Philip Akin

Philip Akin

Philip Akin is an award-winning cultural leader and has been acting and directing for 50 years. He is a founding member of Obsidian Theatre, Canada’s leading Black theatre company, and served as its Artistic Director from 2006 to 2020.

Philip Akin has been the recipient of the Silver Ticket Award, Canadian Stage Artistic Achievement Prize, the Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award, the Playwrights Guild of Canada Bra d’Or Award, the William Kilbourn Award, the Herbert Whittaker/CTCA Award for Distinguished Contribution to Canadian Theatre, the Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, as well as the Life Membership Award from Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.

He is currently the president of the board for Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre and a director on the board of the Shaw Festival.