George Murray
Governor (Newfoundland)
George Murray is an accomplished writer and arts administrator living in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Artistically, he is recognized worldwide as a a poet with five acclaimed books and a publishing record spanning all continents. He also writes arts journalism for magazines and news papers such as Maisonneuve, the Globe and Mail, The Guardian, the Toronto Star, etc. In 2009, George was a judge for the Governor General’s Literary Award and has himself been nominated for several prestigious prizes in Canada and the US. He has spoken and lectured around Canada and the US, notably as a keynote for organizations such as the Ontario Public Library Association and at Princeton University.
As an arts administrator, George has been the executive director of the Association of Cultural Industries of Newfoundland and Labrador, an arts advocacy and policy research organization, since February 2007. He has sat on numerous national, provincial and municipal advisory panels, boards and committees, and has appeared before all levels of government to give testimony about the impact of government policy on the arts and culture sector in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Previous professional positions include: international communications coordinator for the University of Toronto; communications coordinator for the President’s Office (Memorial University); and policy analyst for the New York City Campaign Finance Board, as well as many positions as an educator of adults and youth.