Arts and culture typically don’t get much attention in conventional local media.
But what if they took centre stage?
Stir addresses this question head-on by devoting an entire platform to Vancouver’s creative scene and all of its compelling stories.
Artists are helping to navigate an unprecedented time of change. Their work demands a new kind of journalistic hub.
We’re a team of experienced, trusted media professionals who know West Coast arts inside-out. We are passionate about the cultural landscape here. At our core we believe that independent local journalism is under threat, and we need to give it a secure, inclusive home.
Arts and culture deserve to be covered with expertise, openness, curiosity, dedication, and integrity. We're putting music, film, theatre, dance, design, visual arts, books, culinary arts, cultural tourism, and much more in the spotlight—right where they belong.
Our Team
Gail Johnson
Co-Founder & Editorial Director
gail@createastir.ca
Janet Smith
Co-Founder & Editorial Director
janet@createastir.ca
Laura Moore
Co-Founder & Director of Marketing and Partnerships
laura@createastir.ca
Contributors
Mélanie Ritchot is a Métis journalist based on Vancouver Island, with a passion for Indigenous storytelling and visual arts. She has written for outlets like the Globe and Mail and Nunatsiaq News, and recently completed her Master of Publishing thesis on Indigenous art books in Canada.
Janet Smith is an award-winning arts journalist who has spent more than two decades immersed in Vancouver’s dance, screen, design, theatre, music, opera, and gallery scenes. She sits on the Vancouver Film Critics’ Circle.
Gail Johnson is a Vancouver-based journalist who has earned local and national nominations and awards for her work. She is a certified Gladue Report writer via Indigenous Perspectives Society in partnership with Royal Roads University and is a member of a judging panel for top Vancouver restaurants.
Alexander Varty is a senior West Coast journalist specializing in cultural reporting of all kinds. An active musician on several instruments, he has also worked as an event producer in the cultural community. In his spare time, Alex is a keen ocean swimmer, record collector, amateur mycologist, and cook.
Vivian (Xiao Wen) Li a writer, editor, and interdisciplinary artist with creative works shortlisted in contests and/or forthcoming or published in The New Quarterly, The Massachusetts Review, and The Fiddlehead, among others. An MFA candidate at UBC, she enjoys reviewing and creating projects exploring mental health, music, and in-between identity.
Angie Rico (she/her) is a Mexican-born cultural worker, currently living and working in so-called Vancouver. She is a graduate from Emily Carr University and past participant of Neworld Theatre’s Critical Futures training program. She's the recipient of the 2023 Max Wyman Mentee Award in Critical Writing. Her writing covers film, visual arts, and theatre.
Adrian Mack writes about popular culture from his impregnable compound on Salt Spring Island.
Vince Kanasoot is a former professional dancer and musical theatre actor who performed for Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean, as well as in musicals across Canada. He left the stage to pursue his love for writing, and now works full time in corporate communications, while also working on his first novel. Follow his adventures on Instagram @VanCityVince.
Emily Lyth is a Vancouver-based writer and editor who graduated from Langara College’s Journalism program. Her decade of dance training and passion for all things food-related are the foundation of her love for telling arts, culture, and community stories.
Emma Jeffrey is an artist, storyteller, and graduate of Arts & Entertainment Management at Capilano University. Emma is passionate about art, using art as a tool of community care, Indigenous arts, and music as a form of storytelling.
Aadya Arora covers UBC and Vancouver arts and culture events for The Ubyssey and has written about heritage projects for Canada's National History Society. She’s pursuing an honours degree in English literature at the University of British Columbia.
John Lucas has covered music and the arts for longer than he cares to think about. He can also be found playing his guitar in dodgy rehearsal spaces and low-rent venues in and around Vancouver.
Ozioma Nwabuikwu is a writer, content creator, and pop-culture enthusiast. A relative newcomer to Vancouver, she is passionate about promoting the city’s BIPOC arts scene. Ozioma enjoys singing, reading, and talking to strangers.
Xenia Tejada Hayes is a graduating student from the journalism program at Carleton University. Working as a freelancer, her love for all things art, from films to paintings, is a driving force behind her writing. She hopes to one day mend her two passions of travelling and art together and write about the global art scene.
Danny Kai Mak is a writer and artist. A graduate of the University of British Columbia's Theatre program, he has written for The Georgia Straight and Hollywood North Magazine.
Teresa Donck-Matlock (she/her) is an emerging queer/lesbian writer of white settler ancestry. She is dually based on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, Musqueam, and Tsq’escenemc Nations. She has contributed critical art reviews and interviews to SAD Mag online and Kamloops This Week, and she is currently earning a BA in art and performance studies at SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts. With her practice, she hopes to make art more accessible and meaningful to others.
Tanmay Ahluwalia is a proud alumnus of the University of Delhi, where he studied journalism. His work has been published in various media outlets. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding and filmmaking.
Adrian Rui Hung is a Singaporean artist and journalist based in Vancouver. He is currently earning his BA in Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia. His interests lie in Sinophone cinema, fashion, and human rights coverage. Follow him on Twitter at @RuiUnofficial