About
The Quinte Arts Council (est. 1967) is the community leader in advancing, cultivating, promoting and advocating for a vibrant and diverse arts community of the Quinte region, while supporting the new generation of artists, offering quality experiences and arts education. The Quinte Arts Council is a registered charitable umbrella organization (#107869448RR0001).
Meet Our Team
Let’s get acquainted.
Janet Jarrell (she/her) is a dynamic arts administrator and seasoned educator with a rich background in various facets of the arts and business. Serving as the Executive Director of the Quinte Arts Council (QAC) since 2018, Janet brings a wealth of expertise in strategic planning, not-for-profit finance, and marketing to her role.
Beyond her administrative expertise, Janet is a published author with contributions spanning books, magazines, and poetry. Her extensive experience as an editor-in-chief enhances the success of the QAC’s notable Umbrella publication, a cornerstone program for the organization.
With over fifteen years dedicated to profiling local artists, crafting historical narratives, and fostering enduring relationships within the artistic, cultural, and heritage communities, Janet has established a strong network. This network proves instrumental in securing partnerships, sponsorships, and fostering community-building initiatives for the QAC.
Janet assumes the role of Co-Chair for the Alliance of Arts Councils of Ontario, where she actively cultivates a platform for resource sharing, partnerships, and collaborative efforts with Arts Service Organizations across the province.
In addition to her role at QAC, Janet serves as a community partner with the City of Belleville Economic and Destination Development Committee. Her commitment extends to academia, where she contributes as a part-time Professor at Loyalist College. Additionally, Janet has demonstrated her dedication to community growth through a five-year tenure as Chair of Options for Social Growth.
Janet is unwavering in her commitment to advancing the strategic vision of the Quinte Arts Council and ensuring that the arts remain a vital and thriving presence in the community. Her multifaceted contributions to education, community engagement, and arts advocacy underscore her dedication to the cultural vibrancy of the region.
Contact Janet: janet@quinteartscouncil.org
Drew is a multidisciplinary artist from Ontario with a fine arts degree in Film Studies and a postgraduate diploma in Digital Production. An independent filmmaker, designer, podcaster and amateur musician, Drew considers himself first and foremost a muse; he just really loves art and helping passionate artists and artisans realize their vision. From theatre to crafts to music and photography, Drew is committed to enriching the thriving art communities in the Quinte region. Drew has been the graphic designer of the Quinte Arts Council’s Umbrella magazine since 2019 and in 2025 he assumed the role of QAC Program Director.
In the early aughts, Drew began his foray into the art world, making documentaries with his brother Adam, which have been shown around the world on television and international film festivals. For the Gray brothers, art is about team work. Together with a small crew they take a hands-on approach, producing, writing, directing, shooting, editing – whatever needs to be done to realize each project. Concurrently, Drew spread his wings into freelance graphic design and live event video production, specializing in the performing arts.
Recent years have seen Drew design an art book called Voices: Artists on Art through Stonehouse Marketing, the interface of a multimedia app for a financial planning company, and produce a justice-seeking true crime podcast that worked closely with criminologists, law enforcement agencies and the bereaved families of unsolved violent crimes. Drew has enjoyed working with wonderful local institutions such as the Belleville Public Library, Quinte Ballet School, Quinte Film Alternative, and Belleville Downtown DocFest. Drew also worked in a supervisory capacity at the Empire Theatre from 2022-2025.
Through QAC initiatives Drew endeavours to assist local artists and organizations in the development and promotion of a variety of creative ventures. Let him know how he can help!
Contact Drew: drew@quinteartscouncil.org
Kim Lidstone has been a member of the Quinte Arts Council since 2010!
Addison Gray is a student intern at the Quinte Arts Council and a passionate artist in her senior year at Nicholson Catholic College. With a love for film, media productions and community engagement, Addison brings creativity and fresh perspectives to her work at the QAC. She is dedicated to supporting local artists and arts initiatives while gaining hands-on experience in the arts and culture sector. Addison looks forward to continuing her artistic journey and contributing to the vibrant arts community in the Quinte region.
The Quinte Arts Council (QAC) is committed to ensuring that the arts are accessible to everyone, reflecting our dedication to inclusivity and access for all. The arts belong to everyone, of all ages and stages, abilities, race, sexual orientation and gender, and our goal is to ensure diverse perspectives are represented and experienced through art.
Arts and culture play an important role in defining who we are as a community and contributes to a healthy local economy and lifestyle for those who live and work in the area. Our programs continue to adapt, change and evolve in response to the needs of our members and our community.
Quinte Arts Council is located on the territory of the Huron-Wendat, the Anishnaabeg, and the Haudenosaunee people, connected to and neighbours with the Kanien’keha:ka community of Tyendinaga.
The QAC is committed to reconciliation. Reconciliation is an ongoing process rooted in action, for us as individuals, as colleagues and peers, and as a leader in the community. It’s setting aside time on an ongoing basis, to listen, learn, reflect, support, and use our position and privilege to act.
Diversity & Inclusion
An inclusive and equitable culture of diversity is at the core of our mandate at the QAC. Our authentic commitment to these values is unwavering – they are central to our mission and to our impact across all disciplines of the arts. We know that having varied perspectives helps cultivate creative ideas, and inclusion is how we unleash the power of diversity and creativity.
Art: Pride by Daniel Fobert
We promote an inclusive cultural climate that reflects, respects and celebrates diversity. We create awareness and a shared sense of responsibility among the arts community to promote a learning and working culture that values equity, diversity and inclusion.
While we use the acronym LGBTQ2s+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Two Spirit, Plus) to refer to our community, we recognize there are many more gender and sexual identifiers that are outside of the heterosexual, cisgender norm.
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