Impacting careers
for 75 years
Welcome to the 75th anniversary summer issue of Inspired: The Banff Centre Report to the Community.
One of the singular delights of The Banff Centre, which never ceases to amaze me, is the profound reach and the impact of our programs. One recent occasion was the 2008 Banff World Television Festival Rockie Awards, during which the Centre’s 75th anniversary was celebrated and, coincidently, actress Kim Cattrall received the NBC Universal Canada Award of Distinction. During her acceptance speech, Kim spoke passionately about how attending the Centre’s summer musical Theatre program in 1971 marked a critical turning point in her career. You can read about Kim’s journey from Banff Centre snow fairy to “Sex and the City” superstar here.
The career-changing impact of Banff Centre programs has been highlighted at 75th anniversary events across Canada and the United States, and is an underlying theme in the stories included is this issue of Inspired. For the musicians attending the Centre’s first-ever Indie Band residency this spring, access to top producers and dedicated studio time provided a critical creative boost in a competitive industry. The health care providers who explored the Centre’s arts and leadership programs at the Calgary Health Region’s “Exploring Health and Healing” conference acquired invaluable life-balance skills; and the participants in the Centre’s inaugural Spoken Word program made discoveries and connections that will influence their work for years to come.
When Chinese artist Huang Yan, the subject of our cover story and one of China’s most celebrated contemporary artists, was offered an opportunity for an arts residency anywhere in Canada, he chose The Banff Centre. And he literally re-imagined himself as part of his artistic exploration here.
Stories like these have inspired hundreds of individuals and organizations to donate to the Campaign for The Banff Centre, and in this issue of Inspired we are proud to profile extraordinary contributions from Enbridge, the Jarislowsky Foundation, Nexen, Glen and Ann Sather, and the supporters of a new dance endowment in honour of Arnold Spohr.
Their generous donations will enable The Banff Centre to continue to build careers and inspire new creative works for years to come.
2008 has been a pivotal year in the history of The Banff Centre. Thanks to the success of our Fundraising Campaign, and with amazing support from the Governments of Alberta and Canada, from the private sector, and individual donors; we’ve begun work on the new Kinnear Centre for Creativity & Innovation. As we build for the future, we continue to honour the past and celebrate the present. I invite you to join us at the 2008 Banff Summer Arts Festival and throughout the fall to see what 75 years of inspiring creativity can accomplish, and to join us in bold dreams for another extraordinary 75 years.
Mary E. Hofstetter
President and CEO
