We recently had a chat with Brea Lalonde, Fuse’s very own Head of Marketing. She has been a part of the journey since 2019 when we were Vera Causa Opera! A PR and Marketing wiz with a love of chocolate and cats, Brea is the glue that holds our Marketing department together. Keep reading to meet her!
Hello! I’m Breanna, and I’m a Public Relations and Marketing Professional. Sounds super formal, I know, but really it just means I geek out over creative communications. I love to read, write, and paint. I love chocolate, and I love animals, especially cats. I’d love to have a hobby farm someday.
Talk about your role and what you do at Fuse.
I’m the Director of Marketing, so I get to work with our talented group of content writers, graphic designers, and social media coordinators to help tell the world about Fuse. I coordinate the creation of all our communications, help direct strategy, and ensure my Team members are enjoying what they get to work on with Fuse!
What was it about Fuse that made you want to be a part of it?
I wanted to volunteer my time and skills to an organization that valued arts and the community. I really appreciated that Fuse (at that time VCO) was led by young adults, and I felt like I could help make an impact on the arts in Waterloo by joining an organization that was so focused on arts opportunities and youth leadership.
What is your main arts discipline and how long have you been a part of it?
I mean, I’ve tried a lot of things! In the past I’ve done singing, dancing, musical theatre, and photography. I still enjoy all those, but the things that have stuck with me are writing poetry or blogs, and painting. My grandmother taught me to paint when I was very young and I still love to paint with water colours and acrylics.
Tell us a little bit about your Fuse arts journey! How did you end up at Fuse?
Well, I mentioned I started when it was VCO, and when I joined I was a Content Coordinator. At the time it was a small group of volunteers, and after several months I took the lead as Marketing Director around the time that we decided to become Fuse. It’s been such a rewarding journey to see Fuse grow into an organization with 70+ volunteers that encompasses so many passions and art forms.
What has been your favourite memory/experience with Fuse?
The rebrand to Fuse! The Fuse brand is a labour of love for me, as I helped conceptualize the idea of the organization, brainstorm the name, logo, and colours, and got to create the brand identity with help from Christine (our lead designer) and Sam (our content writer). I had been involved with a few branding projects before but had never lead the entire creative direction for one – being able to do that for an organization whose mission I truly believe in has been incredible.
What are three words to describe Fuse?
Collaboration, innovation, revolution.
What is your favourite part about working behind-the-scenes?
Working and hanging out with so many talented folks! The people at Fuse are the best part, and I think we have a pretty cool culture that embraces individuality. The fact that we are volunteer-based blows my mind.
Which aspect of the transition to Fuse do you find the most exciting?
Honestly, the growth to a bigger organization with more to offer the community. We’re in a position to make a significant impact not only because of our number of volunteers but because the nature of our mission is to be accessible and inclusive, and to collaborate with other arts organizations/artists. All of that adds up to this massive potential to revolutionize the arts.
What do you want the community to know about Fuse?
We’re here to serve the community, and we want to hear from you! Send us a DM on social media, email us your ideas and feedback, come out to our events to chat with us. We’d love to meet you. :)
What do you hope to bring to the community through your work with Fuse?
I hope that through Fuse, everyone understands that they are capable of participating in different art forms at whatever level they want, whether it be enjoying an art gallery, attending a spoken word performance, or getting up on a stage and dancing themselves. The arts are for everyone!
What about the inter-arts are you most passionate about?
I think it would have to be the collaborative approach and the inclusivity. It allows us to get back to the true purpose of art, which is to be creative and express ourselves, to share our perspective of the world, with the world.
What are some ways you think the inter-arts positively affects our community?
1. It breaks down barriers between arts and the community, and between different art forms.
2. It encourages collaboration and improvement through that collaboration, in a society that focuses more on competition (especially in the arts).
3. It shows that art is for EVERYONE. The only thing you need in order to create art or enjoy art is the desire to try.
It’s because of Brea and the rest of our Fuse Team that we are able to make an impact in the lives of our local artists and community members. Brea's efforts to connect with artists and our community have allowed us to grow and continue revolutionizing the inter-arts! Interested in joining the Fuse Team? Click here to find out more!
Comments