Louisa Russell has moved on to the Vancouver Art Gallery?s curatorial support services and replacing her at Gallery Gachet is Irwin Oostindie.

A resident of the Downtown Eastside, Irwin is coming off one year of post-graduate studies in new media, and is an exhibiting artist and curator. He has twenty years experience in community arts administration and development, including founding Under the Volcano Festival, serving as Executive Director of the North Vancouver Community Arts Council, Communications Coordinator at Vancouver?s Roundhouse, and on behalf of the City of Vancouver, directed a capacity-building project for marginalized DTES residents.

Actually, in May 2004, the Gallery hired Irwin as Guest Curator for our upcoming September SWARM exhibit. The Collective is excited to have Irwin on board as the new General Manager to help advance Gallery Gachet through an exciting period of expanding services and programs.

The Collective and staff will miss Louisa and feel very appreciative of her committment to Gallery Gachet. She was tremendously successful in facilitating the consolidation of our organization, as we matured into a vibrant collective and a vital arts facility and community resource.