Waterloo City Council to honour 2018 Waterloo Award recipient

(Waterloo, Ont. – Sept. 24, 2018) The newest recipient of this prestigious civic award is Isabel Cisterna and she will be honoured for her considerable contributions to this community at tonight’s city council meeting. 

“I am honoured to recognize Isabel with the Waterloo Award,” says Mayor Dave Jaworsky. “Life is better in Waterloo because of the time and energy she has spent helping to build a connected, inclusive and welcoming community. We are truly thankful for everything she’s done.” 

Isabel Cisterna has been instrumental in raising the profile of the arts in Waterloo as the founder and creative director of Neruda Arts, located in the heart of Waterloo. For 15 years she has been at the helm of this non-profit organization dedicated to building bridges in our community through world music, dance, drama, visual, and literary arts. According to Isabel’s nominator, Mark Essner, “Isabel’s imagination and ambition is what keeps her motivation high and her vision for our community moving forward. She does not ask if or when, but rather how, we will get a project, goal or initiative done. For 18 years she has made Waterloo her home, but has also made it feel like home to all who live here.” 

The community has benefitted greatly from Isabel’s innovation. She transformed Latinfest into Kultrun, an accessible, free world music festival that attracts artists to Waterloo from all over the world. The festival includes a panel called “The Conversation”, which brings people together to take a deep look at their relationships with others from all walks of life and backgrounds and how we can make each other accountable for bettering the community.   The Kultrun festival is well attended by artists from across the globe, attracting visitors from near and far, and financially benefits our community by drawing tourism dollars to local hotels, restaurants and businesses. Another of Isabel’s achievements is how she worked tirelessly to bring our community the only local official activity of the 2015 Pan Am Games. 

When not hosting the Kultrun festival, Isabel works on Neruda’s other programming, featuring intimate ticketed events of highly regarded performers, mostly held in uptown Waterloo, often at the Jazz Room. Neruda moved its offices into a space in uptown shared with the Kultrun Market, another of Isabel’s initiatives.  It is a marketplace of unique direct trade goods from local and global artisans. The benefit to both the creators and the customers is incalculable, as so many people are positively affected by this means of trade.  Similarly, the heart of Neruda Arts’ mandate is ensuring performing artists are paid a fair wage.  If Isabel calls to book you, you can be assured it will be for more than exposure! Neruda has held an Earth Day event outdoors at their marketplace for the past two years. This event has inspired other local businesses to join forces and grow this event. The feedback from the community about the environmental responsibility demonstrated at this event has been stellar. Isabel’s foresight and determination has also led to the completion of two public mural projects with world renowned muralists involved, focusing on indigenous people. One of the murals was a major component of the official Canada / Ontario 150 recognition in 2017.  

Isabel’s honesty, courage and drive to break down boundaries make her an inspirational leader.  She consistently shows young women and people of colour that community is essential to moving forward. Her journey, from the time she arrived in Canada as a Spanish – speaking young woman, to where she is today, is truly inspiring and countless people she has touched have followed in her footsteps.

In addition to her work with Neruda, Isabel has served as a member of various community organizations such as the Waterloo Region Arts Fund, the Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation and the Ontario Arts Council. Isabel adds the Waterloo Award to an already impressive awards list, including Paul Harris Fellowship (2018), Leading Women Building Communities (2014), Waterloo Woman of the Year (2013), Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award (2012), Government of Chile award for achievement as a Chilean living abroad (2011), Oktoberfest Woman of the year for Arts & Culture (2010), Waterloo Region Record newspaper 40 Under 40 award for leadership (2009), KW Arts Awards for the Arpillera Tapestry of life Project (2008) and for Mentor of the year (2007).

Isabel will receive a special pin, created by local artist, Aggie Beynon, at the award presentation tonight. As well, her name will be inscribed on a plaque that hangs in council chambers as a lasting tribute to her contributions.

The public and media are welcome to attend the Waterloo Award presentation tonight at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers, located on the third floor of the Waterloo City Centre building, at 100 Regina St. S.