Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts welcomes new artistic director
Craig Hall brings 25 years of creative experience to MRU
— Mount Royal University | Posted: June 7, 2022
Craig Hall joins Mount Royal with over 25 years of experience in the performing arts.
Mount Royal’s Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts (TCPA) is welcoming Craig Hall to the team as artistic director — a new position for the centre that will add valuable capacity for future program planning and increase educational, outreach and fund-development opportunities.
Hall joins Mount Royal with over 25 years of experience in the performing arts. Highly seasoned in the industry, he has held a variety of roles, including artistic producer, production manager, designer, writer, dramaturg and director. Most recently, Hall spent a decade as the artistic director for Vertigo Theatre.
“We are extremely excited to have Craig join the TCPA team. He brings a wealth of experience with tremendous success in applying for and securing grant funding to support the artistic vision of the venues he has worked directly with,” says Brent Mann, director of Event and Theatre Services at MRU.
“Hall’s passion for the arts does not have a sole focus on limited segments of the artistic landscape. I’m looking forward to seeing the diversity in the form of art we will see in the future.”
Located on the Mount Royal campus, the Taylor Centre is a world-class facility offering a unique intersection of arts and education. With the 787-seat Bella Concert Hall at its heart, an eclectic selection of artists from Ziggy Marley to Yo-Yo Ma to Feist have taken the stage and contributed to Calgary’s vibrant arts scene. The Taylor Centre is also home to MRU’s world-renowned Conservatory.
“Every element of a night at the Bella is critically considered in creating an experience that our patrons appreciate and share in their communities,” says Mann.
An eclectic selection of artists from Ziggy Marley to Yo-Yo Ma to Feist have taken the stage at the Bella Concert Hall and contributed to Calgary’s vibrant arts scene.
Having an artistic director join the team is a luxury the TCPA has not experienced up to this point. Mann explains that Hall’s addition will allow for future Taylor Centre Concert Season performances to be planned two to three years in advance — something the team was only previously able to do with a short-term vision.
For Hall, the fact that his position is new to the TCPA, and therefore an important addition of human resource capacity, was a big draw.
“The team here has done an amazing job of programming the Bella Concert Hall, but I think they’ve always known that there is even more creative potential to be explored,” Hall says. “It’s exciting to be able to dedicate myself to realizing that potential. It’s the kind of work I love.”
As artistic director, Hall aims to build on the TCPA’s past successes and guiding artistic vision. “My role is to feed into and expand the vision, and to help root it in concrete values that can guide artistic choices.”
Through a combination of creative programming and meaningful partnerships, Hall looks forward to welcoming more people to experience the TCPA facilities and its playing a bigger role in bringing the arts to the community. Thinking of the future, he says two important words keep popping up: connections and impact.
“There is a real opportunity to expand and deepen the Taylor Centre’s creative connections, both inside the University, and out in the greater arts community. These connections are key to expanding our impact and relevance, and will ultimately ensure that we are a sustainable and vital part of the city’s cultural scene.”