Coastal Jazz Introduces New Leadership Structure

Image: Coastal Jazz.

On December 4, Coastal Jazz announced a new leadership structure. The society, which produces the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival, along with year-round concerts, will be helmed by a three-person leadership team. This follows a move in late September, which saw Coastal Jazz eliminating the position of executive director, last held by Mike Forrester.

Going forward, Rainbow Robert, a 20 year veteran of the society, takes on the role of managing director, artistic programming; Emma Lancaster, who began her 25 year arts marketing career with Coastal Jazz in 1993, will serve as managing director, marketing and development; and Isaac Wolfe, who joined the Society in 2016, assumes the role of managing director, finance and administration. 

Meanwhile. founder and artistic director Ken Pickering moves to the position of artistic director emeritus, acting in an advisory capacity. 

“This three-pronged approach hearkens back to the Society's founding in 1985 by Robert Kerr, Ken Pickering, and John Orysik,” a Coastal Jazz statement reads. 

“Since that time, Coastal Jazz has grown into BC’s largest not-for-profit music presenter,” attracting more than half a million people to its annual jazz festival and generating more than $43 million in economic activity.

Says founder and media director John Orysik:  "The future looks bright, morale is high, and we're positioned to build on the successes of the past while creating the future for the music we all love."