2017. The year the first Artistic Director of Indigenous Theatre begins their role at the National Arts Centre! It has arrived.  Getting to here has been a full and rewarding time and we are now up to the final bend in the road. Interviews for the applicants are taking place in February. The Elders Council will be meeting as a group for the first time during that month as well, and the Advisory Committee continues its work supporting all the endeavours. We will have more news about all of this in next month update.

Leading up to the new year, Sarah Garton Stanley and Kari Cullen along with Natali Zuniga, Cultural Heritage, City of Ottawa,  have been working with Chief Kirby Whiteduck from Pikwàkanagàn and Chief Jean-Guy Whiteduck from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg to form an Algonquin advisory committee. We are looking to this advisory group  to help focus the National Arts Centre on identifying and developing symbolic, programmatic and visual opportunities to build a more respectful, welcoming and inclusive building. The plan is for this advisory to meet for the first time in February. More details to come next month!

January 17th marks the 4th educational session for the employees of the NAC. This time it is facilitated by Wanda Botsford and Alicia Blore, both Education officers with the Métis Nation of Ontario. The first presentation will provide an overview of who the Métis are: their history, culture and contemporary identity. The second presentation is a hands-on or more appropriately a “feets-on” interactive presentation on Métis Dance. The third presentation is a Métis perspective on Louis Riel that offers a different view than those found in most history books.

Looking way down the road to June 15 and 16,  we are excited about an Indigenous focus Symposium taking place as a part of Canada Scene at the NAC. Sarah Garton Stanley and Brittany Ryan have been working with PhD candidate Lindsay Lachance who will curate and facilitate a critical discussion on developing tools for artists/scholars/writers/practitioners to mobilize around the discourse of Indigenous Theatre in Canada.

As always if you have any questions, or just want to be in touch please contact Brittany at brittany.ryan@nac-cna.ca