Suneeta Millington spends a lot of time at the NAC. She regularly attends English Theatre productions as well as the NAC Orchestra, where she loves the sightlines and the sound from the middle of the mezzanine. With friends and family, she sees concerts at the Fourth Stage by artists she knows, as well as artists she wants to learn more about. And a trip to the NAC is a favourite outing for her children, who love to bike down together, see a KinderNACO or Family Adventures concert, and have a bite to eat.
“It’s a great shared family experience,” she said. “We really love the new building and the public spaces, and the experience of seeing people coming and going and doing various things in the community. The kids all enjoy it in different ways.”
Since the pandemic forced the closure of the NAC, Suneeta’s been bringing the arts into her home – something she always did but that now seems more important – from watching the NACO Home Delivery videos, with Alexander Shelley talking about an archival NAC Orchestra concert, to listening to music together and learning more about the various composers, conductors and performers. Her kids have enjoyed a Piano Facts video series created by Ottawa pianist Claire Stevens and produced by the Ottawa Children’s Choir,, and doodling along with the acclaimed American illustrator Mo Willems through his Youtube series. And Suneeta’s mother, a former teacher who has been leading the charge on home schooling, has been introducing them to some Indigenous children’s writers.
Suneeta said she looks forward to being back at the NAC for many reasons – enjoying the physical space, doing some work at Equator coffee, seeing the wares of high-quality artisans at the craft fairs, and, of course, attending the shows.
“There’s the joy of the performance, and the way you can self-reflect and reflect on the world through the arts. And then there’s the social aspect, the opportunity to be at the NAC with friends to share an experience. We definitely miss being there.”