Yulanda Faris

Yulanda Faris was appointed to the NAC’s Board of Trustees on June 7, 2013. 

Winner of Canada’s highest lifetime achievement in the performing arts in 2010, Mrs. Faris and her husband Mohammed (Moh) received the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism at the annual Governor General Performing Arts Award in Ottawa.

Mrs. Faris worked on behalf of the Vancouver arts community for more than 40 years, supporting opera, dance, the visual arts, and literature, with a particular focus on young people, arts education, and professional training opportunities. 

Yulanda Faris discovered her passion for the arts as a young girl in Jamaica. She is the past chair of the Vancouver Opera Foundation, and with Mr. Faris founded the Judith Forst Fund for Young Artist Training. She also served on the Dean's advisory board, UBC Faculty of Arts.

Mrs. Faris received the City of Vancouver Mayor's Arts Award for Support of the Arts (2008) and the Minerva Foundation for BC Women's Women in Music Award (2007).

Mrs. Faris and her husband, a professional engineer and real estate developer, served on numerous community boards. Together, they were instrumental in establishing the Scotiabank Dance Centre, a stunning $11-million facility that provides Vancouver’s diverse dance community with a home of its own. Opened in 2001, the centre includes the 150 seat Faris Family Studio.