Sylvine, better known as The Artiiist, of Central African origin, was born in France and has now been living in Canada for 12 years. From an early age, art has always played a central role in her life: singing, dancing and then painting. This passion has gradually turned into a real career: she is the founder of Smard Art.

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It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that Sylvine launched her artistic enterprise: Smard Art. Her talent and vision quickly attracted attention, propelling her work onto the international scene. This dazzling success has enabled her to make a living from her art and develop her business internationally, although she still harbors even greater ambitions.

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Through her work, she celebrates the identity, culture and beauty of black people, themes that are close to her heart. Combining traditional and digital art, she draws her inspiration from realism, which she considers a form of expression of great intensity, while exploring mixed media techniques and abstraction.

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Despite this recognition, she remains driven by the desire to push her own boundaries and reach an even wider audience.

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Ingrid is a brand strategist, ethnographer, and co-founder of Pre&ent. Driven by a deep curiosity for human nuances, she focuses on the motivations and concerns that drive change for brands, organizations, and individuals. Through ethnographic research, strategic planning, and both qualitative and quantitative analysis, this socio-cultural explorer delivers insights and recommendations shaped by diverse observations.

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As a freelance consultant, Ingrid helps teams create meaningful socio-cultural anchors, working with organizations such as Collectif Bienvenue, Héma-Québec, Apple, and Hellmann’s. Through Pre&ent, which provides visual content, workshops, and research focused on representation, she explores ways to highlight authentic stories and their complexities. By leveraging engaging learning and observational techniques (A2C, Radio-Canada, Musée de la civilisation), she fosters a deeper understanding of narratives that truly resonate.

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Martine St-Victor is a communications strategist and the General Manager of Edelman in Montréal, one of its 60 offices worldwide, making it the world's most important communication firm.

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Martine is a monthly columnist at the Montreal Gazette and La Presse and can be seen and heard regularly on Radio-Canada television and radio. During federal and provincial elections, Martine analyzes political communication on CTV News.

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Martine is a Trustee on various Boards, a founding member of the Black Opportunity Fund, and Vice-Chair of the Québec section of IWF (International Women’s Forum).

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