Robert Sirman has enjoyed a distinguished career in the Canadian cultural sector on both sides of the funding table. His public sector experience includes five years in Ontario’s first Ministry of Culture, a decade in the Ontario Arts Council, and eight years as Director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts. In mid-career Sirman spent 15 years as co-director of Canada’s National Ballet School, spearheading a $105 million award-winning capital expansion program. In 2015 Sirman served for seven months as Acting President and CEO of The George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation.
Sirman was born in Toronto and has an MA in Sociology from the University of Toronto. Since retiring he has served on several not-for-profit boards, including the Metcalf Foundation, the Fogo Island-based Shorefast Foundation, the Ontario Association of Architects, The Theatre Centre, and the Art of Time Ensemble. In 2002 Sirman served as librettist for James Kudelka’s full-length ballet The Contract.