The Community Arts Council of Prince George & District is thrilled to announce the appointment of Shelby Richardson as the organization’s new Performing Arts Program Manager.
The CAC’s Performing Arts Program Manager is a new position, created to facilitate the organization’s expansion into the performing arts sector of North Central BC.
In her new role, Shelby will be leading the presentation of live performance events on behalf of the CAC at local venues, notably the new Knox Performance Centre and the Prince George Playhouse.
The CAC will be collaborating with other arts organizations on presenting touring soloist and performing arts groups, bringing top tier talent from across Canada and beyond to Prince George. The inaugural season will highlight classical and contemporary music and dance artists and companies.
Shelby is well known to the local community as a multi-talented arts performer, presenter, and arts administrator and will concurrently continue in her role as the Artistic and Executive Director of the Method Dance Society.
“While the CAC is highly recognized for its visual arts programs, events and services, it originated 55 years ago in the local performing arts community and we are so excited to now be evolving again to become a major performing arts presenter for this area of the province,” says Eli Klasner, CAC Executive Director. “We have been working hard over the past few years, laying the foundation for our plans to be a performing arts presenter, and we feel absolutely blessed to have such a talented individual as Shelby leading us into the first of hopefully many seasons of presenting national and international talent here in Prince George.”
The CAC will be announcing its fall performing arts series over the coming weeks.
About Shelby Richardson
Growing up in Vancouver, BC. Shelby spent her formative years training with various choreographers and instructors including Jennifer White, Suzanne Ouelette, as well as Ellen Andrews (International Major Examiner and R.A.D teacher for Canadian Dance World), Joanne Pesusich (The Source) and Tiffany Tregarthen (Modus Operandi, Kidd Pivot). She then moved on to dance in Josh Beamish’s Move: The Company, training and performing professionally in the lower mainland.
In 2007, Shelby moved to Toronto to continue pursuing the arts. While obtaining a BFA in Criticism and Curatorial Practice from the Ontario College of Art and Design, she also trained dancers all over the Greater Toronto Area. At this time she also pursued many collaborations with both visual artists and musicians, expanding her choreographic vocabulary.
Upon moving back to Vancouver in 2010, Shelby began working on her MA at the University of Victoria, while also teaching and choreographing at various studios across the lower mainland. Eventually moving her family up to Prince George BC in 2015, Shelby continued her dance practice at Judy Russell’s Enchainement Dance Centre, while expanding her career in post-secondary education and the Arts.
In 2020 Shelby founded Method Dance Society, a local Prince George non-profit that aims to facilitate professional resources and tools for dancers throughout Northern BC. Since the company’s inauguration, Method has hosted several community and dancer-based workshops, live and virtual performances, and launched a highly successful school district program. Company dancers and choreographers have been invited to participate in several workshops across Canada and in the UK and this year have been invited by the Centre National de la Danse to participate in a five-day choreographic workshop in Lyon, France. This summer the company has been invited to perform at Canada’s largest Contemporary Dance Festival, Dancing on the Edge in Vancouver in July.