Programming

Programming is subject to change and will evolve as we get closer to the event. This page was last updated on Jun 4.

All times are local (Pacific Time).

Welcome & Opening Session: Our Stories Are Medicine

Wed Jun 7, 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Moccasin Square Gardens

Welcome from Elder Ted Gottfriedson

Our Stories Are Medicine, a conversation with Manny Jules, Lori Marchand, & Laura Michel

CTA 101

Wed Jun 7, 7pm to 8pm
Lori Marchand Theatre, Kelson Hall

With Kristen Dion (Vertigo Theatre) & Alison Peddie (PACT)

CTA 101 is for anyone that needs a refresher (or an intro) to the basics of the Canadian Theatre Agreement for mounting a production. From Company Category Calculations to rehearsal scheduling and everything in between, Kristen Dion (former PACT LR Manager and current Vertigo ED) and Alison Peddie (current PACT LR Manager) will walk through the articles, so bring your questions!

Been There, Now What?

Wed Jun 7, 7pm to 8pm
Bruce Dunn Rehearsal Hall, Kelson Hall

With Nina Lee Aquino (National Arts Centre) & Dian Marie Bridge (Black Theatre Workshop)

A conversation about exploring new leadership models, leaping off from Episode #1 of the National Arts Centre & Black Theatre Workshop podcast series (pw: btwnacpact2023) with ahdri zhina mandiela and David Abel. Listen to the episode in advance to get the most from this session.

Provocation for conversation: If you are considering new leadership models such as co-curation, what are your expectations and are you ready to actually shift the way you work?

Roundtables & Networking

Wed Jun 7, 8:15pm to 9:30pm
Various rooms, Kelson Hall

Connect with folks who work in similar roles at theatres across the country.

Coffee Chat: Advocacy Update with PAA Advisory

Thu Jun 8, 8:40am to 9am
Lori Marchand Theatre, Kelson Hall

With Tara Mazurk & Elizabeth Seip (PAA Advisory)

Join Tara and Elizabeth from PAA Advisory for a morning coffee and get the scoop on the latest federal government and advocacy updates. Share your thoughts on what the theatre sector should prioritize in the upcoming federal government Pre-Budget consultations, and help PACT maintain a strong voice for the sector.

SuperHappyFunTime for ADC

Thu Jun 8, 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Lori Marchand Theatre, Kelson Hall

Hosted by Lisa Li (Labour Relations portfolio, PACT Board) & Alison Peddie (Interim Labour Relations Manager, PACT)

SuperHappyFunTime (SHFT) sessions are opportunities to learn, discuss, and ask questions about recent and upcoming changes to the agreements that PACT administers jointly with the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC), the Playwrights Guild of Canada (PGC) and Canadian Actors Equity Association (the Canadian Theatre Agreement or CTA).

The SHFT for ADC will feature information and a Q&A discussion around the new agreement, which is to be voted on during PACTcon.

Mock Meetings with Government! Advocacy Workshop

Thu Jun 8, 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Bruce Dunn Rehearsal Hall, Kelson Hall

With Tara Mazurk & Elizabeth Seip (PAA Advisory)

Could advocacy actually be creative and fun? Come brainstorm PACT priorities for the upcoming federal Pre-budget 2024 process and test it out the messaging with Tara and Elizabeth from PAA Advisory as they play the role of an ‘MP’ and you test-drive what government meetings are like in a supportive, training-ground setting.

This is your chance to contribute to the policy future of the Canadian Theatre Sector and strengthen those government relations muscles!

Indigenous Fire Stewardship with the Salish Fire Keepers Society

Fri Jun 9, 1pm to 2pm
Lori Marchand Theatre, Kelson Hall

With Joe Gilchrist & Harry Spahan (Salish Fire Keepers Society)

Presented by Savage Society

Members of the Salish Fire Keepers Society will introduce us to topics of cultural burning and Indigenous fire stewardship. Cultural burning is the controlled application of fire on the landscape to achieve specific cultural objectives. 

The Salish Fire Keepers Society is comprised of Interior Salish Indigenous and non-Indigenous members, who understand cultural land management principles, specifically cultural burning. These members want to improve public awareness and address public misconceptions; advocate and build support networks for cultural land management practices, and build the capacity of future generations of Fire Keepers.

Benchmarking Progress

Fri Jun 9, 1pm to 2:30pm
Bruce Dunn Rehearsal Hall, Kelson Hall

With Heather Young, Young Associates

Bring your company's financial statements! This workshop will dive into some numbers. 

COVID has had dramatic effects on many theatre companies’ finances. Achieving a “new normal” – whatever that may look like for your company – will test your financial chops. During this 90-minute session you’ll use your own statements to work through several useful financial ratios and how to interpret them. Curious about how you stack up against others? Heather will be sharing some recent theatre community financial results, aggregated from T3010s and from CADAC. The heart of the matter will be the opportunity to explore ideas with your peers on which financial metrics are most important in today’s world; how best to contextualize and articulate your results to stakeholders; and how to utilize accounting data as the basis for budgeting and planning.

Accessibility, Archiving and Emerging Technologies

Fri Jun 9, 2:45pm to 3:45pm
Classroom A, Kelson Hall

With Carey Dodge, Jay Dodge, & Sherry Yoon (Boca del Lupo)

This session is a discussion and demonstration of the possibilities and the practice of using emergent technologies in unique and profound ways. The Boca del Lupo team will share their findings and experiences in utilizing 360 Video as a powerful tool for archiving work and audience accessibility. This technology could prove to be a transformative element in the practice of theatre: vastly improving documentation and critical discourse; becoming indispensable for designers, choreographers and technical directors; and changing the game for remounts, co-productions, touring companies and presenters. It also has promise as a tool for accessibility for those with mobility issues and/or living in remote/isolated communities providing unique live access to the “best seat in the house” from the comfort of their own home. Nothing can replace live performance but 360 video offers a pretty good second best.

Subscriptions on Trial

Fri Jun 9, 2:45pm to 4:15pm
Lori Marchand Theatre, Kelson Hall

With Jim DeGood, TRG Arts

The charges have been filed: the subscription model is dead. Or at least that’s what a growing number of people in our field are saying. It’s old! It’s outdated! Customers, especially young people, won’t commit! We need something new.

Join TRG Arts as judges and jurors to dissect the charges against subscriptions and build a case for frequency programs. Durable ticket revenue grows when programs are strategically designed and organizationally supported to reward customers who frequently attend. Come hear the evidence for and against subscriptions and learn new ways to build stronger loyalty programs.

Jim DeGood is vice president, consulting at TRG Arts where he leads a talented team of consultants and analysts, continually challenges and advances TRG best practice counsel with feedback from clients, and innovates how TRG’s unique consulting methodology can connect with the field. Jim joined TRG Arts in 2013 as a senior consultant and became director of client services in 2015, where he managed a team of analysts who worked to expand TRG’s ability to service clients more effectively and efficiently. During his time at TRG, Jim has worked with a variety of clients including Guthrie Theatre, Arts Club Theatre Company, Toronto International Film Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and Lincoln Center. 

Jim has 26 years of experience in performing arts management, including marketing and executive leadership posts at the Unicorn Theatre, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Kansas City Symphony, and Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Additionally, he directed the performing arts grant programs for the Mid-America Arts Alliance. Jim holds a master’s degree in Arts Administration from Goucher College. 

Jim’s love for the arts is rooted in the visceral way in which the arts help to reveal unique aspects of the human experience and how they can help each of us understand ourselves in a way that is less veiled and more honest than everyday conversation.

The Great Resignation

Fri Jun 9, 3:15pm to 4:15pm
Bruce Dunn Rehearsal Hall, Kelson Hall

With Nina Lee Aquino (National Arts Centre), Dian Marie Bridge (Black Theatre Workshop), & Jeanne LeSage (LeSage Arts Management)

A conversation about recruitment and the next generation of leadership, leaping off from Episode #3 of the National Arts Centre & Black Theatre Workshop podcast series (pw: btwnacpact2023) with Jeanne LeSage. Listen to the episode in advance to get the most from this session.

Provocation for conversation: In 2020, a lot of theatre companies rushed to make statements about changing the way they work. In terms of equitable access for BIPOC artists and leaders, are you keeping your promises?

SuperHappyFunTime for the CTA

Fri Jun 9, 4:30pm to 6:30pm
Lori Marchand Theatre, Kelson Hall

Hosted by Lisa Li (Labour Relations portfolio, PACT Board) & Alison Peddie (Interim Labour Relations Manager, PACT)

SuperHappyFunTime (SHFT) sessions are opportunities to learn, discuss, and ask questions about recent and upcoming changes to the agreements that PACT administers jointly with the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC), the Playwrights Guild of Canada (PGC) and Canadian Actors Equity Association (the Canadian Theatre Agreement or CTA).

SHFT for the CTA will continue the conversation that started with the recent PACT CTA survey, and will give PACT the opportunity to hear from Members about what needs to be brought to the negotiation table when we start pre-negotiations in the late fall of 2023.

SuperHappyFunTime for PGC

Fri Jun 9, 8pm to 9pm
Lori Marchand Theatre, Kelson Hall

Hosted by Lisa Li (Labour Relations portfolio, PACT Board) & Alison Peddie (Interim Labour Relations Manager, PACT)

SuperHappyFunTime (SHFT) sessions are opportunities to learn, discuss, and ask questions about recent and upcoming changes to the agreements that PACT administers jointly with the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC), the Playwrights Guild of Canada (PGC) and Canadian Actors Equity Association (the Canadian Theatre Agreement or CTA).

The SHFT for PGC will start the conversation rolling on ideas to be brought forth for a new agreement, currently set to be re-negotiated in 2024.

Gathering for New Leaders

Sat Jun 10, 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Gazebo, Caravan Farm Theatre

Hosted by Kathryn Westoll (Human Resources portfolio, PACT Board), Alison Peddie (Interim Labour Relations Manager, PACT) & Panthea Vatandoost (Program Associate, PACT)

This peer conversation is for folks who have recently stepped into leadership roles at theatre companies – if this sounds like you, please join us! Let's talk about how you’re doing, where you need support, and how we can help each other thrive.