Posted on January 31, 2018

The Board of Directors of the Calgary International Film Festival is pleased to announce that D'Arcy Levesque, a noted Calgary champion of arts, will be its new Chair.

Following a meeting of the Board yesterday, current board chair Joe Novak said, “As the festival has continued to grow and attract record audiences, the board conducted a lengthy community-wide search for a new chair. The search committee, led by vice-chair Peter Wallis, was looking for someone with vision and great leadership skills, a passion for films, and a respected thought leader in the Calgary arts community. And so, we feel very fortunate to have found the person we were looking for in D’Arcy Levesque.”

D’Arcy is a widely acknowledged as an active and valued member of the Calgary creative community. A passionate supporter of the arts across Canada, D’Arcy currently serves as a Director for the Governor General’s Foundation for the Performing Arts; is a trustee for the National Theatre School of Canada; a Member of the Walrus Foundation National Advisory Council, and; a Director for the National Arts Centre Foundation. He has previously served as Chair of the Alberta College of Art and Design and served on the boards of Calgary Arts Development (CADA), Calgary Opera, Alberta Ballet and Contemporary Calgary. His contribution to the arts has been recognized by being the recipient of both the Canadian Business for the Arts Award and the Glenbow Museum’s Eric Harvie Award.

“It is a special privilege to help lead and support the dedicated Board and the dynamic team at the Calgary International Film Festival,” said Levesque. “I have been involved in Calgary’s art scene for many years, and I understand and appreciate the significant contribution that the festival makes to both our city and country. I’m very excited about helping to grow our festival’s audience experience and build on the solid reputation that the Calgary International Film Festival has earned over many years."

For the fourth consecutive year, audiences have attended the festival in record numbers, a 10% growth increase over 2016 and a more than doubling of attendance since 2013. Calgary International Film Festival Executive Director Steve Schroeder stated, “I’m very excited to work with D’Arcy. His love of film and vision for an artistically vibrant Calgary aligns with the festival's mission of creating remarkable audience experiences. Few Calgarians are as synonymous with helping cultural organizations grow and flourish than D’Arcy."

D’Arcy Levesque is a seasoned communication’s consultant and strategist with more than 30 years experience in both the public and private sectors. He has worked for some of Canada’s largest companies, helping to build and sustain reputational strategies with a focus on brand and corporate social responsibility. Most recently he served as Western Canada Chair for Hill and Knowlton Strategies. Prior to this, he served as Vice-President, Enterprise Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility at Enbridge for 14 years. He has also held senior executive roles with True North Energy, Syncrude Canada and served as a Communications Director for a number of Alberta Government Ministers.

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For more information or to book interviews contact:
Nadine bibi, Marketing Director, The Calgary International Film Festival
nadine.bibi@calgaryfilm.com
403.452.4845

About the Calgary International Film Festival

The Calgary International Film Festival (Calgary Film) is a 12-day showcase of up to 200 multi-genre feature and short films from Canada and over 40 other countries. The festival hosts gala events, screenings, special presentations, and a Behind the Screen series that emphasizes unique and exciting ways for filmmakers and fans to interact.

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