Area of Interest: Individuals, collectives, groups, and teams who value arts for social change in non-profits, corporate, and government sectors.
Location: Calgary, AB
Pronouns: She/Her

I am Geraldine Ysselstein (she/her) and I was born in the Netherlands, which is the land and waters of my ancestors. I am now a settler living in Mohkinstsis which is the Blackfoot name for Calgary, living at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, and living into the responsibilities of being a Treaty 7 person.

I am a Cultivating Safe Spaces facilitator, consultant, and artist who weaves arts, culture, story, and creativity into conversations, programs, and projects about social change. I am currently offering a 3-hour webinar on “Decolonizing Spaces with Creativity” where I facilitate the cultivating safe spaces framework with the integration of creative practices. I integrate these creative practices as an invitation to reflect and imagine beyond the systems of settler colonialism.

I have received most of my education, volunteer, and work experiences in arts and education. I have a BA and MA in European Studies with a focus on arts and culture and a Diploma in Arts and Cultural management. I also have certificates in cultivating safe spaces, somatic abolitionism, adult education, anti-racism, evaluation, cultural perspectives, arts leadership, and community engagement. As an arts manager and arts management educator, I have worked at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity, Wilder & Davis Luthiers, Big Boreal Adventure, Willow Springs Creative Centre, Calgary Civic Symphony, and the Rozsa Foundation.

I facilitate the Cultivating Safe Spaces framework for individuals, collectives, groups, and teams who value arts/creativity for social change in non-profits, corporate, and government sectors.