Welcome to the SAM Blog.

Photo: Chelle Wootten Photography Holly Rawlins | SAM Board Director Holly Rawlins (she/her) is a public relations and communications professional in Halifax, Nova Scotia with an extensive performing arts background. She is a graduate of Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Theatre Acting Program and was the recipient of the Tommy Sexton Memorial Triple Threat Award. As an actor and a choreographer, she has worked on many local productions including shows with Villains Theatre and Lions Den Theatre and has performed in Halifax Fringe and film productions. A professional highland dancer, Holly has performed internationally with the Wonju Tattoo in South Korea,… Continue Reading The SAM Blog

Kathryn MacLellan | SAM Board Director Kathryn MacLellan is an actress/figure skating choreographer/producer and Artistic Director/Founder of KAZAN CO-OP Theatre. Kathryn is an award winning film actor (ACTRA Award for Best Supporting Actress 2019), producer (Multiple Merritt Awards for KAZAN), and has received many nominations and critical acclaim for her work on stage. Kathryn has enjoyed a forty year career balancing the work on the stage while teaching her students on the ice. Starting as a competitive ice dancer, she followed that by competing in ballroom dance which led to musical theatre. The passion continued with acting and in the… Continue Reading The SAM Blog

Pamela Grundy | SAM Board Director Pamela Grundy is an arts and culture worker with a career spanning decades, provinces, and disciplines – including as a dancer, director, curator, fundraiser, and consultant. She was for 30 years an artist with the legendary Danny Grossman Dance Company including many years as Co-Artistic Director. She is a graduate of the Museum Management and Curatorship program at Fleming College and spent six years at Dance Collection Danse— Canada’s national museum, archives and research centre devoted to dance—establishing their annual fund program and curating both live and online exhibitions. These days she’s involved with… Continue Reading The SAM Blog

Martine Durier-Copp | SAM Board Chair Dr. Martine Durier-Copp is multi-lingual academic administrator currently serving as the Acting Vice President, Academic and Research at NSCAD University. She also serves as a member of the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council. Martine is a passionate arts champion and practitioner. She is the Artistic Director of Flamenco en Rouge (a long-time SAM Client). We are so lucky and thankful to have Martine’s brilliance, enthusiasm, and kindness at our Board table. How did you come to be connected with SAM? Prior to joining the board, I had heard of the wonderful work being done by SAM,… Continue Reading The SAM Blog

If there’s one thing the past year has taught us, it’s that everything can change in an instant and planning is nearly impossible. Continue Reading The SAM Blog