Kitchener, Ontario

2025 FEO "SYNERGY"
Conference

February 24 - 26, 2025

Funders Panel

Catalina Fellay-Dunbar
Catalina Fellay-DunbarOperations Manager OCAFcfellay-dunbar@ocaf.ca
Session Title: Provide information on different funding programs

Join us as we share important data and strategies for applying for grants from Ontario Cultural Attractions, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and the Ontario Music Investment Fund.

Outcomes:

1. A comparable of the 3 programs to highlight the differences between Experience Ontario, OCAF and the Ontario Music Investment Fund
2. How to be prepared for a grant. Utilizing the resources, consulting, identifying the funding needs
3. Extended Q&A session at the conclusion of the presentation

BIO:

Catalina Fellay-Dunbar is Manager of Operations at the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund (OCAF). She took her role at OCAF after gaining extensive experience as a grant administrator, dance artist, educator, and advocate. She spent 7 years at the Toronto Arts Council (TAC) as a Program Officer/Manager, where she was responsible for monitoring trends and issues within Toronto’s arts sectors.

Before TAC, Catalina served as Vice Chair and Co-Chair at the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists - East Chapter (CADA/East), working closely with dedicated artists and professionals in the not-for-profit arts service organization.

An academic dedicated to arts practice, Catalina's doctoral research examines the impact of public policy and granting systems on art making in Canada. She has shared her research through conferences and publications but decided to pause her PhD to work directly in the culture sector.

Catalina values the contributions of festival and event coordinators in creating a vibrant Ontario and enjoys her role in the support of cultural activity across the province with the OCAF team.


Anny Lee
Anny LeeSenior Program Consultant Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaminganny.lee@ontario.ca
Session Title: Provide information on different funding programs

Join us as we share important data and strategies for applying for grants from Ontario Cultural Attractions, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and the Ontario Music Investment Fund.

Outcomes:

1. A comparable of the 3 programs to highlight the differences between Experience Ontario, OCAF and the Ontario Music Investment Fund
2. How to be prepared for a grant. Utilizing the resources, consulting, identifying the funding needs
3. Extended Q&A session at the conclusion of the presentation

BIO:

Anny Lee is a Senior Program Consultant with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Gaming (MTCG) in the Investment and Development Office, where she helps lead the Experience Ontario program. She has been instrumental in designing and delivering the Festival and Event Program, which supports the regrowth of tourism and drives community economic impact across the province.

Anny is deeply committed to supporting festival and event organizers, helping to elevate Ontario’s tourism profile. By fostering innovative programming in partnership with businesses and community organizations, she plays a key role in showcasing Ontario’s tourism offerings and rich cultural diversity.


Ward Dilse
Ward DilseProgram Consultant Ontario Music Investment Fundwdilse@ontariocreates.ca
Session Title: Provide information on different funding programs

Join us as we share important data and strategies for applying for grants from Ontario Cultural Attractions, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and the Ontario Music Investment Fund.

Outcomes:

1. A comparable of the 3 programs to highlight the differences between Experience Ontario, OCAF and the Ontario Music Investment Fund
2. How to be prepared for a grant. Utilizing the resources, consulting, identifying the funding needs
3. Extended Q&A session at the conclusion of the presentation

BIO:

Ward has been with Ontario Creates since 2020 as a Program Consultant at the Ontario Music Office as part of the team that manages the Ontario Music Investment Fund.

He has been involved in the sports and entertainment industries for the past two decades and has worked on events for the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada, North American Indigenous Games and the Toronto 2015 Pan Am & Parapan Am Games.

He was a member of the 2015 Juno Awards Host Committee and Co-Chair, Marketing & Pageantry, and received the City of Hamilton 2015 Award for Public Service Excellence as a result. Ward is a Mohawk College Alumni of Distinction recipient.