Dundas Valley School of Art Appoints Sally McKay as Visual Arts Director 

She’s here! We’re very pleased to announce the addition of Sally McKay to our team as our new Visual Arts Director. In her role, Sally is responsible for guiding the artistic vision for DVSA, including the development of our accredited diploma program planned for September. She’ll also direct the evolution of our part-time visual arts program – onsite, off-site and online – and will collaborate with our faculty members to build out the school’s educational course offerings.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the amazing team at DVSA,” says Sally. “In my first few days, I already feel warmly welcomed and energized by all the fantastic programs and projects that are underway. The new diploma program is very exciting and there is so much great potential as we move forward. I look forward to collaborating with faculty and learning from everyone in this vibrant, dynamic school community.”

A resident of Hamilton, Sally has a well-established reputation as an artist, curator, art writer and educator. She holds a PhD in Art History and Visual Culture from York University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Art History Minor, from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. She has taught extensively as a faculty member at McMaster University and was actively involved in the curriculum design for their new Integrated Arts program, embedding social justice, equity and inclusion at the core of the program. As the co-chair of the board at Hamilton Artists Inc., she helped develop a new strategic plan focused on dismantling systemic structural art world barriers. Sally has curated numerous exhibitions and written extensively about art, including articles in Canadian Art, C and FUSE magazines. And, she is a practicing artist, often working at the intersections of art and science, producing installations, performances, zines and animated gifs for online viewing. Her most recent work was The Haunted Scanner, a major multi-media installation created in collaboration with her partner, Von Bark, and exhibited earlier this year at McMaster Museum of Art.

A big welcome to Sally from all of us – be sure to say hello when you see her in the school next.