Art as a living expression of contemporary Francophonie

The Canadian Club of Toronto is proud to partner with the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) to invite you to a special evening dedicated to Francophone artistic creation. On Friday, September 26, 2025, come and exchange ideas and be inspired in the heart of the AGO's magnificent spaces. This unique event aims to explore the role of art in building our identity, celebrating cultural diversity, and affirming the place of Francophone culture within Toronto's cultural scene.

COCKTAIL OF NETWORKING & GUIDED TOUR

A panel of experts will meet for this enriching discussion:

• Carolina Reis: French-speaking visual artist.
• Jessica Bright: Chief, Exhibitions, Collections & Conservation at the AGO.
• Lise Beaudry: Photographer artist.

Dyana Ouvrard is the Executive and Artistic Director of Le Labo, a self-managed Francophone artist-run centre in Toronto dedicated to media arts. Trained in geography and performing arts administration in Paris, France, she has been active in the visual arts in Ontario since 2015 and develops a curatorial practice focused on territory, walking, and slowing down. She recently co-curated Distance (Art Windsor-Essex, 2025) and has curated projects such as 6 degrés, territoires de narration (Nuit Blanche Toronto, 2023) and Déviations cartographiques (Voix Visuelle, 2025). In parallel, she pursues research on landscape, listening, and eco-responsibility, paying particular attention to the creation of welcoming and accessible spaces inspired by the micro-project and DIY ethos.

I am a visual artist, curator, and cultural administrator based in T'Karonto. In my artistic work, I use textiles as a means of reflecting on our realities. I offer a different approach to the use of textile materials and raise awareness of aspects of our culture that often go unnoticed but shape our lives.

Arts and culture are a unique way to build bridges between nations and create a more tolerant and empathetic world. I am committed to supporting artists and arts organizations because everyday moments of wonder create a rich and inspiring life.

Jessica Bright was appointed Head of Exhibitions, Collections and Conservation in 2021. She is responsible for leading all exhibition activities and managing related projects; conservation; installation, maintenance and collections management; registration, programming and logistical management of installations and art movements across all galleries. Jessica previously served as Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Art Gallery of Ontario (2020-2021) and Director of Exhibitions (2013-2019). Prior to that, she held positions in conservation, education and exhibitions. She worked on the Art Gallery of Ontario’s transformation project (2006-2008) and was previously a curator and registrar at the Maclaren Art Centre.

Jessica holds a Master's degree in Art History from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, and a Bachelor's degree in Art History from Queen's University.

Lise Beaudry is an artist originally from Earlton, a village in the Témiscamingue region located on the ancestral territories of the Algonquin, Anishinaabe, Ojibwe, Cree, and Métis peoples. Her work approaches photography as a platform for experimentation: working with photo archives as raw material or using the rural landscape as an artist's studio. Holding a bachelor's degree (Concordia University) and a master's degree in visual arts (York University), Lise Beaudry lives and works in Toronto.