Ottawa, April 29, 2010 – Joseph L. Rotman, Chair, today welcomed the reappointment of Robert Sirman as Director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts. Originally appointed by the Governor in Council in June 2006 for a four-year term, Mr. Sirman has been reappointed to serve in this capacity until June 2014. As Director and CEO, Mr. Sirman is responsible for the Council’s day-to-day operations and its budget of over $190 million.
“This is excellent news,” said Mr. Rotman. “Mr. Sirman’s leadership over the last four years has been exemplary: he has reinvigorated the organization’s vision and purpose following the largest ever public consultation in the Council’s history. The resultant strategic plan provided a renewed focus for the Council’s work and is enabling the Council to evolve in response to the continuing pace of change in the arts and in the world.
“Under Mr. Sirman’s leadership, the Council underwent two significant reviews: a Special Examination by the Auditor General of Canada, which said the Council was doing a good job of managing its affairs, and a Strategic Review of all of its programs, which resulted in the 2010 federal budget stating that the Council’s programs were aligned with the priorities of Canadians.
“The Board and I look forward to drawing upon Mr. Sirman’s wealth of experience and expertise in our continuing efforts to ensure that Canadians enjoy an abundance of arts experiences of exceptional quality across the land.”
Before joining the Council in June 2006, Mr. Sirman served for 15 years as co-CEO of Canada’s National Ballet School, where he oversaw the school’s operations and spearheaded an award-winning $100 million capital expansion program. A graduate of the University of Toronto with an MA in sociology, Mr. Sirman began his career in the Ontario Government, including 10 years in management at the Ontario Arts Council. In December 2004, he was featured by The Toronto Star as one of that city’s top “leading lights” in arts and culture.
The Canada Council for the Arts is a federal Crown Corporation created by an Act of Parliament in 1957. The role of the Council is to support the study, enjoyment, and production of works in the arts. To fulfill this mandate, the Council offers a broad range of grants and services to professional Canadian artists and arts organizations in dance, integrated art, media arts, music, theatre, visual arts, and writing and publishing. It also promotes public awareness of the arts through its communications, research and arts promotion activities. The Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the Public Lending Right Commission operate within the Council.
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