The Grand Maestro of “Panamania”

May 6, 2015 • City, Culture, In the Magazine, Sports

By Lance Chung

Don Shipley is a man of many talents. With a pedigree that includes the artistic direction of some of Toronto’s greatest cultural landmarks and events, including Harbourfront Centre and Luminato, it’s fair to say that Shipley knows a thing or two about the arts. One of his greatest talents, however, is his uncanny ability to bring people together. It’s a talent he’s had to use in excess over the past three years as the man in charge of bringing “Panamania” to life, the cultural component of this summer’s widely anticipated Pan American Games. Here, the creative director talks about what you can expect from the games, why it’s important to nurture art and culture, and what it takes to assemble one of the biggest sporting events in the world.

Bay St. Bull: Most people recognize the Pan Am Games as a sporting event, but it includes a cultural component as well. Can you tell us about that?

Don Shipley: People are often surprised to learn that there’s a cultural component to the games. Historically, the interplay between art and culture and sports began in the early Olympics of ancient Greece. Prizes—bronze, silver and gold medals—were awarded to great works of art. So art, culture and sports have a longstanding history with each other. And we’re making sure we honour that history at the Pan Am Games.

BSB: Culturally, the Pan Am Games involve 41 countries, not including Canada. How are you showcasing all the different cultures?

DS: Well, we won’t be showcasing all the individual cultures of the 41 participating countries—that isn’t what we set out to do. The primary focus is that the Pan Am games be a contemporary festival; an experiential event for the people involved. We want to create a memorable experience for everyone.

BSB: Why is it important to not only showcase the athletics, but also the cultural and artistic aspects of the games?

DS: I think for me, athletes and artists are both drawn from marginalized communities. In a sense, both communities are often underfunded. Professional rowers work in restaurants during the week and row on weekends. The same goes for musicians, performers and other artists. So I think they have a lot in common in terms of their tenacity, their spirit, their passion, and the 10,000 hours they put in. And I also think they have a great appreciation for each other because of their shared work ethic.

BSB: What are some of the highlights of the games that you’re really excited about?

DS: We have three celebration sites. Nathan Philips Square is the epicenter. We have outdoor stages going up in the Distillery District. And then we have something called “Pan Am Park,” which is where the exhibition grounds are. One that I’m excited about is that it’s free. Toronto is the city of festivals now. But the problem is a lot of them end up being pretty exclusive because they cost money to attend. About 85 percent of the Pan Am Games are free to the public.

There’s also a number of commissioned pieces that I’m excited about because they carry resonance and really showcase the meeting point between art, culture and sport. One piece we commissioned is a bronze sculpture dedicated to Tom Longboat, who was a long-distance Aboriginal runner. He won the Boston marathon twice and was Canada’s most celebrated athlete in the early days. He’s one athlete who we’re celebrating through art. His sculpture will be one of the 28 commissioned pieces unveiled at the games.

BSB: Is there any overarching theme that you want the commissioned works of art to communicate?

DS: When I was looking for inspiration at the beginning, I asked myself where Canada fits into the Pan Am Games. And then I realized that all the countries are either surrounded by water or border on it. So we created a theme called “AquaCulture,” which celebrates water in all its forms—from canoe valleys to water sculptures to dance shows and more. That water theme permeates through a lot of our commissioned work.

BSB: How is “Panamania” a reflection of our modern, digital age? Does it speak to any of the issues we currently face as a society, or is it more an overall elevation of culture?

DS: It’s about human connection. When you walk around to see the exhibits at Nuit Blanche, for example, you’ll notice that a lot of people are out just because they want to be around other humans. I think that’s why people often look for excuses to be together, whether it’s a run for cancer or something else, we all feel a deep desire for human connection; maybe more so today than ever before because we live in a digital age.

Festivals help to feed our need for connection by allowing us to come together to celebrate a common purpose and share an experience. So for us, “Panamania” is an opportunity to contribute to better understanding and collaboration between people.

BSB: What is your overall mandate with “Panamania?” And how do you want it to be remembered?

DS: I think the desired outcome is to bring all of these communities together to participate, and collaborate and share. I want people to experience something unique, something new. At the end of the day, the Pan Am Games is a celebration of humanity. And that’s what art is in my opinion; a celebration of humanity.

Art Athletes Culture Pan Am Games Sports toronto