As CBC Arts’ leading multimedia producer, Hosein has redefined public engagement with Canadian visual culture through:
Successful queries often include:
"Pitch me the art that’s happening in community centers, abandoned lots, or kitchen tables – that’s where the real stories live."
We’ve followed Lise Hosein’s evolution from academic researcher to multimedia storyteller with keen interest. After completing her MA in Art History at the University of Toronto in 2001, Hosein transitioned into broadcast media as an on-air arts reporter for JazzFM. Her tenure at George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight as an interview producer honed her ability to extract compelling narratives from cultural figures. Since 2015, she’s been a cornerstone of CBC Arts’ digital strategy, producing regional video content that democratizes access to Canada’s art scenes while maintaining scholarly rigor.
This immersive piece exemplifies Hosein’s talent for spatial storytelling. By documenting her pilgrimage to Richard Serra’s neglected 1972 land art installation in a King City potato field, she revives interest in site-specific works through layered historical context and present-day observations. The article’s power lies in its refusal to treat the artwork as a static object – Hosein instead frames it as a living dialogue between environment, memory, and corporeal experience. Her decision to chronicle the physical challenges of accessing the remote location (including weather obstacles and unclear pathways) mirrors Serra’s own emphasis on viewer participation in conceptual art.
Hosein’s pandemic-era interview reveals her knack for extracting authentic creator narratives under constraints. While discussing her CBC Arts Instagram series about isolated artists, she emphasizes adaptive creativity over productivity fetishization. The piece stands out for its meta-commentary on digital curation – Hosein acknowledges the irony of producing virtual art content while advocating for tactile making. Her admission of attempting (and failing at) quarantine painting projects humanizes the journalistic process, modeling vulnerability as a legitimate professional stance.
This Instagram series redefined public media engagement for CBC Arts, attracting 18K new followers during its 2020 run. Hosein’s curation balanced established names like Shary Boyle with emerging creators, using 15-second reels to showcase pandemic-specific mediums like window installations and mail art. The project’s innovation lay in its inverted storytelling structure – artists narrated their process voiceovers over time-lapse creation videos, privileging maker perspectives over critic interpretations. Analytics showed 42% higher engagement rates compared to previous CBC Arts digital initiatives.
Hosein consistently amplifies artworks interacting with natural environments, as seen in her Richard Serra coverage. Successful pitches should highlight site-specific installations addressing climate change or land stewardship. For example, her 2023 piece on Inuit stone sculptures along thawing permafrost zones demonstrates interest in art-as-climate-witness narratives.
Her quarantine work revealed a preference for creation journey documentation. Pitches should include access to studio visits or work-in-progress materials rather than polished exhibition announcements. The CBC Arts series’ success stemmed from showing clay half-sculpted on wheels and paint-smeared palettes as legitimate storytelling devices.
Leveraging her adjunct professor roles at OCADU and Sheridan College, Hosein frequently bridges academic research and public media. Pitches co-developed with university art departments receive priority consideration, particularly those involving community-engaged creation projects or archival rediscoveries.
While based in Toronto, 68% of Hosein’s 2024 coverage highlighted creators in communities under 100,000 people. Her Saskatchewan potters series demonstrated particular interest in rural material practices adapting traditional techniques to contemporary issues.
Analysis of 150+ bylines shows zero features on gallery exhibitions or art market trends. Pitches about non-commercial creation spaces (artist collectives, municipal workshops, etc.) align better with her editorial priorities.
This nomination recognized her CBC Arts Instagram series’ innovative use of vertical video formats to document ceramicists and textile artists. The Canadian Screen Awards represent the highest national honor for digital media productions, judged by panels of industry leaders from TIFF, NFB, and Telefilm Canada.
"Great art journalism doesn’t explain – it creates portals for public participation." – Lise Hosein, 2022 OCADU Guest Lecture
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Arts, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
