Announcing Josette Lamoureux as Project Lead for Artists for Water

Josette at the Vancouver Gala

Swim Drink Fish is pleased to announce that Josette Lamoureux has joined the team as Project Lead, Artists For Water, a national art auction fundraiser in support of swimmable, drinkable, fishable waters.

The first ever Artists For Water fundraiser took place from February 25th to March 4th in 2021. Originally planned as an in-person event, Artists For Water pivoted to a hybrid virtual format, due to the pandemic.

Josette successfully transformed the event into a celebration of art and water, using social media to promote a unique video series that profiled participating artists, their work and their connection to water. The 8-day online art auction culminated with a livestream event, featuring a musical performance by Sarah Harmer, studio visits with participating artists, and live segments with Mark Mattson, Lauren Brown Hornor, Denise Donlon and Stephen Ranger. Over 250 supporters attended the virtual event, during which Swim Drink Fish’s generous donors helped raise $480,000 for our waters. 

With over 20 years of experience in the art industry, Josette brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in transforming art auctions into both fundraising and engagement platforms for worthy causes.

For the last eight years, she has been managing several premier art auction fundraisers and developing events that allow organizations to connect with their supporters while broadening their reach with relevant, high-quality, and attention-grabbing art pieces. 

Josette has an undergraduate degree and a Master’s of Arts in Art History. She began her career in New York, where she spent six years working at the Guggenheim Museum and P.S.1/MoMA. Returning to Toronto, she worked at the Art Gallery of Ontario for several years before shifting her focus to the secondary market and becoming Director of Canadian Art at a leading local auction house.  

Josette’s expertise in Canadian art, combined with her commitment to philanthropic causes, makes her a welcome addition to the Swim Drink Fish team. She looks forward to helping grow Artists For Water into a year-round presence to highlight Swim Drink Fish’s work while promoting Canadian art. 

Artists For Water is the main fundraiser for Swim Drink Fish, and all money raised supports restoration efforts, citizen science initiatives, and more.

With Josette as Project Lead, we look forward to many more successful auctions in the future.

Josette's Watermark is Georgian Bay, where she swims, kayaks, and rarely cliff jumps.