Congratulations to Magicana’s founder and artistic director, David Ben, on his appointment to the Order of Canada!
The Order of Canada recognizes individuals—trailblazers—who have enriched the lives of others; who have made a difference to Canada.
David Ben is one of those special individuals.
David is a unique individual who has made significant and lasting contributions to the Canadian arts community, specifically in performance art. As a leading figure in the world of magic, David Ben has spent forty-five years exploring, developing, performing, preserving and sharing magic—its repertoire, technique and history—across Canada, and internationally.
While he is recognized as a fine sleight-of-hand practitioner, David is truly a multi-dimensional artist. A performer, writer, historian, producer, publisher, and, perhaps most importantly, a community activist—dedicated to sharing wonder through the development of Magicana, and its archives and community programming.
David truly represents the Order’s motto: DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM– “They desire a better country.”
We are delighted, thrilled, and proud to congratulate David on his appointment to one of the most extraordinary levels of recognition for a Canadian citizen.
David Ben is one of the finest sleight-of-hand artists in the world. An influential figure in Canadian performance art, he has spent more than four decades exploring, developing, performing and preserving magic across Canada and internationally. Devoted to sharing wonder, he has written important books on the history of magic and its greatest practitioners. He also cofounded Magicana, a world-renowned arts organization dedicated to the exploration and advancement of magic.
