Theatre Passe Muraille Launches The Andy McKim Endowment Fund For New Works

Theatre Passe Muraille will launch the Andy McKim Endowment Fund for New Works, a new annual initiative designed to support the development of original Canadian theatre aligned with the company’s mandate. The fund will provide sustained support for artists creating new work at early stages of development.

The endowment was conceived by former Artistic Director Andy McKim in collaboration with Theatre Passe Muraille’s Board of Directors, under then-Chair Jim Roe and former Managing Director Régine Cadet. According to the announcement, the fund was created in response to decreasing commissioning and artist-development resources across the Canadian theatre sector.

The fund is intentionally broad in scope and is designed to support a range of creative forms consistent with Theatre Passe Muraille’s mission. Major founding contributions were provided by the Martin Atkinson Foundation, along with a bequest from a longtime theatre patron, establishing an annual funding structure to support new work on an ongoing basis.

A public celebration marking the launch of the Andy McKim Endowment Fund for New Works will take place on February 2, 2026, at Theatre Passe Muraille. The inaugural recipient of the fund will be announced and recognized at the event.

“Theatre Passe Muraille needs an endowment fund because there is precious little money left over for art once fixed costs are paid—administration, office space, building operation and maintenance, and staff,” said Andy McKim. “In my final season as Artistic Director, we were only able to devote roughly 10% of the budget to art.”

“The Board of Theatre Passe Muraille is honoured to support the creation of the Andy McKim Endowment Fund for New Works,” said Jeff Chan, Chair of the Board of Directors. “Andy’s vision continues to shape TPM’s artistic identity, and this Fund extends that legacy by providing sustainable, meaningful support to artists who are pushing boundaries and expanding the possibilities of Canadian theatre. We are excited to celebrate the inaugural recipient early next year.”

“New work is the heartbeat of Theatre Passe Muraille,” said TPM leadership Marjorie Chan and Indrit Kasapi. “It is how we evolve, respond, question, and dream. The establishment of the Andy McKim Endowment Fund ensures that artists have the resources and room to explore ideas at the earliest stages, where imagination is most fragile and most alive. We look forward to sharing the inaugural recipient soon — an artist whose work reflects TPM’s values of innovation, thoughtfulness, and community-rooted storytelling.”

About Andy McKim

Andy McKim served as Artistic Director of Theatre Passe Muraille from 2007 to 2019 and is recognized for his work supporting artist-driven creation, community-based storytelling, and inclusive theatrical practice. Additional information about his career and legacy is available at andymckim.com.

About the Andy McKim Endowment Fund for New Works

Established in 2024, the Andy McKim Endowment Fund for New Works provides annual support to an artist developing new work in alignment with Theatre Passe Muraille’s mandate. The fund honors McKim’s legacy of fostering innovation, amplifying underrepresented voices, and protecting space for experimentation in Canadian theatre.