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For immediate release July 16, 2004 Brian Macdonald and Jeanne Lougheed honoured as Banff Centre Fellows Philip G. Ponting, Chair of the Board of Governors of The Banff Centre, is honoured to announce the designation of Jeanne Lougheed and Brian Macdonald as Fellows of The Banff Centre. Recognizing lifelong contribution to the arts and culture in Alberta and impact on the Centre, this honour has only been bestowed once before, on the Honourable Peter Lougheed in 1985. Jeanne Lougheed has been a distinguished patron of The Banff Centre for more than 25 years. A native Albertan and a talented dancer and singer, she was a summer student at the Centre throughout her years as a university student. She championed arts funding throughout her husband Peter’s tenure as Alberta Premier from 1971 to 1985, a time that put Alberta culture on the map and helped to make The Banff Centre a year-round cultural institution. One of the founders of the Centre’s annual Midsummer Ball fundraiser, Jeanne Lougheed has been named honourary chair of this year’s 25th anniversary Ball. “Over the years, Jeanne Lougheed has worked energetically to ensure that The Banff Centre attains its full potential, as a place for artists from around the world,” Ponting says. “Jeanne has shown continuing enthusiasm for our work and our artists.” Brian Macdonald has had a long and distinguished career as a choreographer and director in classical and contemporary ballet, opera, musical theatre, film, and television. An original member of the National Ballet of Canada, he has been artistic director of the Royal Swedish Ballet, the Harkness Ballet of New York, the Batsheva Company of Israel, and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, and has mounted new productions for companies as diverse as the Stratford Festival, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, New York City Opera, Edinburgh Festival, Kennedy Centre, La Scala, Sydney Opera House, and Sweden’s Gothenburg Ballet. A Companion of the Order of Canada and inaugural recipient of the Walter Carsen Prize for his lifetime contribution to the arts in Canada, Macdonald was artistic director of the Centre’s summer dance program from 1982 to 2001 and continues to serve as artistic advisor for the program. A production of his 1974 ballet, Tam ti Delam, is featured in the 2004 Festival Dance performance at the Centre. “Brian Macdonald has helped to launch the careers of hundreds of young dancers, and continues to be the heart and soul of dance at Banff,” Ponting notes. The Board of Governors of The Banff Centre honoured Brian Macdonald and Jeanne Lougheed, and bestowed the designation of Banff Centre Fellow at a luncheon on Friday, July 16. —30— Media Contact
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