Toronto, ON – The Board of Directors of the Association for Opera in Canada is proud to announce the promotion of Christina Loewen to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately.
Christina has served as Executive Director of the Association since 2009, guiding the organization and the Canadian opera sector through a period of transformation. She is widely respected for her innovative leadership, collaborative spirit, and fiscal discipline, and has championed the role of opera as a vital civic and cultural force.
“Over the past 17 years, I’ve had the privilege of building deep relationships across the opera sector and working alongside creative, committed people who believe in the power of this art form to inspire and unite.” Stated Christina Loewen. “I’m honoured to continue this journey as CEO and excited to strengthen the sector’s capacity for impact, innovation, and long-term resonance. Together, we will build on this legacy and embrace the opportunities ahead.”
“Christina has demonstrated exceptional strategic clarity, innovation, fiscal stewardship, and a deep commitment to building sector-wide resilience and resonance for opera.” Stated cochairs Bruce Munro Wright and Robin Whiffen. “Under her leadership, the Association has doubled its membership and established a strong foundation for long-term impact. Her thoughtful, values-driven leadership has earned the trust of colleagues across Canada and the Board is proud to appoint her as CEO and confident she will guide the organization with creativity, integrity, and vision into its next phase of growth.”
This appointment signals the next phase in the Association’s evolution as it deepens its impact, expands national and international partnerships, and supports a thriving opera ecosystem across Canada.
About Christina Loewen
With over two decades of executive experience in ballet, dance, and opera, Christina Loewen has played a pivotal role in advancing the Canadian opera sector. Joining AOC in 2008, she has served as Executive Director of the Association for Opera in Canada, where she has helped shape national strategy, champion sector resilience, and strengthen opera’s civic and cultural relevance.
Christina was instrumental in the development of the Opera Civic Impact Framework, a national digital platform for collecting and reporting arts impacts, tracking recovery statistics, and measuring organizational resilience—culminating in the sector-wide resource, Powered by Arts Impact. She also introduced the opera sector’s first impact investing initiative, the Co-Production Loan Program, which has catalyzed over $450,000 in collaborative presentations. Her work in social finance continued with Opera Bonds, a groundbreaking exploration of investment in the arts in partnership with SI Canada, and she is currently guiding companies through the Opera Bonds Accelerator Program, an impact readiness initiative preparing the sector for future financing opportunities.
As Canada reimagines its global role in this era of cultural diplomacy and nation-building, Christina is committed to strengthening the international profile of Canadian opera—expanding its reach, forging new partnerships, and ensuring Canadian voices are part of the global cultural conversation.