In this episode of Insuring Your Success, host Bram Bains sits down with Michael Vickers — Executive Director of Brampton Arts Organization (BAO) and accomplished artist with a career that has spanned New York’s most prestigious galleries, international exhibitions, and in a film that premiered at Sundance.

Michael grew up across three countries — the United States, the UK, and Canada — and always knew he was an artist. At seventeen he received his first grant. He went on to work at Pace Gallery, MoMA PS1, and Deitch Projects in New York before eventually making his way to Brampton — where he’s spent the last five years building one of the city’s most important cultural institutions.

In this conversation, Bram and Michael talk about:

• Michael’s upbringing as a creative across the US, UK, and Canada
• The high school art teacher who told him there was no money in art — and what he did with that advice
• Working inside New York’s most elite art spaces and what he learned from the other side of the desk
• Why every dollar invested in arts and culture generates $29 of economic impact
• Why the average arts and culture visitor spends three times more than a sports tourist
• The Brampton Film Showcase — from 30 people at the BEC to 800 at the Rose Theatre
• What BAO offers artists in Brampton — all completely free
• How to think about creativity as a CEO mindset, not just a passion
• What it means to be a painter becoming a sculptor — and what that says about all the roles we play in life

About Brampton Arts Organization (BAO): BAO is Brampton’s arts development organization — supporting artists at every level through funding, professional development, mentorship, exhibition opportunities, open studios, and sector building. Everything is free and open to everyone.

• Instagram: @baobrampton
• Website: bramptonartsorg.ca
• Open Studios: Last Wednesday of every month — free art supplies, food, networking
• Power Hour: Monthly lunch and learn for artists
• Brampton Film Showcase: Annual event growing every year

Guest: Michael Vickers — Executive Director, Brampton Arts Organization

Host: Bram Bains — Maverick Insurance Brokers | Maverick Communications | @insuringyoursuccess

🦁 About Insuring Your Success Insuring Your Success is a platform created to spotlight real success stories and share wisdom that plants seeds — helping elevate the entrepreneurs, creators, and professionals who make our communities stronger.

🤝 Partner With Us We’re actively seeking partners and sponsors who believe in the power of storytelling to inspire growth and impact. If you’d like to collaborate, sponsor an episode, or explore creative partnerships — we’d love to hear from you.

📩 Contact: [email protected]