Born in Toronto, Ontario, Arlene Kennedy has earned a B.A.(Hons.) in Fine Arts from Western University, a Diploma in Education from Memorial University of Newfoundland, and an M.A. in Art Education from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (today known as NSCAD University).
She also holds a certificate in Arts Administration from the Banff School of Fine Art and attended the Getty Foundation’s Museum Management Institute.

In the 1970s, Arlene Kennedy taught art in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and in London, Ontario
at Fanshawe College and A.B. Lucas and Saunders secondary schools. Following 3 years
(1979 to 1982) as Exhibition Coordinator at McIntosh Gallery, Western University, she spent 7 years as director of Oakville Galleries in Oakville Ontario. She returned to McIntosh Gallery as its director in 1989, a position which she held until 2008.

Arlene Kennedy was a founding member of the London Arts Council, of which she is also a former director. In addition, she was President of the Ontario Association of Art Galleries (1986 to 1987) as well as Western University’s Professional Managerial Association (1993 to 1995). From 2006 to 2020 she was the owner and president of Circle Arts Inc.

Biography by Luvneet K. Rana

SOURCES

Baker, Michael and Hilary Bates Neary, eds. 100 Fascinating Londoners. Halifax, Nova Scotia: James Lorimer and Company Ltd., 2005.

Holmes, Gillian, ed. Who’s Who of Canadian Women. Toronto, Ontario: University of Toronto Press, 1998.

Paterson, Stuart, ed. Canadian Who’s Who. Toronto, Ontario: Grey House Publishing Canada. Online resource.