Bassem Hafez – Founder & Executive Director

Bassem Hafez is a Canadian nonprofit leader, educator, community builder, and arts advocate dedicated to expanding access to culture and strengthening communities through the performing arts.

Living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Bassem has experienced firsthand the physical, social, and emotional barriers that many people with disabilities face. His journey has reinforced his belief that meaningful participation in arts and culture should never be limited by disability, age, income, geography, or other life circumstances. Rather than allowing these challenges to define him, he has transformed them into a source of purpose and leadership.

This personal experience inspired him to establish Canadians Performing Arts & Culture for Public Good (CPACPG), a charitable organization founded on the belief that the performing arts are a public good that should be accessible to everyone. Guided by the motto “Bringing Art to the Artless,” CPACPG delivers live artistic experiences to seniors, persons with disabilities, newcomers, Indigenous communities, rural and remote residents, and others who face barriers to accessing arts and culture.

Bassem has spent his career building partnerships across the nonprofit, government, business, and cultural sectors. He has successfully secured funding, developed community programs, and led initiatives that promote inclusion, cultural understanding, and social connection. His work reflects a commitment to ensuring that artists and communities come together in ways that foster belonging, improve well-being, and enrich lives.

As an educator and nonprofit executive, Bassem believes that the arts have the power to reduce isolation, support mental wellness, celebrate diversity, and create lasting community impact. Through CPACPG, he continues to champion a Canada where every person—regardless of ability or circumstance—has the opportunity to experience the transformative power of the performing arts.

“Art has the power to connect us, restore hope, and remind every person that they belong. My goal is to ensure that no one is excluded from that experience because of disability or circumstance.” — Bassem Hafez

Andrea Lonon – Co-Founder

Andrea (Andi) Lonon is an artist, community leader and passionate advocate for making the arts accessible to everyone. As Co-Founder of Canadians Performing Arts & Culture for Public Good (CPACPG), she is committed to using the performing arts to foster inclusion, strengthen communities, and improve the well-being of people who face barriers to cultural participation.

Andrea is a singer/songwriter from Canmore who had recorded albums, plays guitar/violin/piano and runs the Sunday Sessions (an open mic at the Core Values Cidery)

Andrea believes that access to arts and culture should never be limited by age, disability, income, geography, or life circumstances. Her commitment to community service and inclusive programming has helped shape CPACPG’s vision of bringing meaningful artistic experiences to underserved populations across Canada.

Working alongside Founder Bassem Hafez, Andrea has been instrumental in developing partnerships with artists, community organizations, businesses, governments, and philanthropic supporters to expand opportunities for people to experience the transformative power of live performance and cultural engagement.

Through CPACPG’s guiding principle of “Bringing Art to the Artless,” Andrea champions initiatives that reduce social isolation, celebrate diversity, and create welcoming spaces where everyone feels valued and connected. She believes the performing arts are a powerful tool for building empathy, promoting belonging, and enriching communities.

Andrea is dedicated to ensuring that CPACPG continues to grow as a national organization that brings hope, inspiration, and accessible cultural experiences to Canadians from all walks of life.

> “The arts have the unique ability to unite people, inspire hope, and create communities where everyone has the opportunity to belong and thrive.” — Andrea Lonon

Maja Kasdan – Board Member

Maja Kasdan is a dedicated community advocate who believes that the performing arts have the power to bring people together, strengthen communities, and improve quality of life. As a Board Member of Canadians Performing Arts & Culture for Public Good (CPACPG), she supports the organization’s mission of making arts and culture accessible to individuals and communities who face barriers to participation.

Passionate about inclusion, accessibility, and community engagement, Maja works collaboratively with fellow board members, artists, and community partners to expand opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to experience the transformative power of live performance.

Maja’s original discipline is accounting, and she also organizes a monthly jam for the Bow Valley artists. She leads the “Gibran Project” as a front person leading an East-West Music Dialogue while she reads excerpts from the poetry & philosophy of the Lebanese-American write Gibran Khalil Gibran. 

Through CPACPG’s guiding principle of “Bringing Art to the Artless,” Maja is committed to helping build partnerships, support innovative programming, and ensure that arts and culture remain a public good available to everyone, regardless of their circumstances.

She believes that creativity has the power to foster belonging, reduce social isolation, celebrate diversity, and inspire positive change. Through her service with CPAPG, Maja is helping advance a future where every Canadian has the opportunity to experience the joy and connection that the performing arts can bring.