Annual Conference

 
Join us for our 60th Annual Conference
International Council for Arts Deans

strategically intersecting the annual conference of
Canadian Association of Fine Arts Deans


Celebrating the Privilege of Arts Leadership: Nurturing
Cultures of Caring + Accountability


Montreal, Canada / October 8-11, 2024

Concordia University / Université Concordia
Schulich School of Music of McGill University / École de musique Schulich de l'Université McGill

 Pre-conference arts and cultural immersion program in Québec City—October 5-8, 2024 

Itinerary for the pre-conference cultural immersion experience in Quebec City. Online Registration for the pre-conference cultural immersion experience in Quebec CityFillable PDF registration form for the pre-conference cultural immersion experience in Quebec City.

Here is the tentative agenda for ICfAD’s 60th Annual Conference. Online Conference Registration. Hotel Reservation. Fillable PDF Conference Registration.

  • Visits to Concordia University, McGill University and additional cultural experiences are being scheduled for Wednesday, October 9. Friday’s program is a repeat of these visits, allowing people to either travel home or visit venues they may have missed.
  • Wednesday evening: Conversation with Michelle Chawla, Director and CEO, Canada Council for the Arts and Maria Rosario Jackson, Chair, National Endowment for the Arts.
  • Optional small-group ‘Dine Arounds’ with colleagues in Old Montreal will be offered Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required and once an individual is registered, we will not be able to make changes. 
  • Conference sessions and Roundtable Discussions to foster active participation are scheduled for Thursday, October 10 at the Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain.
  • MC8YJDE1 is a promotion code that may be used if you purchase air travel online with Air Canada
  • Conference hotel registration: Book Your Group/Corporate Rate | Marriott International

Presentations by these esteemed professionals will be offered:

People First: The Art and Science of Creating a Culture of Care. In this session, Chris Reina, Founding and Executive Director of the Institute for Transformative Leadership will discuss the art and science of creating a culture of care by building deep and trusting relationships that can weather challenging and turbulent times. Now more than ever, others need and want to feel cared for and highly valued. The transformative leaders who can be deeply present and lead with connection and compassion are well-positioned to create organizations that build healthy relationships, trust, and a culture of care.

Lisa Wong, Associate Co-Director of the Arts & Humanities Initiative at Harvard Medical School and author of Scales to Scalpels, chronicling how the music acumen of these physicians affects the way they administer healing and, in turn, how their medical work affects their music. How does practicing the art of music transform the art of practicing medicine?

A Multi-Perspective Dialogue on Cultural Appropriation and Representation in the Arts. As we strive for cultural sensitivity in the arts world, an ongoing challenge is the navigation of cultural representation. What is culture? How do we differentiate between cultural appropriation and appreciation? How do we confront the historic movement known as exoticism and its inherent stereotyping of “foreign” cultures? A panel of noted artists will discuss these critical considerations, followed by roundtable discussions. Facilitated by Lisa Brooks, panelists will include: T. Patrick Carrabré, Director of the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts and Professor of Composition at the University of British Columbia; Phil Chan, Co-Founder of Final Bow for Yellowface and President, Gold Standard Arts Foundation; Marlis Schweitzer, Professor of Theatre and Performance Studies, York University; Wesley Wofford, Academy Award-winning American Figurative Sculptor

Our Award for Arts Achievement and Excellence will be presented to Wapikoni Mobile, touring Aboriginal communities and offering First Nations youth workshops that allow them to master digital tools through the production of short films and musical works

Roundtable Discussions will be offered on topics including Building Team Through Leadership Coaching; Creative Practice in Australia: Recent Developments and Outcomes; Curricular Strategies at the Intersection of Arts Education and Generative AI; Enabling Research Productivity in Creative Arts Environments within Research-Intensive Institutions; The Quest for Organizational Fluency: Collaborative Exploration of Management Integration in Academia . . . and more. 

Montréal is renowned for its arts and culture scene and in 2006 was designated as a UNESCO City of Design. With a thriving art scene, the City has emerged as one of the most exciting places on the continent for boundary-breaking art. In October 2024, you will be able to explore its impressive offerings in everything from artsy cafes, to galleries and museums, to walking among the city streets.

The team at Tourisme Montreal shares this video about the vibrant city.

A hotbed of arts and culture, Montréal’s Quartier des Spectacles downtown entertainment district literally pulses with life, light and talent all year long. Night or day, the Quartier des Spectacles welcomes diverse visitors to its more than 80 cultural venues and eight public spaces offering a diverse array of activities, including no less than 40 festivals, movies, plays, dance performances, art exhibitions, technological art displays, music concerts, operas, comedy shows and more all year round. The Quartier des Spectacles has developed into a world-class cultural destination that attracts millions of visitors each year.

Montréal has an abundance of exciting and vibrant activities and events dedicated to promoting the diverse cultures and traditions of Canada, including work from Indigenous, First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities. Everything from arts and crafts to language and history, the City provides opportunities to learn the history of Indigenous arts and cultures in Quebec. Montréal is also home to diverse Francophone arts that highlight Québécois culture.

This year’s conference is a unique opportunity to join friends and colleagues from both the International and Canadian Associations of Fine Arts Deans for a rich autumn experience in Montréal.

Performances that might be of interest while we are in Montréal include :

  • Elgar’s Cryptic Enigma Variations: Admired for the vibrant intensity of her playing, Karen Gomyo will perform Schumann’s Violin Concerto, a work that showcases her instrument’s full expressive and tonal range. Two unsolved enigmas remain in Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations: first, the composer never revealed the origin of the work’s main theme. Second, the title of each variation gives only the initials of the friend or family member whose personality is being depicted, in many instances by imitating the style of a German composer. At Maison Symphonique on Wednesday,  October 9,  2024 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets from $40 to $165.
  • A Voice for Bach: The astonishing young English countertenor Hugh Cutting, named BBC New Generation Artist in 2022, reconnects with Les Violons du Roy's founding conductor, Bernard Labadie. They celebrate the orchestra's 40th anniversary with a program featuring two of Bach's finest cantatas for solo voice, as well as two concerti grossi by Handel. At Bourgie Hall on Friday October 11, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Luc Beauséjour, harpsichord - A Covey of Birds: Flemish harpsichords inspired numerous composers, as well as painters such as Vermeer and Rubens. To mark the restoration of Bourgie Hall’s Keith Hill harpsichord, Luc Beauséjour presents a programme that will delight ornithologists and music lovers alike. At Bourgie Hall on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.

Our appreciation is shared with these sponsors to date, in alphabetical order:



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proud new sponsor this year




proud sponsor since 2013






proud sponsors since 2017




proud new sponsor this year