International Arts Initiatives

the art of ideas

Moving from the role of a traditional arts presenter, International Arts Initiatives has become a broad based instigator of progressive ideas to stimulate and develop the growth of the arts in British Columbia and the Coast Salish Nations. As a producer, artist management agency and arts presenter, we are focused on excellence, innovation and cultural connectivity.

Our background is diverse, including programming arts festivals and presenting new music projects with international luminaries and innovators. We produce work merging art and technology through projects that are interdisciplinary and collaborative in nature. At the heart of our working methodology is a focus on the essential dynamics of the artist-audience experience.

A brief history

International Arts Initiatives is a non-profit arts producer, founded by UK arts presenter Paul Armstrong, and relocated to British Columbia in 2003. With a strong belief in fostering creative partnerships that further the arts and enrich the quality of life of our communities, IAI’s central mandate remains broad and inclusive.

Our work is focused on exploring points of cultural intersection through artist exchanges, community development and international performance projects. From a curatorial perspective we look to maintain the balance between well established routes of artistic expression, excellence in performance and our evolving world of new digital possibilities, including telematic art, global connectivity and interactive digital streaming.

In 2015 we launched IAI Artists, an artist management division focused on contemporary chamber musicians and composers in Canada and Europe. We see the development of 21st century art music within our new digital world as a timely and exciting convergence.

Through 2013 International Arts Initiatives produced the extensive Beat Nation Live project, launching a groundbreaking Indigenous digital interarts collective in Vancouver and the Futur-en-Seine biennale in Paris. Between 2006 and 2010 we were the consulting producer for Ballet British Columbia’s visiting artists season, including long range planning and guest company programming for BBC seasons in Vancouver including Moscow Classical Ballet, LaLaLa Human Steps and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. During this time IAI presented new projects, tours and artist talks with Laurie Anderson, Brian Eno and Philip Glass.

Season 2005-06 projects included Philip Glass Ensemble Western Canada tour with live screenings of Koyaanisqatsi and solo piano concerts, Eve Ensler in The Good Body in Vancouver and a Cascadia regional tour with the David Grisman Quintet. IAI curated and produced the Live at The Chan series in partnership with LIVE Biennial of Performance Art, featuring internationally renowned arts innovators Astrid Hadad, Meredith Monk, Terry Riley and Michael McClure. Between 2004 and 2005 we presented artists Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ulali, and The Be Good Tanyas, creating a strong co-presenting partnership with the Chan Centre at UBC. In these performance seasons IAI developed and expanded the Talking Stick Festival - the highly successful indigenous intra-arts festival, over a period of two years with Full Circle: First Nations Performance. IAI is honored to continue its work to support the enormous potential of indigenous arts in Vancouver as a vital focus of our mandate.

In 2001 and 2002 IAI was commissioned by the City of New Haven and Yale University to produce a series of free outdoor summer concert events as part of an initiative to revitalize downtown New Haven. Drawing audiences of up to 20,000 per event, we presented legendary artists over two summers including Ray Charles, Harry Belafonte, Little Feat, Dar Williams, The Roots, Dianne Reeves, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Keb’ Mo, James Cotton and Ruben Blades in the 2001 Jazz Festival and the 2002 Blues and Roots Festival.