The Salt Spring National Art Prize (SSNAP) is proud to present a special Artist Panel exploring one of today’s most dynamic and talked-about practices: contemporary fibre art.

Join five SSNAP finalists – Raul Mendoza Azpiri, Anna Gustafson, Bettina Matzkuhn, Terri Potratz, and Amanda Wood – for an in-depth conversation about fibre art’s place in contemporary culture, its growing recognition in galleries and collections, and the stories woven through material and process.

The evening will be moderated by Alexandra Montgomery, whose distinguished career includes leadership roles at the Bill Reid Gallery in Vancouver and the Gardiner Museum in Toronto, and current board positions with the Siminovitch Theatre Foundation, Salt Spring Island Library Foundation Society, and SSI Farmland Trust.

ALEXANDRA MONTGOMERY

After a thirty-year career in the not-for-profit sector, Alexandra relocated to Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. A collaborative strategic thinker and change agent, Alexandra served as Director and CEO of Vancouver’s Bill Reid Gallery, where she worked with Indigenous and community leaders to expand programming and build resilient infrastructure. As Executive Director of Toronto’s Gardiner Museum, she guided the Board and stakeholders to broaden the collections mandate and transform the museum’s facilities to diversify revenues. As a consultant, she has helped numerous organizations develop strategic plans and strengthen fundraising capacity. She currently serves on the boards of the Siminovitch Theatre Foundation, the Salt Spring Island Library Foundation Society, and SSI Farmland Trust.