Find an ACCA Consultant

Management Consultant

Arts and Non-Profit Management

Ottawa

Ontario

613-222-3044

Victoria Steele is a bilingual arts and non-profit management consultant with 40 years’ experience managing Canadian arts organizations in presenting, producing, community engagement and advocacy. Ms. Steele works collaboratively with clients, teams, artists, boards, and stakeholders to research and develop strategies, realize innovative projects, and mentor careers. She is an experienced facilitator and workshop leader, a member of Arts Consultants Canada, the Canadian Association of Management Consultants, and a graduate of the Queen’s School of Business. Ms. Steele is passionate about the power of the arts to connect communities. She has worked with artists and arts organizations of all sizes from mainstream, independent, indigenous, culturally diverse and francophone communities. Recent clients include Ottawa Festival Network, Culture Outaouais, the national Respectful Workplaces in the Arts project, PAL Ottawa’s Affordable Senior Arts Workers residence project, Nightwood Theatre, The Gladstone Theatre, Youth Infringement Festival, Skeleton Key Theatre, Théâtre français de Toronto, and l’Association de théâtres francophones du Canada. Ms. Steele is committed to supporting the next generation of arts leaders. Over the past decade, she has taught part-time in the Master’s in Arts Leadership program at Queen’s University (Cultural Policy) and with the University of Ottawa Theatre Department (Theatre Management and Career Management). She has been a mentor in the CHRC Talent2Lead programme and the LEAN initiative assisting arts leaders through the COVID pandemic. She is currently developing and teaching a new contemporary cultural management certificate program for the University of New Brunswick and co-teaching Marketing Arts and Culture for Carleton's Sprott School of Business. Her past management experience includes 19 years as Managing Director, English Theatre at the National Arts Centre where she partnered with three artistic directors to produce and coproduce seasons with over 50 world premieres of Canadian work. Prior to joining the NAC, she held general management positions with three theatre companies in Toronto, London (Ontario) and Muskoka including management of a facility. Recently, she served for over four years as Executive Director of Arts Network Ottawa while the organization rebranded to serve the Ottawa region, and in this capacity facilitated over twenty community arts projects for Canada 150 and chaired the Ottawa Cultural Alliance as it undertook two major cultural development research projects culminating in the Ottawa Cultural Roadmap for 2019-2022. Ms. Steele’s current board positions include President of Arts Consultants Canada and Treasurer of the Cultural Human Resources Council. Past contributions include service on the board executive of Canadian Arts Presenters (CAPACOA), the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres, the Association of Cultural Executives, Federal Cultural Trade Advisory Board, PAL Ottawa and Théâtre Catapulte.

2012

Cultural Not-For-Profit, Arts Service Organizations, Festivals / presenters

Advocacy, Business planning, Capital projects (feasibility studies), Facilitation, Festivals and events management, Financial Management, General / operational management, Governance, Grant and proposal writing, Municipal cultural planning, Official language minority, Organizational change, Presenting and producing, Project management, Public participation / engagement / consultation, Public policy, Research, Strategic planning, Venue management

Performing arts, Visual arts and crafts, Multi-disciplinary

English, French