Exciting Turn of Events for Barrie, Ontario's 'Talk Is Free' Theatre (TIFT)

Logo courtesy of Talk Is Free Theatre website

Last summer I had the chance to interview Talk is Free (TIFT) Artistic Producer, Arkady Spivak, and was quite impressed with his leadership and where he is taking Talk is Free next. I learned about the BIG cohort (40 artists who are receiving a minimum financial guarantee over the next three years), and the fact many conversations were starting to take place in the future about requirements for new types of leadership and new governance structures through which to build a stronger, healthier theatre ecology. 

And when I received the following information via email from TIFT the other day, I thought there are exciting times ahead for this Barrie, Ontario, professional theatre company.

On October 15, Arkady Spivak announced a consortium program of emerging voices in artistic direction and curation, as well as a restructuring for Talk Is Free Theatre.

Photo courtesy of Talk Is Free Theatre

Seven emerging artistic leaders whose pictures are seen above have been provided with an opportunity to work together on new managerial visions, and fresh ideas of governance structures and support systems. At the same time, each participant will develop an artistic practice, a company, or a program of their own. For example, they may also wish to develop their own theatre company under the auspices of the Bigger Than BIG program, be equipped to join an existing organization as an artistic director or choose to apply the knowledge in a different career path altogether. Artists will be supported with professional salaries in their work, and additional budgets as may be required by their projects.

There is organizational staff restructuring that will occur within TIFT for the first time since the company’s founding twenty years ago.  Michael Torontow will step into the role of Artistic Director of TIFT’s existing scope of work. Torontow is a long-time leading actor, director and project manager with TIFT and beyond, who is also one of the seven inaugural Bigger than BIG artists. Torontow will report to the Founding Artistic Producer, Arkady Spivak, who will move into a CEO role, responsible for the overall strategic direction of Talk Is Free Theatre and Bigger Than BIG.

For more information about Talk Is Free Theatre, please visit the website: https://www.tift.ca/