She is bright, breezy and bubbling with new ideas and a new vision. The ‘she’ is of course, Caitlin North, 29, the Arden Theatre’s newly-hired professional programming presenter.
North, a big booster of the music scene, takes over from Casey Prescott, who after a two-year stint at the Arden, has returned to the Banff Centre to be its theatre arts associate director.
While Prescott’s signature series introduced quirky shows and broadened the scope of fine arts, North has for more than 15 years worked in the roots music scene as festival programmer, promoter, artist manager, grant program administrator and record label manager.
“When we spoke with Caitlin, her personality really shone through. She has a gift. When you talk to her and you warm up to her right away,” says Nancy Abrahamson, manager of cultural services. “Caitlin will bring that energy and youthfulness. I’m so excited to work with her.”
Genetics plays a large role in North’s love of music. Her father is Peter North, a CKUA broadcaster, print journalist and general radio and television promoter who has covered all fronts of the folk, blues, bluegrass and country music scene.
“He exposed me to festivals and music venues since I was born. When I showed an interest in how events are run, he helped me out,” says North, a graduate of the Grant MacEwan University arts and cultural management program.
Proud of her father’s contributions to the music industry, North acknowledges the influence on her career.
“I was always trying to meet people and my dad being who he was helped me make contacts,” she said.
But just because her father was an influential figure didn’t automatically mean a life on easy street for North. His name opened a few doors, but it was North’s hard work that gained her a sterling reputation.
“When I was 15 or 16, I started selling merchandise for bands like Corb Lund. And when I was 19, I was programming bands at the Sugar Bowl CafĂ©, a go-to hangout at the university with live music that was heavily attended. Not long after, I volunteered as the assistant to director for Prairie Music Week.”
The Prairie promoter made a huge leap in professional growth and developed an extensive network base working for five years at Bumstead Productions in Toronto. Originally a small record label in Edmonton founded by Larry Wanagas in 1979, Bumstead expanded east and over the years represented gold-plated artists such as k.d. lang, Colin James and Madeleine Peyroux.
As an artist manger, North worked with national names such as The Trews, Big Sugar, Susan Aglukark and Peter Elkas.
“My main responsibility was co-ordinating tours. With the Trews, they were such a big powerhouse tour band, I learned to deal with artists, agents, managers, theatre managers and tour venues,” she said.
Although there were great professional opportunities in Toronto, North packed up her valuables and returned home in 2007.
“In all honesty, in Toronto there are so many people going after the same job they can afford to pay you very little and it’s hard to get ahead financially,” she said.
Back on her stomping grounds, North immediately plunged into the music scene, juggling a variety of gigs as administrator/artist manager at SoccerMoms Records, as concert promoter for Foundation Concerts, booking artists for the 2011 SOS Fest and as a grants administrator for Alberta Music Industry Association.
In 2008, she even found time to work with City of St. Albert cultural services director Kelly Jerrott on the Western Canadian Music Awards host committee.
“I bring a lot of experience to the job and I have a good understanding of the arts. Even though music is my background, I’m a fan of all the arts and this is an opportunity to work with them all,” she said.
For the time being, North will maintain her home base in Edmonton.
“I’m so excited to have this opportunity. It’s a dream come true and I want to give my full attention to the Arden.”
