Distinguished Cultural Ambassadors Announced

Business / Arts, Canada’s leading national organization dedicated to building lasting partnerships between business and the arts, proudly announces the appointment of five iconic Canadian artists as Distinguished Cultural Ambassadors. These artists represent both extraordinary creative achievement and the entrepreneurial force driving Canada’s cultural sector forward.

Download the Announcement Here.

The ambassadors will lend their voice and leadership to advancing the role of the arts in building a stronger, more prosperous Canada.

Through this initiative, Business / Arts will work with each Ambassador to:

“Each of these remarkable Canadians exemplifies the very best of our cultural landscape,” said Robert J. Foster, C.M., Chair of Business / Arts. “They are not only creative visionaries, but also cultural entrepreneurs who have built vibrant enterprises rooted in their artistic talent. This initiative celebrates their success while highlighting the vital role that investment in the arts plays in driving economic and social progress.”

2025 Distinguished Cultural Ambassadors

Each Ambassador is an entrepreneur whose creative vision has launched institutions, transformed industries, and expanded the reach of Canadian culture:

Margaret Atwood, C.C. Margaret Atwood is one of the most celebrated authors in Canadian history. Having published over 50 books, translated into more than 45 languages, her work has shaped global discourse on democracy, power, and the environment.

Edward Burtynsky, O.C. Edward Burtynsky is among the world’s most acclaimed contemporary photographers. His large-scale images, which are held in over 80 major museums, have sparked global conversations on sustainability, climate, and industry.

Robert Lepage, C.C. Robert Lepage is a globally renowned Québécois playwright, actor, and director, known for revolutionizing stagecraft through multimedia storytelling. In 1994, he founded Ex Machina, a multidisciplinary company that has brought Canadian theatre to the world stage.

Sarah McLachlan, O.C. Sarah McLachlan is one of Canada’s most beloved musical icons and the creator of the groundbreaking Lilith Fair tour, which showcased female musicians and raised over $7 million for local and national women’s charities. A committed philanthropist, she founded the Sarah McLachlan School of Music, which offers free, high-quality music education to at-risk and underserved children and youth facing barriers to access.

Kent Monkman, O.C. Kent Monkman is a groundbreaking Cree artist whose interventions into Western art history explore colonization, sexuality, and resilience. His gender-fluid alter ego, Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, reclaims space for Indigenous narratives and identities.

This announcement aligns with Business / Arts’ recent communications highlighting artists as nation builders and cultural enterprises as economic engines.

• Communiqué from the 2025 Canadian Arts Summit – 175 leaders call for a clear political commitment to the arts, emphasizing their central role in Canada’s identity, unity, and reconciliation.
• Canada Council as Cultural Venture Capital: Investing in the Business of the Arts – Robert J. Foster, C.M., Chair of Business / Arts, highlights how early Canada Council grants helped launch some of Canada’s most successful artists. These investments sparked careers that now support jobs, drive tourism, and define Canada’s global cultural identity.

Margaret Atwood, C.C. – Photo by Jean Malek.

Edward Burtynsky, O.C. – Photo by Christopher Michel.

Robert Lepage, C.C. – Photo by Hélène Bouffard