January 30, 2023, OTTAWA, CANADA – The National Arts Centre (NAC) is pleased by the appointment of Guy Pratte as Chair of the NAC's Board of Trustees. His appointment for a four-year term was announced today by Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez.

An award-winning and highly sought-after lawyer, Guy Pratte has experience in complex commercial litigation (including class actions), administrative law and constitutional law cases. He is one of the most frequent advocates to appear before the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC), pleading in French or English, in cases involving either common law or Québec civil law. He also pleads before the Superior and Appeal Courts of Ontario and Québec, the Federal Court (FC) and Federal Court of Appeal (FCA).

“Guy Pratte has been a champion of the arts in Canada for decades,” said NAC President and CEO Christopher Deacon. “We are delighted that he will now play a leadership role as Chair of the National Arts Centre’s Board of Trustees. His brilliant mind and formidable experience will be incredibly strong assets as we continue to lead and support the renewal of the Canadian performing arts sector.”

Guy Pratte was named to the Order of Canada in 2022 in recognition of his contributions as a lawyer, notably to pro bono work, and for his volunteer commitments to the performing arts. He was the first Chair of the National Arts Centre Foundation, and a member of the Stratford Festival Board of Governors for several years. He was also the first president of Pro Bono Québec and subsequently Chair of Pro Bono Ontario.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE

The National Arts Centre is Canada’s bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts. The NAC presents, creates, produces, and co-produces performing arts programming in various streams — the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre in collaboration with Black Theatre Workshop, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and Popular Music and Variety — and nurtures the next generation of audiences and artists from across Canada. The NAC is located in the National Capital Region on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe.   

 

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FORE MORE INFORMATION:

Annabelle Cloutier
Executive Director, Strategy and Communications
National Arts Centre
Annabelle.cloutier@nac-cna.ca
613-301-2764