Ottawa — Canada’s National Arts Centre today announced that for the first time ever, it will livestream the announcement of this year’s laureates of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards – Canada’s highest honour for the performing arts – enabling Canadians across the country to be part of the excitement.

“The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards honour extraordinary Canadian artists who come from coast to coast to coast, which is why we’re thrilled to be able to livestream the big news of this year’s laureates for Canadians across Canada,” said NAC President and CEO Peter Herrndorf. “This will be a truly national event.”

The announcement of the 2013 GGPAA laureates will take place at the PHI Centre in Montreal, PQ on April 10 at 10 a.m., EDT. To watch the livestream, or to watch a video of the announcement following the event, please visit nac-cna.ca/ggpaa.

Tickets for the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala on Saturday, June 1, 2013 are available at the NAC Box Office and through Ticketmaster, 1-888-991-2787 or at www.ticketmaster.ca.

ABOUT THE GOVERNOR GENERAL’S PERFORMING ARTS AWARDS

The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards are Canada’s highest honour for the performing arts. The 2013 laureates will be honoured at various events in Ottawa from May 30–June 1. On May 30, the recipients will attend a lunch hosted by the Honourable Andrew Scheer, Speaker of the House of Commons and be introduced in the House of Commons, followed by a parliamentary reception. On May 31, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, will present the Awards at a special ceremony and reception at Rideau Hall. On June 1, the National Arts Centre will host a sparkling Gala to celebrate the 2013 laureates, a star-studded celebration featuring superb performances, evocative film portraits by the National Film Board, and personal tributes by guest stars.

The National Arts Centre is proud to produce the 2013 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala in partnership with the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation. The Awards are presented with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts.

The GGPAAF gratefully acknowledges Enbridge as Presenting Sponsor of the GGPAA Gala.

The National Arts Centre Foundation would like to thank Associate Sponsors McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Ltd. for their support of the Inspiration Seats youth section and Manulife Financial for its support as our Dinner Sponsor. For the fifth year, Mentorship Program is supported by The Keg Spirit Foundation. National Partners are Aimia, Desjardins Group, Onex Corporation, and Weber Shandwick Worldwide, and The Printing House is our official Print Sponsor.

The GGPAAF also acknowledges the significant contributions of Regional Partners Accenture Canada, The Alvin Segal Family Foundation, The Banff Centre, Bell Media, BMO Financial Group, Cineplex Media, Cisco Systems Canada Inc., Globalive Communications Corp., Groupe Germain, Invesco, The Keg Restaurants, NBC Universal Canada, Norton Rose LLP, Pratt & Whitney Canada, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Rogers Communications Inc., Shangri‑La Hotels, Vale, Venture Communications Ltd. and Via Rail Canada. Impresario Partners include Aecon Group Inc., Barrick Gold Corporation, Cement Association of Canada, Holt Renfrew & Company, Jessiman Foundation, The Ledcor Group, McMillan LLP, Mackenzie Investments, Macquarie Capital Markets Canada Ltd., Mark Motors of Ottawa Ltd., PCL Constructors Canada Inc., Raymond James Ltd., Sun Life Financial, Temple Scott and Associates, and Trinity Development Group Inc. Additional in-kind support for the Awards is received from Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, eccentricarts, Llama Communications, The Royal Canadian Mint, media partners The Globe and Mail, The Ottawa Citizen, Le Droit, Clear Channel, The Hill Times and Embassy Magazine.

Grateful thanks also go to the GGPAA Gala’s National Committee of volunteers, led by Honorary Chair The Hon. Hilary M. Weston, CM, OOnt, of Toronto; Co-Chairs Susan Glass, CM, and Arni Thorsteinson of Winnipeg;  and Vice-Chair Kate Alexander Daniels of Toronto. 

Tickets for the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala on Saturday, June 1, 2013 go on sale to the general public on Wednesday April 10, 2013 at 10 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time at the NAC Box Office and through Ticketmaster, 1-888-991-2787 or www.ticketmaster.ca.