Janet Smith is cofounder and editorial director of Stir. She 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 cofounder and associate editor of Stir. She 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.

Stir editorial assistant 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.

Jessica Werb is an award-winning writer, copy editor, and communications consultant based in Vancouver. When she’s not covering the arts or debating the Oxford comma, you can often find her playing the cello.

Adrian Mack writes about popular culture from his impregnable compound on Salt Spring Island.

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. 

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.

Emma Jeffrey (she/her) is a Métis and Irish-Canadian writer and editor raised in Vancouver on the unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, xʷməθkʷəjˀəm, and səlilwətaɬ Nations. She is a member of the Indigenous Brilliance Literary Collective, an Arts and Culture Journalist for Stir Magazine, and former Associate Editor of Digital Projects at The Capilano Review. She holds a diploma in Arts and Entertainment Management at Capilano University.

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.

Robert Kuang is a writer, musician, and aspiring plant Dad. Having spent time in Beijing, New York, and Vancouver, his mission is to bridge the distance between online and local arts and culture communities. 

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.