Introducing CG’s newest artistic leadership
Common Ground Arts Society is thrilled to announce three new roles in our programming team that will oversee artistic curation, mentorship, and program development.
We are so excited to introduce:
RISER Producer Sarah Emslie
Found Festival Producer Salem Zurch
Season Producer Hayley Moorhouse
“Common Ground has always been about putting our artists first and ensuring our artists get the best, most supported, and most caring experience working with us,” says Outgoing Managing Producer Mac Brock. “Seeing these new roles taken on by three artists who are embedded in the history of Common Ground and who know the importance of those values is such a gift. Sarah, Salem, and Hayley (and of course our new Managing Producer, Rainier) are the exact right people to deepen our mission and develop some incredible new art here in Edmonton.”
RISER: SARAH EMSLIE
Sarah will transition from their current role as Associate Producer in which they’ve supported Common Ground’s work for over three years to become our permanent RISER Producer.
FROM SARAH:
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be continuing my work with RISER,” says CG Associate Producer Sarah Emslie, whose role will shift to RISER Producer later this year. “It’s a program that’s been close to my heart since I began with Common Ground, and the innovation and community that grows out of each cohort of artists has been a constant source of inspiration. I think RISER is really emblematic of the kind of mentorship CG champions, and it’s my privilege to continue building on this program so it can support exciting new producers for years to come. We’re just getting started, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!”
ABOUT SARAH:
Sarah Emslie (they/she) is a queer theatre artist based in amiskwaciwâskahikan, Treaty 6. They hold a BFA from the University of Alberta in Acting, and have been a producer of theatre and festivals since 2017. In their widely-varying practice they have had the pleasure of working with companies like Tiny Bear Jaws, Small Matters Productions, Edmonton Fringe Theatre, Silver Skate Festival, Catch the Keys, and the Major Matt Mason Collective. Apart from theatre, Sarah is an avid crafter and sewist with a passion for making silly, practical, and beautiful objects; they live in the heart of the city with their partner and their haunted roomba named Thistle.
FOUND: SALEM ZURCH
Salem will assume the role of Found Festival Producer, responsible for curating and leading Edmonton’s celebration of art in unexpected places.
FROM SALEM:
“Common Ground and more specifically Found Festival have played a pivotal role in nurturing my practice as an artist,” says Incoming Found Festival Producer Salem Zurch. “Through Found, I was able to actualize a space and an event that continues to remind me of who the f**k I am and why I’m making art. I am so honoured I get to step into this role and support artists in bringing their visions to life. I believe now more than ever folks need to be exercising their imaginations and spirits towards possibility and change, so I hope through this role I can help bring together a festival that continues to cultivate hope, social change and joy in both its artists and their audiences. ”
ABOUT SALEM:
Salem Zurch (they/he) is a multidisciplinary artist and curator working primarily in photography, printmaking and film. Their artistic practice is informed by years of community building as a black trans dyke living on the prairies.
Grounded in this relational approach, Salem orchestrates immersive experiences that transcend conventional storytelling. They have served as Creative Director at APIRG, are a STRATUS Journal board member, are SNAP’s current emerging artist in residence, and are the person behind the Hoedown—a queer honky-tonk dance party produced as part of Found Fest for three years.
Salem lives in amiskwacîwâskahikan with his beloved and his two cats, Truck and Alfie. He dreams of one day being an absolutely shredded grandpa with 3-12 grandbabies.
SEASON: HAYLEY MOORHOUSE
Hayley will assume the role of Season Producer, responsible for curating and developing our Prairie Mainstage Series.
FROM HAYLEY:
“Throughout my career, Common Ground has always been in my corner,” says Incoming Season Producer Hayley Moorhouse. “I’ve run around Old Strathcona in roving Found Festival shows, I’ve developed a new play through the RISER program, and I’ve benefited time and time again from the expertise, generosity, and dedication of the Common Ground leadership team. For myself and countless other artists, Common Ground has served as a steadfast support through the thorny stretches of the creative process, a lively, welcoming hub that facilitates artistic exchange, and a passionate cheerleader for creative risk. I share Common Ground’s enthusiasm for new work, for disassembling the barriers faced by artists from underrepresented communities, and for prioritizing curiosity, learning, and progress over perfection. I am honored and ecstatic to be inheriting the Prairie Mainstage Series, and to carry on the company’s tradition of uplifting artists, and bringing adventurous theatrical experiences to Edmonton audiences.”
ABOUT HAYLEY:
Hayley Moorhouse (she/they) is a queer actor, producer, dramaturg, and award-winning playwright. She is grateful to be living and working on Treaty 6 territory in Amiskwaciwâskahikan, colonially known as Edmonton. As an actor, they’ve appeared in productions with various companies in Edmonton, including the Citadel Theatre, Workshop West, Shadow Theatre, Tiny Bear Jaws, and more. Hayley’s plays have been produced at the Edmonton Fringe Festival, the Alberta Queer Calendar Project, The Sprouts Festival, and in Edmonton Fringe’s Mainstage Season. Their latest play, Tough Guy, was the winner of the 2025 Alberta Playwriting Competition. Since 2023, they’ve worked as a dramaturg for Nextfest Arts Company. As a producer and arts administrator, Hayley helps manage projects ranging in scale from new play workshops to the legendary behemoth that is the Edmonton International Fringe Festival. She cannot wait to add her new role as Common Ground’s Season Producer to her ongoing creative work.
SO WHAT’S NEXT?
Our incoming staff will work alongside Outgoing Managing Producer Mac Brock and Outgoing Found Festival Director Whittyn Jason over the coming months to transition into their permanent roles in Summer-Fall 2026 alongside Incoming Managing Producer Rainier Pearl-Styles.
GOT QUESTIONS?
Get in touch:
Common Ground Arts Society Board of Directors:
board@commongroundarts.ca
Outgoing Managing Producer Mac Brock:
macbrock@commongroundarts.ca
Incoming Managing Producer Rainier Pearl-Styles:
rainier@commongroundarts.ca