We Live Up Here, a non-profit urban arts organization and the presenter of Up Here urban art and music festival, is absolutely thrilled to announce the hiring of Jaymie Lathem as its first General Manager.

"I am so excited to join the team at We Live Up Here and contribute to the growth and success of this inspiring organization," said Lathem. "I believe in the power of the arts to bring people together and make positive, substantial impacts in our communities, and I can't wait to see what we can accomplish together."

Jaymie Lathem, Top Banana and first General Manager of We Live Up Here. Photo: Allison Roberts

"We are beyond stoked to have Jaymie join our team at We Live Up Here," said Co-Founder and President of the Board of Directors, Christian Pelletier. "Her passion for the arts, for the north, and her commitment to community engagement and partnership building make her the perfect fit for this role."

Lathem brings a wealth of experience as an arts administrator and will draw on her extensive history of working in community-based and non-profit based sectors. She studied drawing and painting at the Ontario College of Art and Design and the Alberta College of Art and Design, and she received her BFA from Nipissing University in 2011. Prior to joining We Live Up Here, Lathem served as the Executive Director of Creative Industries, an art service organization serving North Bay/Nipissing since 2017.

"This is such an important milestone for us. We started this project over 10 years ago around the simple idea that art can playfully reshape our community. We are confident that with Jaymie's leadership, We Live Up Here will continue to thrive and have a meaningful impact on Northern Ontario," said Pelletier.

We Live Up Here is an urban arts organization formed around the idea that art can inspire, transform, and help build a better community. In 2015, We Live Up Here announced the creation of Up Here festival, an annual urban art and emerging music event that brings together dozens of muralists, musicians and installation artists to transform downtown Sudbury into an urban art gallery every summer. We Live Up Here has curated and created over 80 pieces of public art in and around downtown Sudbury since its inception.

For more information about We Live Up Here and its upcoming events, visit weliveuphere.com.

We Live Up Here announces hiring of Jaymie Lathem as Top Banana and first General Manager