October 02, 2006 -

Both new funds honour former NAC Board Chair and arts champion David Leighton

Ottawa (Canada) -- The NAC has established two new funds in honour of former NAC Board Chair David Leighton that will help support Canada’s emerging artists and arts professionals.

The Leighton Talent Development Endowment and the Leighton Family Tribute Fund will honour Dr. Leighton’s seven-year term as Chair of the NAC Board of Trustees, during which time he helped lead the NAC into a time of unprecedented vitality and financial health. Together with his wife and partner Peggy Leighton, Dr. Leighton became a champion of the NAC, personally supporting each of the NAC’s four artistic disciplines, attending countless performances, accompanying every NAC Orchestra tour and visiting countless small towns as well as large cities across Canada.

Under the leadership of Ralph Barford, 10 founding partners each committed $50,000 to the Leighton Talent Development Endowment to create the Leighton Talent Development Fund create. Its endowed gift of $500,000 will be used to establish the David Leighton Arts Fellowship for emerging artists and arts professionals.

The other nine founding partners are: Grant and Alice Burton, Purdy Crawford, Margaret and Jim Fleck, The George and Helen Gardiner Foundation, Donald K. Johnson, Ross Johnson, Michael and Sonja Koerner, John and Natty McArthur, and Barbara and John Poole.

In addition, The Leighton Family Tribute Fund will attract gifts in honour of the Leightons that will support initiatives for young artists in music, theatre and dance programming, as well as arts administration.

“We are very grateful to the founding partners of the Leighton Talent Development Endowment and are confident that their generosity will inspire gifts from others who care about the next generation of Canadian artists and arts administrators,” said NAC President and CEO Peter Herrndorf. “Both of these new funds are wonderful tributes to David and Peggy Leighton’s strong and dynamic commitment to the arts in this country.”

David S.R. Leighton served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the NAC from May 1999 to June 2006.

Dr. Leighton was born in Regina in 1928. He graduated from Queen’s University and the Harvard Business School and has honorary degrees from Queen’s and the University of Windsor. He was a member of the faculty at Western for over 20 years, most recently as Director for the National Centre for Management Research and Development. In 1971-72, he was elected President of the American Marketing Association, the first Canadian to attain this position. Dr. Leighton is also a Richard Ivey School of Business professor emeritus.

Throughout his career, Dr. Leighton has maintained a keen interest in the arts. An amateur violinist, he has played in two university-level orchestras.

Dr. Leighton served 13 years as President of the Banff Centre in Alberta, during which the Centre was transformed from a six-week summer school to a year-round arts and management centre of international stature. In 1982 he was President and CEO of the Organizing Committee of the 1988 Calgary Olympics.

Dr. Leighton has also served as a Director on the Boards of the Toronto Symphony, London (Ontario) Symphony, Canadian Conference of the Arts, Council for Business and the Arts, Telefilm Canada, the International Choral Festival, the Glenbow-Alberta Institute, and Centre Stage. He was Chairman of the highly successful 1985 International Bach Piano Competition, and co-founder and Chair of the Banff Television Festival.

Dr. Leighton lives in London, Ontario with his wife Peggy, who has been an active supporter and participant throughout Dr. Leighton’s career, championing the arts and arts organizations in close partnership with Dr. Leighton. As part of their work together at the Banff Centre, the couple co-authored the book Artists, Builders and Dreamers: 50 Years at the Banff School. Peggy was also a highly active and energetic presence during Dr. Leighton’s tenure at the NAC, volunteering her time and unflinching support to his work with the NAC Board.

Dr. and Peggy Leighton have five children: Douglas, Bruce, Katharine, Jennifer and Andrew, as well as nine grandchildren.

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For more information, please contact:
Jayne Watson, Director of Communications and Public Affairs
National Arts Centre
(613) 947-7000, ext. 260