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The tale of the 386 year-old double bass
December 2, 2016The opportunity to attend open rehearsals is one of the many ways the National Arts Centre Foundation thanks its generous and committed donors. Typically the rehearsals involve a unique chance for performing arts lovers to learn about the creation and performance process, but on November…
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Give back to Canada’s most creative artists
November 23, 2016The National Arts Centre Foundation is proud to partner with GivingTuesday and we want you to join us! GivingTuesday is a new global movement for giving and volunteering, taking place each year after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Today marks the “opening day of the giving season” where…
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NAC Dance outreach gives students an incredible experience
November 21, 2016“When you’re sitting in Southam Hall and looking at the artists who breathe life into your soul, you should know you had a hand in bringing those feet up on stage.” Erika Mills, Dance Teacher, École secondaire publique De La Salle It’s a Friday night in April and the NAC Theatre is at…
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Turkey Takeaway at the NAC
November 17, 2016The NAC’s “Turkey Takeaway” service run by Chef Martin Levesque (right) grew by 19% last year over the previous year. At Christmas and Thanksgiving since 2012, more than 1,000 customers have driven to the NAC for a whole free-range tom turkey, with all the trimmings and dessert. With an…
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Canada is our wine cellar
November 15, 2016Sommelier Michael Gauthier spends a lot of time sniffing out the best Canadian wines and spirits for the National Arts Centre’s le café restaurant. At a recent wine show he found several gems to be added to the Centre’s unique Canadian collection. “These are rare bottles that can’t be found…
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Q & A: Siôned Watkins – NAC Dance Education Associate and Teaching...
November 15, 2016Q. What is dance education about? A. It’s about inspiring and encouraging brain and body development through movement. Q. Your workshops reached more than 1,500 students and teachers last season. What’s excited you the most? A. Last January I organized workshops with over 450 Indigenous…
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Music Alive Program teaching artists come together to share, learn, and collaborate
November 9, 2016The NAC’s Music Alive Program, which brings local and visiting artists to mostly rural and remote schools and communities, was developed in partnership with local arts organizations and in consultation with school boards. It began in Alberta and Saskatchewan in 2008, then expanded to…
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The Finalists for the 2016 Siminovitch Prize
October 28, 2016“These are bold visionaries who are shaping the future of theatre now in creating experiences that are challenging, transformative and magical.” This is how Jury Chair Bob White describes the finalists for the 2016 Siminovitch Prize; Jonathan Christenson, Ravi Jain, Christian Lapointe,…
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Classical Collisions
October 22, 2016In celebration of Beethoven and Schumann – two highly expressive and innovative composers, the NAC Orchestra created an eclectic evening of music, dance and art called Classical Collisions. Fine art inspired graffiti artists while classical music mixed with DJ scratching - and everybody…
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Seeing Things Differently: A Father’s Story
October 19, 2016Live music delivers a rich and rewarding multi-sensory experience. Alexandre’s dad relates how his autistic son has fostered a deeper connection with classical music, and how his newfound joy can be found in all of us. The Music Circle Program launched in 2012 and was developed…
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The Summit 2016: Deaf and disability arts
October 14, 2016For two and a half days, 13 Artist/Leaders and 12 institutional Respondents gathered at the Stratford Festival to steep themselves in discussions of theatrical work by and about artists from the Deaf and disability arts community, and to grapple with questions of history, point of view and…
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Q & A: Maurizio Ortolani – Director, Patron Services and New Media
October 5, 2016Q. The NAC New Media team’s podcasts such as the NAC Orchestra’s Explore the Symphony and L’Univers Symphonique, as well as those for dance and theatre, have seen four million downloads over the last decade. Which countries have the most downloads? A. The U.S. leads with almost a million…
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NAC Unveils $25 Million Fundraising Campaign & $5 Million Gift by Gail Asper
September 28, 2016The National Arts Centre (NAC) today launched a transformative $25 million fundraising campaign to support the creation of new works of Music, Theatre and Dance in collaboration with artists and arts organizations across the country. The campaign is the first-ever in the history of the 47…
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A gathering of Artist Leaders in Deaf and disability arts and inclusion
September 1, 2016For two and a half days, 13 Artist/Leaders and 12 institutional Respondents gathered at the Stratford Festival to immerse themselves in conversations led by artists from the Deaf and disability arts community, about theatrical performance. "We're building what we hope will be a living…
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Architect Jennifer Mallard discusses the inspiration behind the NAC’s architectural rejuvenation
August 30, 2016When the National Arts Centre was designed in the 1960s it was described as a 'fortress for the arts.' Attending a concert was a formal occasion; a departure from one's everyday activities. "Fred Lebensold, the original architect, envisioned the building as an outcropping of granite in the…
