Salah Bachir

Salah Bachir
CM
Bachir in 2012
Born (1955-10-03) October 3, 1955
Residence Toronto, Ontario
Nationality Canadian
Occupation Businessman

Salah Bachir, CM (born October 3, 1955) is a Canadian patron of the arts, entrepreneur, magazine publisher and the President of Cineplex Media, which represents 95% of cinema advertising in Canada. He lives in Toronto, Ontario. In June 2017 he also became the fourth Chancellor of Toronto's OCAD University, one of Canada's pre-eminent schools of art, design and digital media. [1]

Beginnings

Bachir was born in Lebanon and in 1965 his family immigrated to Canada when he was just 10 years old and they resided in Rexdale, a district of Toronto. He was one of five siblings in the family. His mother ran a successful dress boutique out of the basement of their house.

Professional life

Bachir began his career in publishing in 1979 with the launch of his elder brother's company, Videomania, Canada’s first publication targeted to consumers of a new home entertainment format: the video cassette. In 1984, Bachir started a trade publication, Premiere, to serve the needs of the burgeoning video distribution and retail sectors. He also produced an annual trade show, Focus on Video.

In 1999, Bachir launched Famous magazine — soon joined by Famous Québec — a movie/entertainment magazine distributed through the Famous Players movie theatre chain (since purchased by Cineplex Entertainment LP). In 2010 Famous changed its name to Cineplex Magazine and Famous Québec became Le magazine Cineplex. Cineplex Magazine’s circulation is among the highest of any Canadian magazine, with 750,000 copies per month.

In 1999, Bachir also became President of Famous Players Media, a partnership company he formed with Famous Players and Viacom to sell in-theatre advertising. Famous Players Media was bought by Cineplex Entertainment LP as part of its purchase of Famous Players in 2005. Bachir continues to be president of this new division, Cineplex Media.[2]

On June 1, 2017 Bachir became Chancellor of OCAD University, only the fourth Chancellor in the history of the esteemed Canadian art and design institution. He succeeds Catherine Delaney, the Honourable James K. Bartleman and Rosalie Sharp in that role. [3]

Patron of the Arts

Bachir is an avid art collector and enthusiastic patron of mostly Canadian art. His diverse collection of more than 3,000 pieces features many works by Canadian artists such as Betty Goodwin, Stephen Andrews and Attila Richard Lukacs.

In 2014, an extensive show of Bachir's pieces titled "Over the Rainbow" was mounted at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) in Toronto. The exhibition featured such well-known artists as Stephen Andrews, Atilla Richard Lukacs, Betty Goodwin, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Herb Ritts, and examined themes of seduction and identity.[4]

In a 2013 Toronto Star article, writer Rita Zekas lists many of the artists, Canadian and international, whose works hang in Bachir's Toronto home. "There are more Warhols here than you can shake a tin of Campbell’s soup at. Walls and walls of Warhol Polaroids and lithographs, purchased at auctions and from galleries," she writes. "There’s Ingrid Bergman by Warhol; Mick Jagger by Warhol. Plus Mandela by Herb Ritts; Einstein by Yousuf Karsh; and assorted photography by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Helmut Newton, Bruce Weber, Robert Mapplethorpe and Man Ray." [5]

Compared to Cosimo de’ Medici by 'The Globe and Mail' for his role in forging now-famous talent,[6] Bachir has sponsored four shows of Lukacs’ work, “Attila Richard Lukacs: Works From the Collection of Salah Bachir,” “Attila Richard Lukacs: Detention,” “Attila Richard Lukacs from the Collection of Salah J. Bachir” [7] and a joint exhibition of works by Lukacs and Andrews at the University of Toronto’s Hart House.

In 2006, 60 pieces from his Andy Warhol collection were displayed at the Oakville Galleries in the “Wall to Wall Warhol” exhibit;[8] the same gallery hosted an acclaimed show of Bachir’s Betty Goodwin collection in the spring of 2010.[9]

Bachir has been a Presenting Sponsor of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre for many years and has been a leading patron of the “We’re Funny That Way” comedy festival since 2005. In his honour, the festival created “The Salah Bachir Award for Community Service,” a cash award presented every year to a person or group who has dedicated themselves to helping the LGBTQ community.

Bachir has provided both financial support and work from his collections to the Art Gallery of Ontario, where a room is named for him in recognition of his contributions to contemporary art, the Oakville Galleries, which has also named a gallery in his honour, the Morris & Helen Belkin Art Gallery at UBC in Vancouver, the Ryerson University Image Centre, which named its New Media Wall in his honour, the University of Toronto’s Hart House and The Art Gallery of York University. He has donated works of art to the National Gallery, the London Regional Gallery, the Art Gallery of Hamilton, Rideau Hall and the Canadiana Fund.

He also served as an executive producer of Malcolm Ingram's documentary film Continental.

Honours

In 1996, the Variety Club of Ontario recognized Bachir's leadership in raising hundreds of thousands of dollars through various events by awarding him the Club’s highest individual honour, the Heart Award.[10] The Club also established an award in Bachir's honour at Variety Village, a sports facility for children with special needs. The Salah Bachir Leadership Award was given to a team member voted by his or her teammates as having made the greatest contribution to the team.

In 2005 Bachir was selected to be Grand Marshal of the 25th Annual Pride Parade in Toronto and was given an award in recognition of his humanitarian efforts.

He was honoured by Toronto’s renowned theatre company Famous People Players as its Man of the Year in 2008.[11]

He was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Ontario Premiere Dalton McGuinty at the Toronto Pride Gala in 2009. Also in 2009 he was named Honorary Patron For Life by The 519 Community Centre.[12]

In 2014, Bachir was given the Corporate Leadership Award by Best Buddies, an organization that aims to make schools and communities more inclusive of people with intellectual disabilities. That same year he was the recipient of Out On Bay Street's Leaders to Be Proud Of - Lifetime Achievement Award.[13] In 2013 he was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement INSPIRE Award for his contributions to the LGBTQ community.[14] In 2012 he was the recipient of the Canadian Centre for Diversity’s Human Relations Award.[15] And in 2011, Bachir was given an Excellence in Business Award by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.[16]

In April 2014, MOCCA (the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art) honoured Bachir with the MOCCA Award in Contemporary Art 2015 for his work in the field.[17]

On June 30, 2016, Bachir was named a Member of the Order of Canada by Governor General David Johnston for "his leadership as an entrepreneur and for his commitment to the arts and social justice, notably through Toronto's the 519 community centre." [18]

In 2017, Bachir was named the International Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. The award, which "recognizes an individual or family from around the world that demonstrates outstanding skills in coordinating and motivating groups of donors and volunteers for fundraising projects for the benefit of charities and nonprofit organizations" was given to Bachir during a ceremony in San Francisco on April 30, 2017. [19]

Personal life

Salah Bachir is openly gay. He lives with his husband, the artist Jacob Yerex.

References

  1. ↑ OCAD University Press Release, March 22, 2017, "", June 8, 2017
  2. ↑ Chris Daniels, "Marketing Magazine", January 28, 2008, "", June 3, 2011
  3. ↑ OCAD University Press Release, March 22, 2017, "", June 8, 2017
  4. ↑ Toronto Life, ""Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-07-05. Retrieved 2014-09-25. , September 25, 2014"
  5. ↑ Rita Zekas, "The Toronto Star", February 1, 2013, "", February 1, 2013
  6. ↑ Alexandra Gill, "The Globe and Mail", December 11, 2002, "", June 3, 2011
  7. ↑ Mariam Nader, "Canadian Art" November 10, 2011, "", December 14, 2012
  8. ↑ Oakville Galleries Newsletter, 2006, "", June 3, 2011
  9. ↑ Oakville Galleries Press Release, March 8, 2010, ""Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-07-14. Retrieved 2011-06-06. ", June 6, 2011
  10. ↑ Paul Irish, "The Toronto Star", June 18, 2009, "", June 6, 2011
  11. ↑ May 15, 2008, "", June 6, 2011
  12. ↑ May 19, 2009, "", June 6, 2011
  13. ↑ Out On Bay Street Website, ""Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-09-25. ", September 25, 2014
  14. ↑ Inspire Awards Website, "", September 25, 2014
  15. ↑ October 24, 2012, "", December 14, 2012
  16. ↑ June 2, 2011, "", December 14, 2012
  17. ↑ MOCCA.ca, "", May 8, 2015
  18. ↑ The Globe and Mail Staff (June 30, 2016). "Canada's Honour Roll". The Globe and Mail.
  19. ↑ AFP News Release, "http://www.afpnet.org/About/AwardsDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=42275]", June 8, 2017
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