Keltie Forsyth to join Presentation House Theatre as artistic director

The artist is leaving PuSh International Performing Arts Festival after the 2025 event; Margo Kane also departs PuSh

LEADERSHIP CHANGES ARE afoot in the Vancouver arts community.

At the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, director of operations Keltie Forsyth will be departing in early 2025 following the 20th-annual event, which runs from January 23 to February 9. Forsyth has accepted a new position as artistic director of Presentation House Theatre (PHT).

PHT is preparing to bid farewell to artistic director Kim Selody, who is retiring after 13 years with the organization.

Having joined PuSh in mid-2022, Forsyth is also one of the co-artistic directors of Ensemble Theatre Company. Forsyth holds a master of fine arts from the University of British Columbia and a bachelor of arts from the University of Alberta’s department of drama. She began her career in Edmonton as general manager of Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre and co-curator of its Canoe Theatre Festival. Forsyth has worked as an arts manager, freelance director, instructor, grant writer, and associate artistic director of Pi Theatre. She has served in a number of teaching roles at UBC, including as the director of the 2018 production She Kills Monsters.

Back at PuSh, the board has announced that Margo Kane has stepped down from her role as director of Indigenous initiatives effective this past summer to focus on her work at Full Circle: First Nations Performance and with Indigenous-led organizations and artists. Kane joined the PuSh team in 2021 during what was a challenging time for the organization, according to a release. Her leadership and perspective were crucial in ensuring that PuSh moved forward in a way that responded to the needs of the community.

Full PuSh programming details will be announced on November 20.

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Gail Johnson

Gail Johnson is cofounder of Stir. She is a Vancouver-based journalist who has earned local and national nominations and awards for her work. She is a certified Gladue Report writer via Indigenous Perspectives Society in partnership with Royal Roads University and is a member of a judging panel for top Vancouver restaurants.

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