Toronto, November 3, 2009 – The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is pleased to announce that Claudette Jaiko has joined OAC as the new Franco-Ontarian Arts Officer. Claudette replaces Eric Dubeau, who left in August to become the Executive Director of the Fédération culturelle canadienne-française (FCCF).
“Claudette impressed us with her thoughtfulness and her understanding of the complexities facing Ontario’s francophone communities,” said John Brotman, Executive Director of the Ontario Arts Council. “This position offers her opportunities to contribute to the success and vitality of the Franco-Ontarian arts sector.”
Over the years, Claudette has demonstrated her commitment to francophone culture in Ontario as a filmmaker, and, most recently as Executive Producer of the Ontario and West Studio, at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). While with the NFB from 2002 to 2007, she produced documentaries, animated films and dramatic works by francophone filmmakers. In this role, she was responsible for developing partnerships and coproductions with independent producers, Téléfilm Canada, Heritage Canada, Société Radio-Canada, le Réseau de l'information, l’Institut national de l’image et du son, Ontario Media Development Corporation, Collège Boréal and the Ontario Arts Council.
In 1990, Claudette Jaiko organized the first series of Carrefour Ontario : forum sur le documentaire. It brought together francophone filmmakers, artists and artisans of film and television, who were dispersed across the province, and provided them with professional development workshops and gave them an opportunity to present their works to broadcasters and producers. Following this initiative, Claudette co-founded the Nouvelle assemblée des cinéastes franco-ontariens, an organisation dedicated to furthering the interests of francophone filmmakers that she directed for two years.
Claudette has had long career in radio, television and film as a director, writer and producer. Her other work experience includes arts management, business analyst for the Canadian Television Fund and teaching media arts and film at various Ontario colleges.
In recognition of the importance and exceptional quality of her work and her contribution to the Franco-Ontarian cultural milieu, Claudette Jaiko, was added to the roster of ‘Femmes de vision’ by the Association of Franco-Ontarian Teachers.
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