Annual Report 2022 - 2023

This annual report is being presented following our Retreat in Huntsville where we had a chance to welcome many people new to our member organizations and those who had not chosen to participate in our retreats before. It is a reminder of the change and renewal that is vital to Ontario Presents, our members, and the performing arts industry. It was also a chance to see long-time colleagues and strengthen those relationships.

A lot of our focus at the retreat was on wellness. The need to take care
of ourselves and our colleagues in what is a challenging and stressful environment. We have endured so much in recent years and the return to “normal” has been anything but normal for us. This is as true for our own organizations as it is for Ontario Presents.

I am proud to recognize and celebrate an organization, its members, and an entire industry that has navigated these changes and continues to work to build an even better environment for our work.

Under the leadership of Judy Harquail and Dr. Terri Lynn Brennan this past year, the entire Ontario Presents team has continued to support our members and the industry at large. They have supported our existing programs, addressed challenges, and continue to innovate in how they support our industry.

I want to thank our funding partners for everything they have done to support our work. As we navigate the post-pandemic era of funding pressures and program spending reductions, we hope that the great value Ontario Presents and our presenting members deliver to the industry and our communities will remain a priority for support.

I want to thank our board members who have been very busy this year handling many challenges and initiatives. These include the hard work of assessing and re-imagining our governance model and practices for the future, and reviewing the Ontario Contact and Contact OnTour conference to build something that better serves all of our stakeholders and those not yet at the table.

This is my last message to you as President of Ontario Presents. I started in the role just months into the pandemic shutdown and stayed on an extra year as we continued to deal with the challenges of uncertainty and change during the re-opening of our presenting activities. I am grateful for all those Board members past and present who put their trust in me and have volunteered their time, energy, and abilities to contribute to this important work.

To sum up, I’m thankful, grateful, and appreciative. And I’m excited about the future of Ontario Presents.