Zainub Verjee has been appointed to the board of Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre (CFMDC).
CFMDC is Canada’s foremost non-commercial distributor and resource for independently produced film representing approximately 550 filmmakers worldwide and 2600 film titles, including some of Canada’s most original and well respected works of art. “I welcome the opportunity to serve on the Board of CFMDC and the community of independent filmmakers,” says Zainub.
Zainub is an accomplished leader in the art, culture and heritage sector, with experience in leading and managing contemporary art centres, cultural agencies, cultural institutions and cultural departments. Three decades of work in the Media Arts and Culture Sector has led to appointments on boards, steering committees and invitations to speak on the national and international fora.
“With my experience and expertise, I believe I can contribute to furthering the next phase of growth of the organization as CFMDC marks its golden jubilee in 2017. Over three decades, in my role of advocating arts to governments, not-for-profit sector, private sector and the general public, I have been successful in managing relationships and influencing politicians, bureaucrats and the members of public to recognize the centrality of arts in society,” says Zainub.
CFMDC plays a critical role as an advocate for the accessibility of independently produced film, contributes to the creation of a culture receptive to artist-made films, and remits royalties to artists for the exhibition of their work. “I firmly believe in the core mandate of CFMDC, an organization with which I have had a three-decade long association, for increasing distribution opportunities, audiences and visibility for artists and independent film,” says Zainub.
Verjee began her work in Media Arts as the Film/Video Marketing Manager at Women in Focus, Vancouver in 1987. Subsequently in 1989, she co-founded and co-directed the critically acclaimed In Visible Colours- An International Women of Colour and Third world Women’s Film and Video Festival and symposium in Vancouver.
Verjee has sat on numerous committees for independent Media Arts including the Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund National Assessments. Between 1999-2005, at Canada Council for the Arts, Verjee managed the Media Arts – Dissemination, Distribution and Cinematheque programs. In particular, she convened and chaired the National Independent Distribution Organizations Meeting (2002). Similarly her other key appoints in this area were as the member of Media Arts Exhibition Policy think tank 1992; member of Media Arts Distribution and Dissemination Roundtable 1996; Media Arts Advisory Board, 1997-1999; the Chair of the national steering committee of the Media Arts Study 2002-2003; and, member Digital Arts Network Committee 2001-2003.
As a practicing media artist, her works have been shown at MoMA (New York) and Venice Biennale and are in various public and private collections.
Currently, Zainub Verjee is the Executive Director at the Ontario Association of Art Galleries.
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