Stephen Foster
Producer, songwriter, visionary
1945 - 2005

Executive Producer Stephen Foster had a passion for music, ecology and children... and the patient persistence needed to make things happen in the funding-challenged world of environmental music and education. At the time of his death, he had just put the wheels in motion for the Cycle of Life Educators Handbook to be promoted throughout Canada.

Stephen founded the Artist Response Team (ART) in the late ‘80s, and produced live events, recordings, radio and television programs in support of the environment. The broadcast campaign Ecofest ’91 involved over 700 media outlets across Canada and artists such as Bruce Cockburn, Mitsou, Barney Bentall, Holly Cole and Graham Greene. Artists Out To Save The World…and pay the rent 60-minute special aired on 35 radio stations nation-wide. The Winds of Change festival featured Paul Horn, Arthur Black, Mae Moore and Elizabeth May. Let’s Start Communicating is a 30-minute tv special on forestry issues that was broadcast on YTV.

He received an Environmental Commendation from the Prime Minister for his contribution to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janiero in 1992. He produced performances by Holly in Japan for the Royal Family, and at a show for Kobe earthquake victims with Herbie Hancock. Most recently he produced eight CDs, three Educator’s Handbooks (Salish Sea and Cycle of Life/Recycle, Pacific and National Editions), over twenty-eight school music programs that include theatre concerts, opening and closing events featuring Holly and Voices of Nature for the 4th International Children’s Conference on the Environment, and the Salish Sea Festivals at Fort Rodd Hill (3,000 people attended) and at the Vancouver Children’s Festival

Stephen Foster broke trail for environmental music and education… finding innovative ways to support artists and ecological literacy.