Urban Ink productions Welcomes New Managing Director

Urban Ink Productions has announced Dawn Brennan as its new Managing Director, commencing this fall.

Brennan comes to Urban Ink from the Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance (GVPTA), where she has been Director since 2015. 

Among her many other credentials and honours, Brennan has an extensive background in arts leadership positions including as Executive Director of Actsafe Safety Association, and General Manager of the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company and the Vancouver International Writers Festival.

A former stage manager, Brennan is a graduate of National Theatre School, the recipient of the Canada Council’s John Hobday Award in Arts Management and the Jessies’ Mary Phillips Award for Unsung Heroes. She has an M.A. in Leadership fromRoyal Roads University and currently teaches Resource Development in Capilano University’s Arts and Entertainment Management Program. Brennan has a decade of experience as an arts consultant and facilitator.

She has served on the boards of Vocal Eye Descriptive Arts, the Leon and Thea Koerner Foundation, the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT), the Alliance for Arts and Culture, and Kokoro Dance. 

"I am so looking forward to working with Dawn. Not only does she bring a passion for the performing arts and experience working with Indigenous and culturally diverse artists and communities, but also a solid knowledge and experience in the administration and operations of large-scale theatre companies," said Corey Payette, Urban Ink's Artistic Director.

For her part, Brennan said, "I am honoured to be joining Urban Ink Productions. I feel so lucky to be able to work with Corey Payette and the team he has put in place, to support the development of Indigenous and Intercultural performance works in Canada."