On Monday, February 17, the Wexner Center for the Arts will welcome Nathalie Bonjour to its curatorial team as the new head of performing arts. She comes to the multidisciplinary arts space at The Ohio State University from Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, where she has been director of performing arts since 2017.
A seasoned professional with over 25 years of leadership experience, Bonjour began her work as an arts administrator at the age of 24 at the Theatre of the Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts in Montréal, where she was one of the youngest female artistic directors in the country.
Throughout her career, Bonjour has presented local, national, and international artists exploring contemporary performing arts in a variety of genres. Her wide-ranging work has included supporting new productions by independent performance companies to curating, producing, developing tours, and consulting for larger organizations.
Prior to her time at Harbourfront Centre, Bonjour held director-level positions at organizations in Canada including Queen of Puddings Music Theatre and Nightwood Theatre in Toronto and Montréal Arts Interculturels. Her work as a consultant put her in collaboration with companies such as Obeah Opera; bluemouth, inc.; BoucharDance; and Theatre Direct for the launch of its Wee Festival for preschool children.
More recently, at Harbourfront Centre, Bonjour fostered new strategic initiatives to shape its performing arts department. She launched new programs and set directions that enhanced Harbourfront’s international profile, including residencies, a new international contemporary dance season and an international children’s festival. Bonjour was also responsible for the centre’s long-running concert series Summer Music in the Garden.
“From commissions to classes, collaborations to community partnerships, her body of work and programmatic philosophy aligns with the new strategic plan for the Wex,” notes Executive Director Gaëtane Verna. “She is poised to build upon the center's rich performing arts history with new and innovative approaches to the presentation and production of work.”
“I am honored to be joining the Wex at this time,” says Bonjour. “I look forward to bringing all of my experience to support its strategic goals while developing exciting programming and dynamic ways to connect artists and communities.”