Janet Sellery - Teaching Artist, Production Design & Technical Arts

Janet Sellery is one of Canada’s leading experts in health and safety and the arts. After a career in stage management, Janet pioneered the health and safety program at the Stratford Festival.
Her work as a Health & Safety Consultant (Sellery Health + Safety www.selleryhealthandsafety.com ) focuses on customizing programs, training, and resources to reflect the constantly evolving and unique demands of live performance.
One of her favourite projects was working as the Health & Safety Manager for the Opening, Closing and Victory Ceremonies at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. (David Atkins Enterprises Productions). She is also the Chair, Event Safety Alliance Canada and on the Board of Directors for the Event Safety Alliance (U.S.).
Janet is also a long-serving member of the Ontario Ministry of Labour Live Performance Advisory Committee. She led a working group of industry professionals to develop the Temporary Performance / Events Structure Guideline. Completed in just one year’s time and published by Ministry of Labour in June, 2013, the guideline effectively responded to an industry death in 2012. She has also worked on subcommittees to develop guidelines on these topics: Child Performers, Application of Industrial and Construction Regulations, Sound Levels, Risk Assessment for Productions, Flame Effects, Performer Flying and Aerial Stunts, Theatrical Atmospheric Effects, Water Effects, Elevating Work Platforms.
Janet authored Play It Safe – A Safety Manual for School Theatres/Studios (2012) and co-authored, with Theatre Alberta and Alberta Human Services, Safe Stages (2007).
She is a graduate of Ryerson Theatre School and certified as both a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) and a Certified Health and Safety Consultant (CHSC). She has been awarded the Jack McAllister Award (Ryerson University), the Ron Epp Memorial Award for Professional Achievement (Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology, 2012) and Canada’s Safety Manager of the Year (Canadian Occupational Safety Magazine, 2007). Janet is committed to “setting the stage for people to create their best work.”

Photo Credit: Mindy Gough | Updated: July 13, 2022

Teachers in Production Design & Technical Arts