Ottawa, Canada – The National Arts Centre (NAC) today announced the appointment of Robert Gagné as Administrator of the NAC’s French Theatre.

A native of Ottawa, Mr. Gagné has 20 years’ experience in management, including 10 years as the administrative director of several Franco-Canadian and Quebec arts companies. In a few months’ time Mr. Gagné will step down as managing director of Montreal-based theatre company Sibyllines (founded in 1997 by Brigitte Haentjens, Artistic Director of the NAC’s French Theatre), where his responsibilities include administration, project management, fundraising and market development.

In 1992, after completing an Honours BA at the University of Ottawa (specialization in French Literature, major in Theatre), Mr. Gagné moved to Sudbury to work at the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario, where he was named administrative director in 1994.

As a consultant, Mr. Gagné has carried out some 50 projects (strategic planning, marketing and audience development, research studies, business plan development) for over two dozen organizations in the cultural and not-for-profit sectors. He has an MBA from the École des Hautes études commerciales (HEC) de Montréal.

“My first memorable theatre experiences were at the NAC,” recalls Mr. Gagné. “In fact, I bought my very first theatre subscription (while I was still in high school) to the NAC French Theatre! I’m very attached to the NAC, and I’m very proud to offer my skills and experience in the service of this great institution.”

Mr. Gagné’s career highlights include his key role in establishing the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario’s dedicated performance and production venue, the Centre de production théâtrale, in 1997. He has also made an important contribution to theatre for young audiences: in 2005, on behalf of the Montreal-based international children’s theatre festival Les Coups de théâtre, he was general manager of the 15^th World Congress and Performing Arts Festival of ASSITEJ International (International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People).

Mr. Gagné was also the interim general manager of the Conseil québécois du théâtre (CQT) during the second États généraux du théâtre professionnel du Québec (Conference on the State of Professional Theatre in Quebec) organized by the CQT in 2007, and served on the steering committee of the second États généraux du théâtre franco-ontarien (Conference on the State of Franco-Ontarian Theatre) held in 2009.

Mr. Gagné will be taking over from Fernand Déry, who is retiring after 16 years with the NAC.

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 For more information, please contact:

Carl Martin
Communications
National Arts Centre
613‑947‑7000, ext. 560