Dani Vachon has over 11 years of entrepreneurial music industry
experience: ownership of a small retail record store called Headache Records;
content management at Scratch Distribution; tour management;
personal artist management for You Say Party! We Say Die! and Fake
Shark-Real Zombie!; online music magazine editor; illustration/marketing/
branding for hundreds of concerts and bands; ownership and management
of the record label called Sound Document; teaching advanced
music business, show production, talent management and digital design at Vancouver
Film School; and throwing “mixed-medium” events with Ms. Rachel Zottenberg under
the moniker The Bird Killers.
From 2000-2009, Dani was a highly active concert promoter and production manager,
and is a proud cofounder of Sealed With A Kiss, Inc. who bring noteworthy acts like
Death Cab For Cutie, Interpol, and Justice to Vancouver, Victoria, and Seattle. Currently,
besides actively working on Olio Festival, she also bears the title Operations Manager for
New Forms Festival and Talent Buyer for the fabulous new Fortune Sound Club and is
programming part of the CODE Live Music Series during the 2010 Olympic Games.
Our People
Dani Vachon
Director and Music Curator
Jason Sulyma
Director and Music Curator
Jason Sulyma has been a constant in Vancouver’s night life for the
last 7 years and has helped build Vancouver’s name as a relevant night
life scene in the world’s touring music circuit. Jason currently hosts weekly
Vancouver dance and band social events that draw upwards of 500
people throughout the week and has built many other nights in the past
(1/2Alive - The Kids - Blastramp). Jason also produces special events for
internationally touring acts at sold out “A-list” & “unconventional venues”
throughout the city and has an established and consistent history of recognizing new
independent acts that have later developed into world class in demand talent.
As well as running his own promotions company he is a popular DJ known as
MY!GAY!HUSBAND! having toured and performed sold out events throughout North
America, Australia and Mexico. He has been featured as “Artist of the Week” on Myspace
Canada and had #1 Listings for his Production/Remix Work on Hypem.com’s “Popular”
list which lists the most heavily downloaded songs on the world’s premier blogs and
music related websites.
Cameron MacLeod
Comedy Curator
Cameron MacLeod has been writing, producing, and performing
comedy in Vancouver since 2002. Currently he hosts the Hero Show,
a monthly comedy night at Vancouver’s premier alternative comedy
venue, Bronx Cheer, and is a cast member in the Ryan Steele Show. He
also produces videos and TOTAL shows with his sketch group ManHussy,
described as “The funniest part of the day...” by Discorder Magazine for
their performance at the Victory Square Block Party in 2008.
Cameron has performed across the country in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax and New York,
as well as at the Global Vancouver International Comedy Festival, The Montreal Sketch
Festival, Only’s Music Waste, and last years Olio Festival.
Cameron is a published writer and also dabbles in video journalism for Chalkedup.com.
He is currently training in the VTSL Master Class program on Granville Island and as an
actor he has been in commercials for some stuff you may have purchased.
Conor Holler
Comedy Curator
Conor Holler is one half of the acclaimed Vancouver comedy
duo Bronx Cheer. Over the past 4 years, Conor has produced a number
of high profile cultural events, founded an internationally recognized art
publication, and created videos and webisodes for a variety of clients,
including a pilot for CBC Radio3. He possesses a degree in English Literature
from the University of British Columbia, and has been featured in
articles in The Georgia Straight, VICE magazine, and The Globe and Mail.
Natasha Lands
Art Curator
Natasha Lands has Love for Vancouver’s arts and culture scene!
Within our city she is involved in art curation, photography, and music.
With a heart for Vancouver’s arts community and a vested interest in
contributing to its cultural diversity, she has acted as director/curator for
several very successful and unique art related events such as; Night
Vision I and II, The Home Show and most recent Here Is Now.
Natasha has exhibited her work both nationally and internationally; attaining her BFA
with a major in photography at Emily Carr University, she was awarded a scholarship to
attend London College of Fashion where she worked alongside photographers on projects
for ID Magazine and Vivienne Westwood.
As a local DJ and photographer who is heavily involved in Vancouver’s music scene she
has photographed many notable musicians and events including Diplo, Atrak, The Clipse
and the RedBull 3Style competition, she has an extensive local client list including,
Gman&Rizk, The Freshest, and Love & Elektrik.
With a passion for bringing people together in a unique way Natasha has promoted
many original events including; Def Jam Records 25 year anniversary tribute and an annual
Canada Day park jam in Strathcona.
Dan Code
Film Curator
Dan Code has been breathing down the neck of Vancouver’s independent film industry
for 6 years. He has gained recognition from many of his written and
directed comedic shorts, which have toured in venues from Vancouver
to New York. Apart from his ability behind the camera, he can also been
seen on.
Daniel has created many outrageous comedy videos and has received
awards from the CBC for his short dramatic film Open Spaces. He has
also gained an online following with his short Hard Times: thanks America
which was a finalist in one of SuperU’s short video contests. He has worked closely
as a video editor and videographer with organizations such as the Pacific Salmon Foundation,
BC Medical Association, Life Sciences and Make Poverty History and can be seen
as a VJ on Vancouveriam.com
He continues to be active and innovative by producing music videos and visual graphics
for upcoming local musical talent, writing short and feature length screenplays and
practicing in alternative forms of media art.
Sarena Strong
Research & Development
Sarena Strong has been passionately involved in Vancouver’s
local art scene for many years. At only 16 years old she had already
found her calling, helping both organize and execute The Vancouver East
Cultural Centre’s annual Youth Arts Festival. Sarena has since played out
several important roles in local arts and entertainment organizations including
the W2 Media and Community Arts Society, OUTtv, and the New
Forms Media Society.
Sarena is a recent graduate from the Entertain Business Management program at Vancouver
Film School, where she was top of her class, though she became a core member
of the Olio Festival team before even graduating.
Victor Wang
Marketing and Sponsorship
Victor Wang has a unique approach to marketing and sponsorship, with an intergraded skill set developed through his many years of marketing experience and his Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. Victor is able to market events, create brand identity or develop marketing strategies for a variety of companies.
Victor has worked with and attained sponsorship from companies such as: Aritzia, LifeTime Collective, The Blanket Gallery, RVCA, Red Bull, Anti Social, Super Champion, Opus Framing and Art Supplies, JJ Bean Coffee, Aveda and more. Victor is also a founding member of HERE IS NOW, a contemporary art exhibition that features established and emerging Vancouver artist. Victor has also recently worked with The Cheaper Show and W2 to establish his first solo project Make Art History which is a series of panel discussions designed to facilitate discussions around contemporary art and theory.