Soulpepper Theatre Company announces new Executive Director

January 10, 2022

Soulpepper Theatre Company

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Gideon Arthurs as the Company’s new Executive Director, joining the Executive team alongside Artistic Director Weyni Mengesha. Gideon is an exemplary Canadian arts leader and brings incredible experience, ideas, ambition, and civic knowledge from the local and national levels to Soulpepper as the Company celebrates its 25th anniversary. Gideon will be joining as the Executive Director of Soulpepper & The Young Centre for the Performing Arts full-time in May.

“I am delighted to be returning to Toronto and to Soulpepper, where my life in arts administration began. I am thrilled at the prospect of working with the dynamic leadership team, and in particular to support the extraordinary work of my new collaborator Weyni. We share a vision that theatre is more necessary than ever and that our institutions must work to become more ethical, inclusive, and civically engaged. Despite the ongoing pandemic, Soulpepper is poised for an exciting chapter of its evolution, even as it celebrates its 25th anniversary. I feel truly blessed to be part of this ambitious project and am looking forward to serving the artists and audiences of Soulpepper as they rediscover each other soon. My thanks to the Search Committee and of course, to my dear colleagues at the National Theatre School of Canada, who inspire me every day.” – Gideon Arthurs, Incoming Executive Director

FROM THE BOARD

“The Soulpepper Board of Directors is thrilled to welcome Gideon to the Company. He has extensive management experience in the theatre sector and is known as an open and collaborative leader with a reputation as a community builder. He is immensely respected for his empathetic leadership as well as his financial acumen. And we’re delighted that he is coming home to Soulpepper.” – Vanessa Morgan, Chair of the Board

"The Search Committee ran an extensive search process resulting in Gideon's appointment.  His passion, energy, experience, and business sense will be a terrific asset for our organization and allow us to draw broader support from our growing community. Gideon is passionate about creating a more equitable and inclusive arts community and actively supporting Soulpepper's commitment to Radical Inclusion. We are very fortunate at Soulpepper to welcome Gideon as our new Executive Director." – Sanjay Nakra, Chair of the Search Committee

FROM WEYNI

“I am thrilled that Gideon is Soulpepper’s new Executive Director. He is a smart thinker, a big dreamer, an invaluable advocate, and he cares deeply about the cultural landscape of arts in this country. I have known Gideon for a long time and his values are evident through all of his work at training institutions, festivals, and theatres. I am excited to see all that we can create at Soulpepper together as we push the Company forward in its ambition to be an inclusive, civic, arts and training institution.” – Weyni Mengesha, Artistic Director