Why Not Theatre appoints Karen Tisch as Executive Director
On behalf of the Board and leadership team of Why Not Theatre, Co-Chairs Paul Nagpal and Upkar Arora and Co-Artistic Directors Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes are delighted to announce the appointment of veteran arts manager Karen Tisch to the position of Executive Director. Karen is a seasoned arts professional with over 30 years of experience across multiple artistic disciplines. She succeeds Kelly Read, who is stepping down after an exceptional seven-year tenure.
“We are excited to welcome Karen to Why Not Theatre,” said founder Ravi Jain. “The company is on an exciting growth curve and Karen’s extensive experience in cultural leadership, strategic vision, deep commitment to equity, and collaborative spirit make her an excellent choice to help guide the organization into the next exciting phase of its development. We would also like to express our deep gratitude to Kelly Read, who leaves Why Not Theatre with a legacy of strong management, exponential organizational growth and producing excellence.”
Raised in Toronto, Karen has held a variety of leadership roles in the Canadian arts and culture sector, including Managing Director of the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Programming Director of the Images Festival, Executive Director of the Ashkenaz Foundation, and Executive Director of the Koffler Centre of the Arts. She has also worked extensively in cultural policy and funding, serving in senior roles at both the Toronto Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts. Recognized nationally as a champion for equity in the arts, Karen created foundational equity policies for the City of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture Division, FACTOR, and the Toronto Arts Council. She served as a longtime equity advisor for the Canada Council, where she led initiatives focused on racial equity and co-authored Canada’s first disability arts funding program. A steadfast arts advocate, Karen has also held senior roles on numerous arts boards, including: Toronto Arts Council (President), Toronto Book Awards (Chair), Racial Equity Fund (Chair), and A Space Gallery (President). She currently sits on the Board of the contemporary Indigenous performance company, Red Sky Performance. She is an alumna of Canada’s National Ballet School and OCAD University.
“I am thrilled to be joining Why Not Theatre at this important stage of its evolution,” said Karen Tisch. “Since its inception, the company has played a visionary role in merging art, innovation and social change, rethinking how stories are told and who gets to tell them. The company’s interests and values–grounded in equity, accessibility and community–are firmly aligned with my own and I am so excited to collaborate with Ravi and Miriam, and the entire Why Not Theatre Board and team, to further the company’s important work.”
Why Not Theatre experienced significant growth during Kelly Read’s tenure, producing multiple critically-acclaimed productions, including Prince Hamlet, Butcher, What You Won’t Do for Love, and A Brimful of Asha, while offering meaningful support to smaller companies producing work to inter/national acclaim, including Quote Unquote Collective’s Mouthpiece and paul watson productions’ pomme (is french for apple). Kelly was instrumental in launching several strategic initiatives designed to promote equity in the theatre sector, including support for artist-caregivers, Pay-What-You-Can-Afford tiered ticket pricing models, and ThisGen Fellowship, an innovative mentorship program for BIPOC women and non-binary theatre practitioners. She also played a key role in the growth of RISER, a collaborative producing model now in its 8th year in Toronto, and more recently expanded to Edmonton and Regina. Under Kelly’s management, Why Not Theatre’s budget grew to over 3 million, leaving the company in a strong financial position as it embarks on its most ambitious project to date: a two-part, 6-hour retelling of the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, which will premiere in March 2023 at the Shaw Festival. Amidst this growth, Kelly brought consistent passion, intelligence, and humanity to her work, and her many contributions to the company have left an indelible mark.
About Why Not Theatre
Why Not Theatre shakes up the status quo to make the world we want to see. A world where everyone can achieve their full potential. We question everything. Rethink how stories are told. And who gets to tell them. We MAKE great work that takes chances, and tours all over the world. We SHARE everything we have, because more artists mean more stories. We PROVOKE change because we believe art should be for everyone. We push boundaries, build community, and find new ways. We represent Toronto, at home and on the world stage.
For more information, visit: www.whynot.theatre || @WhyNotTheatreTO
