News Releases - 2006

Performing arts agents to visit Asia

Ottawa, October 5, 2006 ― Performing arts agents from across the country will be traveling to Asia later this month in an effort to better acquaint Asian arts presenters with Canada’s most talented musicians, actors, dancers and other performing artists.

The 10-day mission is organized by the Canada Council for the Arts and will include visits to Seoul, Shanghai and Beijing. The Canada Council will also have booths at two major trade fairs in China and South Korea: the Performing Arts Market Seoul and the Shanghai Arts Fair.

Sandra Bender, coordinator of the Council’s Audience and Market Development office, said performing arts agents are key players in developing careers and new market and audience potential for their artists.

“This mission is not only about marketing Canadian artists to international audiences but also about developing long-term collaborations between the Canadian and Asian arts communities,” she said. Our audiences have developed a sophisticated knowledge and appreciation of international cultural practices – a result of a population that has become more diverse culturally, a competitive, globalized marketplace and the digital age which has allowed us to communicate within one another across geographical barriers. We need to support our arts community to compete within this complex and diverse environment.”

The delegation will include:

• Jim Smith, Eponymous, Vancouver (dance and new music)
• Colin McIntyre, McIntyre International Arts Management, Toronto (theatre, dance and classical music)
• Uriel Luft, ATMO Productions, North Hatley, QC (dance)
• Élisabeth Comtois, L’agence Station bleue, Montreal (world music, jazz, folk, new music and classical)
• John Lambert, John Lambert & Associates, Montreal (world music, theatre, circus and young audiences)
• Menno Plukker, Menno Plukker Theatre Agent Inc., St. Albert, ON (theatre and dance)
• Marie-Catherine LaPointe, Boulev’art, Quebec City (classical music)
• Louise Dubeau, Diagramme, Montreal (dance)
• Diane Kadota, DKAM, Vancouver (world and new music)
• Zhao Zhao, DKAM, Vancouver (world and new music), who will join the delegation as an apprentice.

In addition to the agents, Norman Armour of PuSh International Performing Arts Festival will also be part of the delegation. This will allow the mission to deal not only with marketing Canadian artists in Asia, but also Canada’s ability to host international artists here at home.