Stoicheff joins prestigious national arts board

Based in Prince Edward Island, where the 1864 Charlottetown Conference discussions set the table for the creation of Canada, the centre is one of the country’s premier cultural hubs, celebrating the best in visual and performing arts across the nation.

Stoicheff, who was named the 11th president of the U of S in 2015, joined the faculty of the English department in 1986 and served as vice-dean of humanities and fine arts from 2005-2010 prior to becoming dean of the College of Arts and Science in 2011. He said he is honoured to have been named to the board of the Confederation Centre.

“Visual and performing arts are an integral part of the fabric of our Canadian culture and important to  many universities across the country, including the University of Saskatchewan,” said Stoicheff. “I am proud to represent our university and province on the board of the Confederation Centre of the Arts and it is an honour to contribute to such a prestigious organization.”

The centre’s stated mandate is to inspire Canadians through heritage and the arts to celebrate the origins and evolution of Canada as a nation, through creativity, collaboration and dialogue. The facility hosts major live theatre, music and dance performances and features one of the country’s leading collections of more than 15,000 historical, modern and contemporary works of art, as well as rare artifacts and archival records. The centre opened in 1964 and is a focal point of Canada 150 celebrations this year, of which the U of S is also a major supporter.

“The centre is a national treasure and it’s important to work to ensure that it remains as a vibrant celebration of Canadian culture and creativity for future generations,” said Stoicheff. “I have always been passionate about the arts and I look forward to working with dedicated individuals from across the country who share that commitment to seeing the centre thrive.”

In addition to being an active scholar, earning a Bachelor of Arts at Queen’s University (1978) and a Master of Arts (1980) and PhD (1983) from the University of Toronto, Stoicheff is also an accomplished author, composer and musician. He is highly regarded internationally for his work on modern literature and his studies of the history of the book and its future in the digital age. A classical guitarist, Stoicheff has also produced two acoustic CDs: Cantos I and Ethereal Steel.

Stoicheff has served in national and provincial leadership roles with respect to research, scholarly and artistic work, including serving on the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) National Committee, the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships Committee and as chair of the Education Committee of Universities Canada. Locally, he has served on the Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan Board of Trustees and currently serves on the board of the Meewasin Valley Authority.