Will Collins

Class of 2020

“His puns were terrible, but that f*cker made me laugh.”

– Will Collins when asked what he hopes people will say about his impact on the community some day.

You may recognize Will Collins from various stages around town. As a seasoned musician, he’s played at nearly every venue in the community with various jazz bands, bar bands, Brazilian groups, and has even been a hired gun to jump in and support visiting bands and musicians.

Music, writing, and humour are Will’s passions, and they are ways that he connects with the community. He is Art Council Wood Buffalo’s Communications Coordinator, and recently earned his degree in Professional Communication.

“I got into my line of work by accident, and eventually discovered I was pretty good at it,” Will shares. “After working in communications for about five years, I eventually earned my degree, graduating in May 2020. I love to think that I first learned my trade through experience, and got qualified much later.”

Working at Arts Council Wood Buffalo and meeting local artists of all disciplines is something Will calls inspirational.

“Our region is loaded with all sorts of talented, creative people,” says Will. “Meeting and working with the arts community has helped me get over some of my own fears. Only just recently have I truly allowed myself to be an artist and go for some of the opportunities I had been too afraid of previously.”

With a personal mission to help people see that art is everywhere around them, Will is committed to helping people realize their own talents and connection to the arts, and to find their own creative spirit.

“I get a lot of joy from connecting people,” he says. “If I hear that someone that has a need for something, I like to be able to connect them with another person that has that quality or thing they’re looking for. Then I enjoy sitting back and watching new friendships blossom from their connection.”