Ottawa (Canada) –The National Arts Centre (NAC), with the help of Presenting Partner Sun Life Financial and generous partners and donors, is bringing the magic of live performing arts this holiday season and throughout the year to hundreds of deserving children and their families in the Ottawa-Gatineau region.

This is the fifth year for Share the Spirit, an initiative aimed at families who, for economic or health reasons, may not have the opportunity to enjoy live performances at the NAC.  Share the Spirit will enable them to attend performances of holiday classics such as Handel’s Messiah, The Nutcracker, the kinderconcert version of A Christmas Carol, as well as a wonderful concert by the dazzling Measha Brueggergosman with the NAC Orchestra, and other wonderful productions throughout the NAC’s entire performance season – for free.

Ticket recipients will be chosen by the NAC’s community partners including Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa, Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, Candlelighters, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Foundation, Children’s Aid Foundation of Ottawa, Community Living Renfrew County South, Odawa Native Friendship Centre the Ottawa Food Bank, the Sens Foundation, the Snowsuit Fund, Tamir Foundation and United Way.

Through the Share the Spirit program and thanks to the support of our generous partners and donors, the NAC was able to hand out more than 2,818 tickets last year to deserving families to performances at the NAC.

“We take such pleasure in helping bring so many deserving children and their families to the NAC for free through Share the Spirit each season.” says Jayne Watson, CEO of the NAC Foundation. “There is nothing more rewarding than seeing their eyes widen in wonder as the curtain rises over our stages.”

“Sun Life is proud to once again team up with the National Arts Centre Foundation as the presenting sponsor of the Share the Spirit program,” said Mary De Paoli, Sun Life Financial’s Executive Vice-President, Public & Corporate Affairs and Chief Marketing Officer. “At Sun Life we believe that arts and culture should be celebrated and accessible to everyone. Through our Making the Arts More Accessible TM program and our partnership with the National Arts Centre Foundation, we are able to offer meaningful and inspiring experiences to deserving children and their families this holiday season.”

Share the Spirit is made possible through the support of Presenting Partner Sun Life Financial, Major Partner Trinity Development Group, and Supporting Partners St. Laurent Volvo and the Hon. John Manley and Judith Manley as well as other donors who have contributed to Share the Spirit through the NAC Foundation’s Donors’ Circle.  

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For more information, please contact:

Carl Martin
Communications
National Arts Centre
613-947-7000, ext. 560