Becka Barker - Emerging Artists Development
Becka Barker is an interdisciplinary artist and educator who has taught animation in a
wide variety of contexts including public schools and universities in Canada and Korea,
film festivals, and community-driven organizations. She is regular part-time faculty at
NSCAD teaching animation, film, and design.
Shannon Brownlee - Panels & Q&As
Shannon Brownlee teaches in the Cinema and Media Studies program and the Gender and Women’s Studies program at Dalhousie University. Her research areas include animated film, with an emphasis on stop-motion animation. She is passionate about public outreach and social justice activism through film screenings and festival events.
Siloën Daley - Artistic Director
Siloën Daley is at home with a studio where something is always in the works. Her short expressionistic animated films have screened internationally. As founder and director of both Halifax's art house cinema, Carbon Arc, and The Animation Festival of Halifax, Siloën enjoys regularly watching films with the cultural community.
Dylan Edwards - Education & Career Development
Dylan Edwards has been working in the animation industry for many years at DHX, CBC, Halifax Film, Copernicus Studios and as a freelancer. Dylan has taught animation, storyboarding and drawing at the Centre for Art and Technology & daVinci College and has been an animation mentor for the Centre for Art Tapes. His independent animation work has been selected for festivals and television.
Marc Hartlen
Marc Hartlen is a Development Executive with a passion for animation. By developing his sharp eye for content during his time at Centennial College’s Children’s Media program, Marc identifies fresh new creators and stories as well as developing a slate of projects for audience’s preschool and up. Now at Copernicus Studios and previously Nelvana Studios, he spent 10 years in the performing arts, appearing at Yuk Yuks comedy clubs across Canada, festivals including Pop Montreal and the Atlantic Fringe Festival as well as being heard on The Edge 102.1 and Sirius XM Radio.
Kenny Lewis - Technical Assistance
Kenny Lewis is the Chair of Carbon Arc’s Board of Directors. He has over 30 years experience as an audio visual technician supporting artists and arts organizations.
Fallen Matthews - Programmer
Fallen Matthews is an interdisciplinary doctorate candidate whose main subject of interest is Cinema and Media studies at Dalhousie University. During the mid-90s, Animania fostered her love for Canadian animation. Her specialties are psychoanalytic film theory, artificial intelligence, brutalism, literature, and mythology.
Illustration by Mary Syloria
Gökçe On - Design, & Marketing
Gökçe is originally from İzmir, Türkiye. In 2019, they moved to Kjipuktuk to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Dalhousie University. Attaining her BA with a double major in Cinema & Media Studies and Psychology, they are now a second-year Master of Journalism candidate at the University of King’s College.
Growing up Gökçe was involved with various art forms, expanding from photography to theatre. They still practice in multiple mediums including film, as well as doing critique, curating and facilitating work.
Gökçe’s practices are centred around the intertwining complexities of human identity, behaviour and expression. Recently described as someone in love with love, it’s no surprise Gökçe loves all things art. On any given day they can be found watching the sunset, short films, or telling stories in excruciating detail.