A storied legacy. A brilliant future.

Welcome to the summer 2007 issue of Inspired: The Banff Centre Report to the Community.

This issue of Inspired looks back at 60 amazing years of dance at Banff and forward to the brilliant future that is being created through the Campaign for The Banff Centre.

Building on the past while stepping boldly into the future is an apt metaphor for the learning that takes place in Banff. Our programs bring faculty at the top of their careers together with emerging artists and leaders. The result is an intense — and intensely rewarding — experience for both.

As Brian Macdonald recounts in his book, Dancing in Thin Air, for six decades our dance programs have enabled talented young dancers to learn from Canada’s best dance teachers and choreographers. In an entirely different field, our Women in the Director’s Chair program unites women on the cusp of feature film careers with top mentors in the crafts of cinematography, directing, and story editing. And this summer our energetic director of music, Barry Shiffman, has initiated a Quartet in the Community program that will allow an emerging string quartet to gain valuable experience while rubbing shoulders with the celebrated musicians participating in the 9th Banff International String Quartet Competition.

There has been and will always be a special place at The Banff Centre for Aboriginal programming. In this issue, creators as diverse as playwright Marie Clements and writer Joseph Boyden acknowledge the central role that the Centre plays in supporting Aboriginal arts and culture. For KC Adams, the talented young artist who is the subject of our cover story, the mentorship of senior Aboriginal artists she encountered at the Centre was critical to her success.

The Campaign for The Banff Centre will enable artists like KC Adams to flourish. It will inspire leaders like Mayor Bev Buckway of Whitehorse, also profiled in this issue, giving them new skills and confidence to take back to their communities.

Led by a distinguished Cabinet of national business and cultural leaders, the Campaign will support our programming and endowments, and build a world-class centre for creativity, innovation, and leadership. Thanks to the efforts of our Campaign co-chairs Doug Black and Michael Norris, we are already well on the road to achieving this new vision for The Banff Centre. I hope you will take some time to learn about the Campaign and I invite you to support it in any way you can.

Finally, I cordially invite you to join us for our annual Banff Summer Arts Festival. With over 180 events, from art walks to the Banff premiere of Frobisher to the 60th Anniversary Dance Gala, it will be a feast of inspired — and inspiring — creativity.