Recording Artist * Producer * Author * Slam Poet

 

Rik Leaf is one of Canada’s leading cultural innovators and an authoritative voice on creativity and innovation.

 

As a professional performer, producer, recording artist and author, Rik has spent over 15 years working in a highly competitive industry that has been in a constant state of upheaval. For innovative entrepreneurs like Rik, the changing landscape opened doors to a world of opportunities that simply didn’t exist before.

 

“When I was starting out, being an independent artist was a necessity for survival, but it soon became the key to my success,” he admits.

 

As a recording artist Rik has been featured on six internationally released compilation CDs and five full-length independent releases distributed through EMI, Remnant Records, Howling Prairie, VMG and countless online distribution sites.

 

2003 he was the Assistant Producer & Musical Director for Free TV, a pop culture talk show produced by Trillennium Media Group Inc. broadcast nationally on Vision, Now and One networks. He was the host and co-producer for three seasons of The Artist Next Door TV series 2007-09, created for MTS Winnipeg On-Demand, as well as producing a series of film featurettes for, Where the Art Is in 2011.

 

In 2009 Rik and his wife Zara, sold their house in Winnipeg, MB, and spent a year traveling around the world with their two kids. Rik has just published, Four Homeless Millionaires, through Friesen Press. It is the humorous account of his family’s incredible experiences as they invest their life savings in the adventure of a lifetime.

 

He has been the Creative Director for Tribe of One since 1998, the year he founded the multi cultural performance collective combining English, French, First Nations and Metis musicians, dancers, painters and poets fusing the rich heritage of Indigenous cultures with modern forms of artistic expression.

 

An extensive performance history includes live television appearances, festivals, war-torn countries, intimate house concerts, pubs, clubs, theatres, cafes, high schools and universities. Highlights include headlining the Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik, Toronto’s 5th annual International Concert for Peace, Festival du Voyageur and National Aboriginal Day in Winnipeg.

 

As a Audio/Visual Stage Technician Rik worked on Beauty & the Beast, Rent, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Metallica, Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mariah Carey, Bryan Adams and Shania Twain.

 

For over a decade Rik has collaborated on projects with the Red Cross, War Child Canada, LITE and U.N.I.C.E.F. Under Canada’s Foreign Affairs, ‘Children in Armed Conflict’ program, he traveled to war-torn Kosovo for a United Nations relief event featuring Bruce Cockburn, the Martha Graham Dance Company, Phillip Glass and Vanessa Redgrave.

 

In 2006 he was invited to Parliament Hill, to perform and present his cultural initiative, Engaging the Emerging Electorate, to politicians and policy makers.

 

Volunteer Experiences

Rik initiated the development of the North End Artist Collective, working closely with Judy Wasylycia-Leis, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg North, to mobilize a community of artists to engage and empower their neighbourhoods through culture.

 

At the same time, he established JUST Artists, to represent an emerging affiliation of socially active Canadian performers and producers committed to improving the world through their artistic contributions.

 

Nominated for the Winnipeg Art Council ‘Making a Difference’ award in 2009

 

Winnipeg Arts Council Assessment Panelist for Cycle 3

 

Youth Arts Initiative Collaborative Grant Program & Project Grants for Arts Organizations

 

As a producer and artistic director, Rik has developed strategic communications for product launches, tours and media development. He’s managed teams of graphic designers, web developers, photographers, filmmakers and editors to create consistent brand images for CDs, media kits, brochures, TV shows and film featurettes. He has interviewed award winning artists, photojournalists, political cartoonists, children’s illustrators, punk rock painters, filmmakers, luthiers, fiddlers and Taiko drummers.

 

His work in the cultural industry includes facilitating workshops and small group seminars to keynote speaking engagements at business conferences. He’s worked with people in government, education and business, and has a special interest in working with smaller communities and rural areas where low population density makes access to cutting edge technology and creative opportunities more difficult.

 

As an experienced voice for creativity and innovation, Rik is passionate about bringing the highest levels of performance, presentation, seminars and workshops to communities across Canada.

 

“The ability to adapt and implement innovative ideas and solutions has never been more important for educators, businesses, individuals and communities…and you simply can’t have innovation without creativity,” he urges.

 

Rik Leaf is a passionate advocate for creativity and the cultural development of Canadian communities. The central theme in everything he does is to empower and encourage individuals to discover the unique opportunities their talents, interests and abilities can provide for them.

 

For more information on bringing Rik into your community as a performer, presenter or keynote speaker, please contact info@justartists.org or 250 896 2572.