Reframing the Value of Presenting:

What’s Changed, What Holds true, What’s Next?

Thirteen years ago, The Value of Presenting study offered a groundbreaking national framework for understanding the role of live performing arts presenters in Canadian communities. It captured the essence of presenters as cultural leaders, conveners, and builders of community life. Many of us have carried those insights forward in our work ever since.

The landscape in 2025 is unmistakably altered, asking us to reconsider our role, our relevance, and our future. The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped public life and accelerated digital adoption. Demographic change is altering who we serve – or should – and how. Funding structures are shifting under our feet. And emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence are rewriting the rules of engagement and communication – at the very least.

Speaker: Inga Petri

This workshop, led by Inga Petri—the author of the original study—will bring those landmark insights into the present moment. Together, we’ll revisit the ecosystem model, the leadership role of presenters, and the data on audience participation, testing what still resonates in 2025 and what must evolve.

Through guided discussion and collaborative exploration, we’ll imagine the presenter’s role for the decade ahead: from strengthening community partnerships to embracing digital presence, data-informed decision-making, and innovative business models. This session blends research, strategy, and lived experience, inviting participants to reflect, challenge assumptions, and co-create a vision for the future of presenting in Canada.