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The NAC will have a strong presence at the 2025 Salon du...
February 10, 2025Again this year, we will take centre stage at the SLO! From Thursday, February 20, to Sunday, February 23, at booth #1111, representatives from all artistic disciplines will be there to answer questions from visitors of all ages, discuss our different programming, and give away tickets to…
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Violinist Randall Goosby on finding community through music
February 5, 2025What drives an artist to greatness? For violinist Randall Goosby, it’s a lifelong passion for music, a dedication to sharing its transformative power, and a commitment to inspiring the next generation. In a candid backstage interview recorded during his dress rehearsal at the National Arts…
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“Together, we can shape our future”
January 31, 2025Are you “bubbled” in this world, do you go it alone? Or are two heads better than one? Illustrator Andy Akangah’s Kipnes Lantern commission for Black History Month explores these questions through themes of vulnerability, self-imposed isolation, and cultural identity. Akangah is an…
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Boundaries of memory
January 28, 2025As the keynote speaker for the recent Under the Radar Symposium, Rwandan artist Dorcy Rugamba spoke about the need to break down the boundaries of memory. More specifically, Rugamba was reflecting on our tendency to believe that certain events are specific to the region or the peoples or…
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A warm NAC welcome for Winterlude
January 27, 2025From January 31 to February 17, the NAC welcomes Winterlude enthusiasts into our public spaces and theatres for a cozy break from outdoor activities. Outside, our Kipnes Lantern will light up Elgin Street with Winterlude wonders and visitors to Sparks Street can check out an ice carving of…
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A Longtime Love of Music becomes a Legacy
January 14, 2025Music was more than a pastime for Paul and Margaret Manson—it was a cherished family tradition. Paul’s father played the piano in silent movie theatres and Margaret’s mother directed church choirs. Paul played trombone in a dance band when he was in high school, while Margaret was an…
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The NAC’s Fourth Stage: Ottawa’s hidden gem
January 10, 2025William Prince, Alex Cuba, and Lisa Leblanc. What do these acclaimed artists have in common? Before they performed in a full Southam Hall or Babs Asper Theatre, they made their National Arts Centre debuts at the Fourth Stage. This is the place to be to see both established and new emerging…
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Celebrating 55 years of dedication and excellence
December 23, 2024The NAC Orchestra is proud to celebrate an extraordinary milestone: violinist Karoly Sziladi, a founding member of the Orchestra, has reached an incredible 55 years of service. From the very first notes played at the NAC’s inaugural performance in 1969 to countless concerts that have…
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Community Building Creation
December 17, 2024Creation is an act of gathering: ideas, people, places, a bit of magic. One of my ongoing preoccupations is how we trace the impacts of this gathering. I picture my fingers moving along imaginary lines, feeling microscopic and deep grooves that spread out like a web through the communities…
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Bear Grease? Tell me more, tell me more!
December 10, 2024Crystle Lightning and MC RedCloud, affectionately known as “Cloud” — the creative minds behind Bear Grease — share their inspirations, success, and the importance of Indigenous representation. What was the initial interest that sparked the development of Bear Grease? Crystle: Cloud and I…
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The iconic Beauchemin Curtain rises again
December 9, 2024In the years following the opening of the NAC in 1969, one of the joys of attending a performance in the Opera (now called Southam Hall), was to sit and quietly marvel at the sight of the breathtakingly beautiful Beauchemin Curtain. It was said that the curtain was the first work of art…
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A Fountain of Career-Enhancing Opportunities for Artists
December 5, 2024A commitment to the future of the arts builds on decades of support. On November 28, Fred and Elizabeth Fountain extended their decades-long commitment to the performing arts with a $1 million dollar gift to the National Arts Centre Foundation. This gift addresses critical gaps in the…
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A path punctuated with beautiful sparks
December 3, 2024Since 1992, December 3 has marked International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a day that “aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every…
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Invitation for public feedback on accessibility at the NAC
December 2, 2024We are currently reviewing and finalizing our 2024 Accessibility Progress Report. This document is intended as a summary of our progress towards achieving the accessibility goals included in our 2022-2025 Accessibility Plan. Over the past few months, our Accessibility Advisory Committee…
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“A gift to the trumpet repertoire”
November 26, 2024John Estacio’s concerto gets NAC premiere with Karen Donnelly Karen Donnelly, who’s been the NAC Orchestra’s Principal Trumpet since 1999, will be the featured soloist for the Southam Hall premiere of Canadian composer John Estacio’s Trumpet Concerto in performances on November 27…