News Release

Introducing SAA’s 2017-18 Board of Directors

Members and guests of the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance met recently to discuss current arts issues and elect members to the Board of Directors.

 

Dr. Kathryn Ricketts, dance artist, educator, and Assistant Professor in Arts Education at the University of Regina is the newly elected President. She succeeds writer, playwright and broadcaster Kelley Jo Burke who remains on the board as Past President.

 

“I look forward to building on the important work of the Arts Alliance,” Ricketts said. “Since joining the board, I have learned first-hand how important this organization is to the development of the arts sector. Outgoing President, Kelley Jo Burke, has done tremendous work in promoting our sector and furthering our initiatives. I look forward to carrying this forward with a great team of board members and with the very competent and caring staff of this organization.”

 

Newly elected board members are Rob Bos, visual artist and arts administrator; Daniel Parr, Program Officer, SaskBooks; Risa Payant, Executive Director, Common Weal Community Arts; and Mary Blackstone, Professor Emerita in the Department of Theatre and Director of the Centre for the Study of Script Development at the U of R.

 

Karen Reynaud, General Manager of Opera Saskatoon, who was appointed to the board mid-term, was elected in a by-election. Returning to the Board for a second term is James Hodges, President of Roadside Attractions Inc., and independent producer of theatre, dance and music.

 

SAA feted outgoing board members Marcus Miller, curator, writer and Director of the Snelgrove Gallery; Yvette Nolan, playwright, dramaturge and director; and Kaelen Klypak, musician, manager, production manager, promoter, and music publisher. Thanks were also extended to board members who resigned earlier in the year: Joel Bernbaum, founding artistic director of Sum Theatre and Leesa Streifler, multi-disciplinary artist and art professor.