Ilkay Silk

Ilkay Silk (born in 1948 in Nicosia, British Cyprus) is a Cypriot-born British and Canadian award-winning actress, playwright, producer, administrator, and educator. Between 1978 and 2014 she was the Director of Drama for St. Thomas University (STU), producing more than sixty plays. The Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia has compared Silk's contributions to theatre practise and education in New Brunswick to be a career which "parallels that of Toronto's Dora Mavor Moore and Calgary's Betty Mitchell".Silk also co-founded the Theatre New Brunswick’s Young Company (1974); served as President of the New Brunswick Filmmakers' Co-operative (1983–1985); co-chaired the New Brunswick Arts Board (1990–1994); co-founded the Atlantic University and Community Theatre Festival (1997); was a founding director of the NotaBle Acts Theatre Festival (2001); chaired the TNB Board of Governors (2007–2012); and chaired the TNB Foundation (2012–present).Having left an indelible mark on New Brunswick's cultural scene, in 2016 she was awarded Member of the Order of Canada for her contributions to arts and culture organizations in New Brunswick.