Meet The Team

Ian Garrett is designer, producer, educator, and researcher in the field of sustainability in arts and culture. Ian is Associate Professor of Ecological Design for Performance at York University and Graduate Program Director for Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies. He is Producer for Mixed Reality Performance collective Toasterlab; and director of the Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts, a think tank on sustainability in arts and culture. He maintains a design practice focused on the integration of ecology, technology and scenography.

Dr. Tarah Wright is Professor of Environmental Science at Dalhousie University. Her research has primarily been focused on the emerging field of education for sustainable development (ESD) and she has published numerous papers covering a wide range of issues related to sustainability in higher education (SHE). Most recently, Tarah has begun to pursue a research program that investigates the various roles that the arts can play in influencing cultural norms, encouraging pro-environmental behavior, and providing drivers for the creation of a sustainable future. Tarah and her family make their home in the city of Halifax, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People, in the Acadian Forest Bioregion, at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

Emma Bugg (she/her) is pursuing a Master of Environmental Studies at Dalhousie University and is one of five researchers in residence contributing to the Mass Culture Arts’ Civic Impact research project. Through this project, Emma is exploring the intersections of art, climate change, and environmental sustainability by working in residence with an arts organization to develop an impact framework to better understand, amplify, and enhance the contributions of the arts towards addressing the climate crisis. Prior to beginning her studies at Dalhousie University, Emma worked at the Ottawa based non-profit Evidence for Democracy as the Communications and Campaigns Manager. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours from the University of Saskatchewan.

Sophia Katzell (She/Her) is a Toronto based marketer and theatre practitioner. She is currently pursuing an MA/MBA in marketing and arts, media and entertainment management at York University/Schulich School of Business. Her research interest is the economics of theatre, and strategies for not-for-profit theatre to become financially sustainable to support its practitioners. Her work outside of the SATA project includes Business/Arts and Culture Days Arts Impact co-project, wherein she is building a database on the impacts of art on Canadian society.

Lenka Tomlinson (they/she) is a recent graduate from Dalhousie University, having completed an Honours in Sustainability & Environmental Science, with certificates in art history, sustainable leadership, and environmental impact assessment. Their Honours thesis, "The Curatorial Anthropocene: Museums in the Climate Crisis”, examines the engagement of Canadian museums with the ongoing climate crisis and sustainability in the past and present. Their project draws recommendations on how museums can strengthen their participation in climate education, and identifies current barriers to sustainability work within the sector.