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Christopher Deacon speaks at Walrus Talks event
June 18, 2024On June 5, 2024, NAC President and CEO Christopher Deacon had the honour of speaking at Canada’s Creative Power, a Walrus Talks event, alongside six other leaders of Canada’s federal arts and culture organizations. Taking place in the auditorium of the National Gallery of Canada, it was a…
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Arnie Vered’s Legacy: Giving the Gift of Time at the NAC
May 23, 2024Arnie Vered always found joy in helping others and giving back to his community and he left behind a legacy of compassion and selflessness that inspired all who knew him. Born into a family deeply rooted in charity and community service, Arnie learned from an early age the importance of…
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Why I give to the performing arts: Dasha Shenkman
April 29, 2024I’m delighted to be supporting the NACO Mentorship Program, something that is very close to my heart. Although I have lived most of my life in England, I was born in Ottawa and have always felt Canadian, as opposed to British. So, there is a very strong connection for me to this city. My…
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99 and counting…
January 12, 2024Maryse Robillard has been a part of the fabric of the National Arts Centre for over 50 years! She turns 100 this February, so we thought it would be a good moment to celebrate her as a volunteer extraordinaire, a long-time loyal donor, and a member of the Emeritus Circle. Maryse knows…
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Creation: bringing new Canadian works to the stage
August 15, 2023Donor support of the National Creation Fund provide the time, space and resources for performing artists to bring new works to their full potential. I Forgive You was created in response to a violent homophobic attack that left choral director Scott Jones paralyzed from the waist down in…
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Professional pathways: Learning opportunities for artists and arts professionals
August 15, 2023This year, 46 talented young artists from around the world came together for the annual NAC Orchestra Mentorship Program – a unique, three-week professional development program for emerging orchestral musicians, conductors, and librarians. NACO musicians served as principal faculty,…
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Sector Recovery: cross-Canada partnerships, co-productions, and touring
August 15, 2023It was full speed ahead for Mani Soleymanlou's first NAC French Theatre season as Artistic Director. Un. Deux. Trois., an epic performance written and directed by Mani, opened at the NAC in September 2022 before going on tour to eight other Canadian cities—Sudbury, Toronto, Montréal,…
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Sarah Jennings: Sharing a lifelong passion for opera
June 15, 2023Sarah Jennings, political and cultural journalist and author of the book Art and Politics: The History of the National Arts Centre is a longtime friend and champion of the NAC. Her most recent gift to the NAC Foundation supports the NAC Orchestra’s in-concert performances of Mozart’s Don…
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Donald Meakin — Grateful Memories
April 17, 2023Memory is a wonderful thing, and for Don Meakin the many performances he has enjoyed at the National Arts Centre over the years have enriched his bank of memories tremendously. And he is profoundly grateful. From a young age Don valued creative arts such as painting and writing poetry and,…
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Samantha Wrenshall Plavins – Giving with a Passion
April 17, 2023Samantha Plavins is unequivocal: “I love the NAC and am proud of all it does!” And those heart-felt feelings are based on first-hand experience. Sam was raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario. After graduating from Lakehead University in 1998 with a HBMus. specializing in piano, she moved to…
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The Stories We Share
March 27, 2023I always knew that the NAC was special, a place where hearts and minds are transformed through the power of music, dance and theatre. But little did I know when I became head of NAC Communications in 2001 (and then CEO of the Foundation in 2009) what an amazing adventure I was embarking on,…
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The NAC is Alive with the Sound of Students
March 27, 2023You know when it’s student matinee day at the NAC. On those days, a quick trip to Equator coffee shop begs the question: “Do I weave my way through the hundreds of excited kids, or do I wait until later?” The caffeine enthusiasts among us will jump into the crowd and share the thrill, while…
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To The Moon and Back with Sarah Garton Stanley and the National...
March 27, 2023In July 2022, Sarah Garton Stanley (SGS) joined the NAC’s National Creation Fund as its new Artistic Producer. As an award-winning theatre maker, a change maker and a highly sought-after director and dramaturg, SGS seeks to forge connections between the performing arts and the questions of…
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Making the Arts Accessible
November 23, 2022“I have benefited greatly from the Under30 program at the NAC,” Nadia, a student in music performance at the University of Ottawa, shares. “Access to $15 tickets has allowed me to attend many more NACO concerts than I normally would. It is important to me to attend these live concerts…
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Un. Deux. Trois. Go!
November 23, 2022It was full speed ahead for NAC French Theatre’s first season, fully programmed by Artistic Director Mani Soleymanlou. Un. Deux. Trois., an epic performance written and directed by Mani, opened at the NAC in September 2022 before going on tour to eight other Canadian cities—Sudbury,…
