Marnie Wilson
Managing Director

By combining her education from the University of British Columbia with her extensive administrative experience and a passion for the arts, Marnie Wilson formed The Artsbiz Public Relations in 2000. While providing marketing and media relations services for numerous arts organizations, festivals and artists, she has cultivated a trusted relationship with the media and a reputation with clients for providing creative solutions to their needs. In 2003 Marnie was named Independent Publicist/Radio Promoter of the Year by the Western Canadian Music Awards.
 
Select clients include, Cirque du Soleil’s touring productions Varekai,Corteo and Saltimbanco, Pemberton Festival for Live Nation, The Vancouver Folk Music Festival, John Legend and Marianne Faithfull for Keystone Music, DOXA Documentary Film Festival, Dame Edna, The Temptations, Charles Aznavour for Paul Mercs Concerts, UMOJA: The Spirit of Togetherness for Ysis Entertainment and The MultiSport Centre of Excellence.
 
In addition to her overseeing a growing public relations firm, Marnie enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, cycling, boot camp, reading and eating Sour Patch Kids candies (well any kind of candies).

Kelly Phelan

PR Associate

Kelly Phelan has more than a decade of public relations and concert promoting experience.  Her work has focused on media & community relations, promotions, strategic marketing and special events for clients in arts, entertainment, nonprofit and gaming.

Prior to launching her own business in 2000, she was the Marketing Director for Paul Mercs Concerts where she handled media relations, marketing and promotions for national concert tours. Among her past tours are: Pearl Jam, Bryan Adams, Diana Krall, Lenny Kravitz, Ellen Degeneres, Bill Cosby, River Dance, Boston Pops and the Dixie Chicks.

With her own company, she marketed, managed artists, promoted and booked comedy and music tours across the country and her clients included Brent Butt (of “Corner Gas” fame), Red Robinson Management, Paul Mercs Concerts, Great Canadian Casinos, CTV, Three Thirty Five Productions, and the Vancouver Comedy Festival.

In 2005 she went to work full time for Great Canadian Casinos to launch the River Rock and Red Robinson show theatres. She served as the Director of Publicity Entertainment Division and handled the marketing, promotions, publicity and advertising creative for the artists performing at both theatres. In 2007 she reopened her own company.  Some of her most recent clients include: Coastal Jazz & Blues Society, The Vancouver Opera and Gateway Casinos.

Kevin Dale McKeown
PR Associate

Vancouver-born (1950) Kevin Dale McKeown is an award-winning journalist and editor who, in 1989, brought his media expertise to a new career as the publicist for the first Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival. In the past 20 years he has provided marketing, communications and media relations services to a wide range of events and organizations, including the Vancouver Writers, Children’s and Folk Music festivals. His portfolio of past work includes special projects for the Vancouver Alliance for Arts & Culture, The United Way of Vancouver and the BC Federation of Labour. Kevin’s current clients include Royal City Musical Theatre and City Opera Vancouver. His community pro bono work includes annual projects for the Vancouver YWCA and BC’s Children’s Hospital.