Board of Directors Appoints Aubrey Reeves, National Executive Director of Culture Days as incoming CEO of Business / Arts

September 17th, 2020 – The board of directors at Business / Arts is pleased to announce the appointment of Aubrey Reeves, currently the National Executive Director of Culture Days, as incoming CEO of Business / Arts.  She will begin October 19th, 2020, until which time Nichole Anderson Bergeron will continue as President & CEO to help with the leadership transition.   

Aubrey has held leadership roles as part of Culture Days since 2010 when the Canadian Arts Summit was inspired by the well-established and successful Quebec program Les journées de la culture and launched a parallel program across Canada. Aubrey was recruited to help launch the inaugural Culture Days Event Weekend in Ontario that year. She eventually became National Executive Director and in that capacity, has been providing leadership and collaborations with provincial partners across the country, brokering key corporate, industry and media sponsorships and partnerships, and championing organizational goals and strategies to increase the reach, accessibility and impact of Culture Days. 

“I’m delighted to welcome Aubrey Reeves.  She has exactly the right leadership skills, national experience and strong knowledge of the arts and culture community that will help us continue to build our impact as an organization.  I look forward to working with her in collaboration with our board, team and multiple stakeholders to help ensure a healthy arts and culture sector in Canada,” says Robert Foster, Chairman of Business / Arts.  

“Through Culture Days, I’ve had the honour of helping grow a grassroots idea into a national movement. Bringing these experiences to Business / Arts is a professional and personal dream.  I know that together, we will help set a plan in motion to champion a healthy, sustainable, diverse and vibrant arts and culture sector,” says Aubrey Reeves.  “2020 is certainly a year to remember, but I believe innovation and creative transformation will ultimately carry us forward.”  

“As we welcome Aubrey on board, I would like to thank Nichole Anderson Bergeron for her continued leadership during this time of transition and for her 15 years of dedication to growing the impact of Business / Arts,” says Robert Foster.  “Over Nichole’s tenure, Business / Arts has grown in size and strength to become a truly national organization, with the support of multiple partners in both the public and private sectors.  We have brought thousands of arts organizations and businesses together through the power of partnership and look forward to continuing to grow our impact with Aubrey at the helm.”  

“I am delighted to be passing the baton to Aubrey Reeves as the next CEO of Business / Arts and look forward to supporting her as she transitions into the role.  We have a wonderfully supportive board and a very talented team and anticipate great new creative ideas will unfold in the years to come under her leadership,” says Nichole Anderson Bergeron.   “Aubrey will be certain to find simpatico with an exceptionally talented team at the core of Business / Arts who have been working especially hard these past few months to see Business / Arts thrive in the on-line space despite challenging circumstances.  I am very proud of what we have been able to accomplish together and know that Aubrey will be as well.” 

Aubrey’s recent work directing the innovative transformation of Culture Days 2020 to suit the times, spearheading the Culture Days Digital Strategy Project, expanding national research projects and collaborating with other research initiatives such as I Lost My Gig, highlights how Aubrey’s move to Business / Arts is a natural transition for her.  As CEO of Business / Arts, Aubrey will be able to continue her mission to see the arts and culture industry move sustainably into the next few years. A multi-disciplinary artist, Aubrey possesses a unique set of sensibilities that allow her to champion initiatives encompassing the perspectives of artists, consumers, curators and partners alike. 

About Business / Arts 

Business / Arts is a national charitable organization that shows the power of partnership between business and arts. Our national mentorship training program artsvest has created nearly 5,000 partnerships between business and arts organizations, raising over $21M in new private sector investment. Combined with matching funds, this has led to an overall impact of $29.25M to Canada’s cultural sector. Through initiatives like the Canadian Arts Summit, we work in partnership with arts leaders, government and the business community to ensure a thriving arts and culture sector. We lead research and advocacy projects to help make the case for the arts. Our arts & business exchange initiative is focused on cultivating and inspiring the next generation of business leaders to partner with the arts. To learn more, visit: www.businessforthearts.org