Experience

Workers Arts & Heritage Centre
• Canada
• Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Executive Director

  • Aug 2022 - Present


Tara Bursey

• United States
• Medical Practices

• Independent Curator

  • 2010 - Present

  I have worked in a curatorial capacity for the following bodies and institutions: Art Gallery of Hamilton, City of Hamilton Tourism and Culture Division, Art Gallery of Burlington, Sheridan College, Brandon University, Wychwood Barns Community Association, Centre3 for Print and Media Art, the Workers Arts and Heritage Centre, Ontario Crafts Council (Craft Ontario), and City of Craft as well as in numerous retail and grassroots spaces.

• Interdisciplinary Artist

  • 2005 - Present

  I am an artist whose interdisciplinary practice incorporates sculpture and installation, drawing, craft, self-publishing and performance. Exhibitions include solo and two-person exhibitions and storefront installations in the greater Toronto-Hamilton area, as well as group exhibitions across Canada at the Owens Art Gallery (Sackville), Struts Gallery (Sackville), Gladstone Hotel (Toronto), Hamilton Farmer's Market (Hamilton), youme gallery (Hamilton), The Assembly (Hamilton), Eyelevel Gallery (Halifax, NS), Studio Beluga (Montreal), Ontario Crafts Council/Craft Ontario (Toronto), Harbourfront Centre (Toronto), Propeller Gallery (Toronto), Prime Gallery (Toronto), Alberta Crafts Council (Edmonton, AB) and Saskatchewan Crafts Council (Saskatoon, SK), as well as in Berlin, Copenhagen and Suffolk, UK. Show less



Art Gallery of Burlington

• Canada
• Museums
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Associate Educator

  • Feb 2020 - Aug 2022

  I started my role as full-time Associate Educator at the AGB two weeks before the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Ontario. Within the first year of this role, I developed and delivered educational programs that adapted past educational programs to digital delivery, found areas for improving existing programs, and developed all-new programs that positioned artists from across Canada as vital and dynamic educators in the Halton community, and beyond. Highlights of my role as Associate Educator included the development of interpretive family guides for contemporary art exhibitions; the development and delivery of STUDIO DUO, a collaboration with the Halton District School Board to deliver cross-curricular virtual artist's talks and workshops to secondary students; designing innovative virtual camp programming for children; the administration and programming of seasonal in-person and virtual course offerings for people of all ages; and the development of community outreach programs for adults, children and youth that expand on the themes embedded in each exhibition season. Show less


Mount Allison University
• Canada
• Higher Education
• 300 - 400 Employee
• Artist-In-Residence, Pierre Lassonde School of Fine Arts

  • Jan 2022 - Jun 2022


Brandon University

• Canada
• Higher Education
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Education Consultant/Facilitator

  • May 2021 - Dec 2021

  I worked in a consulting and project coordination capacity on the ReStorying Autism in Education Project. Reporting to Patty Douglas, Associate Professor of Disability Studies in Education at Brandon University, I assisted a group of co-researchers in publishing zines documenting autistic experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. I carried out of publishing plan and produced physical copies of the zines in consultation with zine makers and fine art and commercial printers in Hamilton. I also consulted on the animation of the zines through a slate of educational extension activities designed for students and educators in exhibition or classroom environments. Show less



Art Gallery of Hamilton

• Canada
• Entertainment Providers
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Curator, Interpretation

  • Sep 2019 - Mar 2020

• Interim Manager, Education

  • Aug 2018 - Sep 2019

  I developed and managed education programs at the Art Gallery of Hamilton while on a 1-year maternity leave contract, including but not limited to on-site school programs; alternative education programs in partnership with the HWDSB; courses for adults, teens and children; youth council; AGH Reads (book club); camps and family programs/events; and AGH Artful Moments, an art program for persons with dementia and their caregivers. I managed a team of 30-40 docents, as well a compliment of full time and contract education staff. I also supported the curatorial department as needed, and served as a member of the AODA/Accessibility and Equity committees.During my tenure in this role, I also curated My Back Pages: The Art of Zines and Indie Publishing, an interactive exhibition and artist's residency that was central to educational offerings during the AGH's Summer 2019 season. Show less

• Programs and Exhibitions Specialist

  • Apr 2015 - Mar 2020

  I developed, promoted and produced exhibitions and delivered multidisciplinary arts programming at WAHC and with its partners (including unions, community and other like-minded groups). In addition, I coordinated the delivery of labour history curriculum to school groups, union and community members; assist and support with visitor services; and had a leading role in the promotion of WAHC via social media, newsletters, conferences and in the community. I also developed, coordinated and delivered innovative programs for children and youth such as PA day and school break camps, five curriculum connected school visits programs and youth events that integrate the arts with the history and present-day realities of working people. Show less

• Program Coordinator, Children and Youth

  • Jul 2014 - Apr 2015

  I was hired to manage WAHC's children and youth programming, from their development to their coordination and execution. Projects have included the design and implementation of a curriculum-connected school visits, coordinating PA day and school break interdisciplinary arts camp program for children, developing relationships with local artist educators and service providers, and leading programs for youth as well as a youth council.



Supercrawl Productions

• Curator

  • Oct 2013 - Oct 2016

  As part of a volunteer committee of Curators, Arts Workers, Preparators and Artists, I juried and co-organized the public art program for the James Street North Supercrawl, a street festival attracting 100,000+ people over one weekend each September. In 2016, I accepted a paid position coordinating the temporary installations of 8 artists along the festival route. As part of a volunteer committee of Curators, Arts Workers, Preparators and Artists, I juried and co-organized the public art program for the James Street North Supercrawl, a street festival attracting 100,000+ people over one weekend each September. In 2016, I accepted a paid position coordinating the temporary installations of 8 artists along the festival route.



Textile Museum of Canada

• Canada
• Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Project Assistant

  • Aug 2012 - Jun 2013

  Contract position as Project Assistant for the touring exhibition Ancestry and Artistry: Maya Textiles from Guatemala, produced by the TMC's Curator of Collections and Access, Roxane Shaughnessy. Duties include liasing with exhibiting artists, assisting with preparation of loan agreements and shipping of loans; assistance with all sides of the catalogue production process (liaising with authors, translators, editors, printer and design team); assistance with grant writing; exhibition preparation and installation; research; didactic production and exhibition tour coordination. Show less

• Curatorial Assistant

  • May 2012 - Aug 2012

  Summer contract position, 2012. As Curatorial Assistant, I worked under the TMC's Curator of Collections and Access assisting with the development and research of a number of exhibitions slated for 2012 and 2013. Other duties included assisting with the installation of the TMC's summer exhibition Dreamland: Textiles in the Canadian Landscape; photographing and registering loans for temporary exhibitions and assisting with the processing of a large donation of Guatemalan textiles.

• Curatorial Assistant

  • May 2011 - Aug 2011

  Summer contract position, 2011. As Curatorial Assistant, I reported to the Museum Director. My main project was to conduct creative qualitative research about museum visitorship and engagement. I did this through in-museum questionnaires, targeted peer interviews about museum experiences and through a participatory museum activity which I designed, entitled The Feedback Quilt Project. The outcome was to design a new permanent visitor questionnaire. I also assisted with work on the museum's social media platform Social Fabric, conducted research for an exhibition scheduled for 2013, aided in the installation and documentation of the exhibition Cold Comfort: New and Improved Souvenirs of Canada, and documented a private collection of 485 items in preparation for a potential acquisition. Show less



Toronto School of Art

• Canada
• Artists and Writers
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Part-time Administrative Assistant

  • 2006 - 2008

  Administrative responsibilities included student registration, addressing student inquiries and requests, editing and proofreading promotional materials, processing student evaluations and class lists, handling cash/POS transactions and performing opening and closing duties. Administrative responsibilities included student registration, addressing student inquiries and requests, editing and proofreading promotional materials, processing student evaluations and class lists, handling cash/POS transactions and performing opening and closing duties.