Su Ying Strang
Su Ying Strang (she/her) is a cultural leader based in Sikóóhkotok—the Blackfoot name for the region in which Lethbridge, Alberta is located—on the traditional territories of the Siksikaitsitapi, or Blackfoot Confederacy. Strang relocated to Sikóóhkotok in January 2022 to join the Southern Alberta Art Gallery Maansiksikaitsitapiitsinikssin as Executive Director. First arriving in Canada in 2006 to attend the Alberta College of Art + Design (now Alberta University of the Arts), Strang has been embedded in the province's not-for-profit arts sector since 2010 as an artist, advocate, volunteer, and cultural leader. This includes nearly a decade providing leadership as Director of The New Gallery in Mohkínstsis/Calgary, AB. Throughout her career, Strang’s work has prioritized the thoughtful stewardship of artists’ practices, accessible programming, and building strong organizational foundations through a people-centred, community-driven ethos.
Under Strang’s leadership, The New Gallery's civic impact was celebrated at the 2017 Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts, where the organization received the Sandstone City Builder’s Award for making “Calgary a better place to live through the arts.” Individually, Strang has been recognized widely for her sectoral contributions. Most recently, she was selected for Business / Arts’ 2024 Emerging Leadership Program and was invited by The Japan Foundation and the Ishibashi Foundation for their 2024 Curatorial Exchange Program. Her previous honors include being named a fellow at the 2020 Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Innovators, inclusion in Avenue magazine's Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2018, receiving the 2018 Alumni Horizon Award from the Alberta University of the Arts, and participating in the inaugural cohort of the Banff Centre’s Cultural Leadership Program in 2017.
A major driver of Strang’s work is a deep commitment to community service, with volunteerism sitting at the core of her personal and professional purpose. Over the last four years, she has deepened her love for and understanding of the southern Alberta region, recognizing the critical role that the University of Lethbridge, Iniskim, plays in shaping our collective futures. Strang sees the Senate’s 2023-2027 plan, “Connecting Communities,” as a vital pillar of the University’s success—one that aligns strongly with her belief that we are better together. As the leader of a key partner organization, Strang witnesses firsthand the immense benefits the broader public receives from the University's communities. She is excited and honored to join the University’s Senate to further advocate for the institution, while fostering deeper connections between campus communities and contemporary art and culture on regional, national, and international stages.