Arkady Spivak

Arkady Spivak is an Artistic Producer who founded Talk Is Free Theatre in 2003, a company known for its unique approach to combining traditional and immersive theatre mediums. Under his leadership, the theatre has produced 101 works in Barrie, Canada, and has toured both nationally and internationally. Spivak’s productions have received significant recognition, including a Dora Award for the co-production of ‘Assassins’. One of his notable achievements is producing ‘The Curious Voyage’, the largest theatre experience in the world, which is a three-day journey from Barrie to London, UK. Additionally, he was commissioned by the National Arts Centre to produce ‘Something Bubbled Something Blue’, an imaginary wedding viewed over 1.8 million times on Facebook and currently being developed into a long-form narrative. Spivak has also been actively involved in the arts community as a juror for the Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, and Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program. He volunteers as a mentor for Business and the Arts, aiding emerging and small-scale organizations. His contributions to the arts have been recognized with several awards, including the inaugural Barrie Arts Award and Contributions to Tourism Award. In 2020, he was named a Canadian Arts Hero by the Globe and Mail.