Three directors shortlisted for Alberta arts award
Nominees recognized for excellence in managing non-profit organizations
Three directors from the worlds of theatre and literature are shortlisted for the Rozsa Award for Excellence in Arts Management.
David Chantler, founder and producing director of Trickster Theatre; Carol Holmes, executive director of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta; and JP Thibodeau, managing artistic director of StoryBook Theatre, are being recognized for their “exceptional management of non-profit arts organizations” in the city.
In 1980, David Chantler founded Trickster Theatre, which is focused on the use of theatre and arts in education.
Over the past 28 years, Chantler has produced more than 700 weeklong residencies for more than 200,000 participants.
In 2012, Chantler added a new program called Kids Go Global, which helps students learn about global issues through theatre and then take action by raising funds using a free web platform.
The Rozsa Foundations notes that Trickster is also “involved in a $ 1.5 million storytelling initiative that involves 70 Alberta communities and 30,000 student actors.”
Carol Holmes heads up the largest provincial writing organization in Canada.
As writers can often feel isolated, Holmes has created programming to keep them engaged in the community. These include video poem classes for kids, sleepover writing camps for teens, wine and literary pairing nights, yoga and writing workshops.
Under her direction, the writers’ guild has also developed partnerships with arts and culture organizations, literary festivals, libraries, post-secondary institutions and advocacy groups.
JP Thibodeau became managing artistic director for StoryBook Theatre in 2013.
He helped the struggling community theatre company transition into a thriving semi-professional theatre company.
When he saw a lack of Canadian works in theatres for young adults, Thibodeau initiated a national playwriting competition in 2015.
The Rozsa’s noted that Thibodeau’s leadership “directly resulted in substantial increases in ticket sales for SBT; in the 201617 season, 92 per cent of available seats were sold.”
The winners will be announced at a ceremony Oct. 16.
Since 2003, exceptional managers of non-profit arts organizations in Alberta have been recognized with a Rozsa Award.
They are the richest awards in Canada, with more than $140,000 in cash and benefits for the recipients.
They were created to honour the philanthropic efforts of the late Ted and Lola Rozsa.
To date, the Rozsa Foundation has given more than $1 million in cash awards and benefits.
Past recipients include Eva Cairns of Edmonton’s Catalyst Theatre (2016), Rose Brow, former managing director of Quest Theatre (2014), Stephen McHolm, former artistic director of Honens (2012), and Bob McPhee, former general director and CEO of the Calgary Opera (2003).