There has been an exodus of female arts leaders in Vancouver, writes Marsha Lederman. They describe the challenges of leading while female.
'Over just a few weeks this past spring and summer, a succession of women announced their departures from cultural leadership positions in Vancouver.
Even from the hazy distance of my summer vacation, I felt a twinge of concern – it’s hard not to, in this #TimesUp era – but in fact, when I spoke to them individually, each had a different story to tell, and in large part, the news was good. There were new jobs, fresh opportunities. Or it was just time.
That doesn’t mean their careers have been without leading-while-female friction, though.
On July 8, the executive director of the Vancouver International Film Festival, Jacqueline Dupuis, revealed she would be stepping down after the 2019 festival. On July 11, Ballet BC announced that artistic director Emily Molnar would be leaving to become artistic director of the internationally renowned Nederlands Dans Theater at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. On July 24, Vancouver’s Chutzpah! Festival artistic managing director Mary-Louise Albert announced she would leave after this year’s festival. The resignations followed the departure of Kathleen Bartels as executive director of the Vancouver Art Gallery, announced on May 28, and the June 5 news from the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra that president Kelly Tweeddale was leaving to become executive director of the San Francisco Ballet.' ... Keep reading on The Globe and Mail
'Over just a few weeks this past spring and summer, a succession of women announced their departures from cultural leadership positions in Vancouver.
Even from the hazy distance of my summer vacation, I felt a twinge of concern – it’s hard not to, in this #TimesUp era – but in fact, when I spoke to them individually, each had a different story to tell, and in large part, the news was good. There were new jobs, fresh opportunities. Or it was just time.
That doesn’t mean their careers have been without leading-while-female friction, though.
On July 8, the executive director of the Vancouver International Film Festival, Jacqueline Dupuis, revealed she would be stepping down after the 2019 festival. On July 11, Ballet BC announced that artistic director Emily Molnar would be leaving to become artistic director of the internationally renowned Nederlands Dans Theater at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. On July 24, Vancouver’s Chutzpah! Festival artistic managing director Mary-Louise Albert announced she would leave after this year’s festival. The resignations followed the departure of Kathleen Bartels as executive director of the Vancouver Art Gallery, announced on May 28, and the June 5 news from the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra that president Kelly Tweeddale was leaving to become executive director of the San Francisco Ballet.' ... Keep reading on The Globe and Mail