Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) is marking a milestone anniversary by welcoming three accomplished artists to share their practices and perspectives through the Walker Cultural Leader Series (WCL Series).

Helping to celebrate a decade since the MIWSFPA’s downtown arts school opened its doors are Walker Cultural Leaders Ann-Marie MacDonald, Omar Badrin and Shireen Abu-Khader.

Kicking off 2026 programming is MacDonald, a leading interdisciplinary queer, feminist Canadian artist whose career as a stage actor, collaborative theatre maker, playwright and novelist spans four influential decades.

Her residency in the Department of Dramatic Arts (DART) began on Jan. 14 with a reading from her work-in-progress, Best Soldier, followed by an interview introducing questions about play development and the scholarship she will explore during her time at Brock.

MacDonald will lead workshops for DART students and faculty over the coming months, concluding with the Mapping Ann-Marie MacDonald Symposium — hosted in collaboration the Department of Digital Humanities and Professor of English Language and Literature Neta Gordon — in June.

Badrin, an interdisciplinary artist whose practice is based on personal history and examines identity formation through the lens of transracial adoption, will share his work in the craft-medium of crochet during a series of studio visits hosted by the Department of Visual Arts at MIWSFPA and a public lecture on Thursday, Jan. 29.

His crocheted masks and bodysuits explore racial and cultural dynamics, supporting Marilyn I. Walker’s strong interest in textile as an important medium for storytelling and creative community engagement.

Abu-Khader, a Palestinian Jordanian Canadian composer and educator, will bring her choral artistry and insight to Brock through a dynamic, multi-day residency in the Department of Music in February.

Internationally recognized for her work in choral innovation and Levantine music, Abu-Khader will provide students and community members the opportunity to experience a rich blend of music-making and culture through class visits and choral rehearsals.

Abu-Khader will also conduct workshops with local elementary schools and choral sessions with Chorus Niagara Children’s Choir and Brock University Choir.

The residency will conclude with a public lecture and performance at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre’s Recital Hall on Feb. 27. Songs & Stories: From Palestine, With Love will highlight music from the regions of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt and more. The performance will also feature Brock University Choir and Avanti Chamber Singers.

Linda Carreiro, Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts and MIWSFPA Director, said the 2025-26 WCL Series is a meaningful way to honour the legacy of Marilyn I. Walker and help celebrate the MIWSFPA’s tenth year in the beautifully restored historic Canada Hair Cloth Company factory in the cultural core of downtown St. Catharines.

“For this anniversary, it was important for us to invite artists who align with Marilyn Walker’s vision to create and strengthen the threads of community,” she said. “We also wanted to acknowledge the important history and role of this building— then and now —as a major hub of ‘making.’ All three WCL artists are able to effectively weave together their own complex stories into creative works that will be generously shared with students and the public.”

More information about upcoming WCL Series events including how to register for events can be found on the MIWSFPA website.