BILL BROOKS’ CALGARY
Shining a spotlight on the city
The arts and profit shouldn’t be diametrically opposed. Arts organizations know the bottom line is as important as the product being offered.
The Rozsa Award for Excellence in Arts Management salutes exceptional arts managers for this very thing.
The annual award is unique in Canada because of the value and variety of benefits it provides. Established in 2003, the Rozsa Foundation has given over $1 million in cash awards and benefits to date.
Each year, a cash prize of $10,000 is awarded to an exceptional arts manager, another $10,000 to their organization, as well as recipient benefits ranging in combined value of up to $100,000 from its partners at Haskayne School of Business, The Alberta School of Business, The Banff Centre, CKUA Radio Network, Deloitte, Structured Abstraction and Transcend Management Advisors Inc.
The Rozsa Award jury is comprised of jury chair Brenda-Ann Marks, past award recipients, individuals chosen by the award partners and other outstanding business leaders throughout the province. Their task is to vet the hundreds of applicants each year to determine who should receive the prestigious award — as well as the cash and trimmings.
Readers may recall past recipients include arts management luminaries the likes of: 2006 recipient Stephen Schroeder (One Yellow Rabbit); 2005 recipient Anne Green ( WordFest); 2005 recipient Kathi Sundstrom (Decidedly Jazz Danceworks); 2009 recipient Tom McFall (Alberta Craft Council); 2003 recipient Bob McPhee (Calgary Opera); 2011 recipient Marilyn Smith (Southern Alberta Art Gallery); and 2007 recipient Tony Luppino (Art Gallery of Alberta).
The who’s who of the arts community gathered at the Jack Singer on Oct. 16 for the 2017 award ceremony. The host, Rozsa Foundation CEO Mary Rozsa de Coquet, joined forces with colleagues Mary Cristina Rozsa de Coquet, Ruth Ann Rozsa Rayner, Paul Moulton, Alec Milne, Bruce Halliday, Derek Stevenson and Geraldine Ysselstein to salute those who make a difference in our arts community.
Congratulations to 2017 finalists Carol Holmes, executive director of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta, and JP Thibodeau, managing artistic director of StoryBook Theatre.
A well-deserved bow goes to the 2017 Rozsa Award recipient David Chantler, founder and producing director of Trickster Theatre.
Founded in 1980, Trickster Theatre is focused on the use of theatre and arts in educational programs. Originally focusing on touring shows, Trickster changed its business model in 1989 to produce school and community residency programs.
Over the past 28 years, Chantler has produced more than 700 weeklong residencies, which have included over 200,000 artist participants.
In 2012, Chantler began presenting a new program called Kids Go Global, which allows schools to learn about global issues through theatre and take action by raising funds.
A deserving recipient of the award indeed.