 – 12:35 pm Collaborative Communities: How Supporting Local Arts & Culture Promotes Quality of Living and Hyper-Local Tourism
Communautés collaboratives : Comment le soutien aux arts et à la culture en miliru rural favorise la qualité de vie et le tourisme hyperlocal
Presenters: Rachel Marks, Network Coordinator, Réseau SPARC Network; Stéphanie Filippi, Project Manager – Chef de Projet, La Maison de la Culture Francophone du Niagara
12:35 – 12:45 pm Symposium Closing, Ruth Burns
Thanksgiving Address, Elder Catherine Tàmmarro
1:00 – 2:00 pm Lunch
 2:00 pm Walking Tours (90 minutes):
Yorkville, led by Danny Pivnick, Let’s Hike T.O.
Kensington Market & Graffiti Alley, led by Enna Kim, Let’s Hike T.O
Black History Guided Walk, led by Jacqueline Scott, Blog Writer for Black Outdoors, and PhD Candidate, University of Toronto

Ontario Culture Days will be hosting in-person symposium events at a reduced capacity of 50%. In-person symposium events will follow all COVID-19 protocols as established by public health, and all organizational policies as determined by Ontario Culture Days and the symposium venue. The symposium will be a mask-friendly event.


We acknowledge and thank the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund and Destination Northern Ontario for their support of this project.