January 8, 2015 – OTTAWA (Canada) – The National Arts Centre is delighted to announce that Toronto philanthropist Suzanne Rogers has been named Honorary Chair of the 2015 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala National Committee. The National Committee, made up of prominent Canadians from across the country, including Co-Chairs Kate Alexander Daniels and Salah Bachir, helps to raise profile and financial support to make the annual Awards Gala possible.

“I am honoured to take on this role with the National Committee, and excited to keep building national support for these awards that celebrate the outstanding contribution of Canada’s performing artists to the cultural life of this country,” Mrs. Rogers said. 

The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Artistic Achievement are Canada’s highest honour for the performing arts.  This year’s Awards Gala will take place Saturday, May 30, 2015 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

“We are very grateful to Suzanne Rogers for her leadership and support of these awards,” said Jayne Watson, CEO of the National Arts Centre Foundation. “Suzanne is a proven and tireless fundraiser, and she appreciates how the performing arts play an important role in our communities and country.”

Mrs. Rogers has been deeply involved in charitable causes and community service within Canada.  In 2006, Mrs. Rogers along with her husband Edward, supported a donation to fund a millennium Village in Africa – the first such initiative originating from Canada.  She is also involved in a number of charitable initiatives including Scrubs, a fundraiser for SickKids Hospital and has long supported Boost Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention as Honorary Chair of its annual fundraiser.  In addition, her signature “Suzanne Rogers Presents” events which bring an internationally known designer to Toronto for a full runway fashion show and gala dinner, has raised $2.5 million for children’s charities.

ABOUT THE NAC

The National Arts Centre collaborates with artists and arts organizations across Canada to help create a national stage for the performing arts, and acts as a catalyst for performance, creation and learning across the country. A home for Canada’s most creative artists, the NAC strives to be artistically adventurous in each of its programming streams – the NAC Orchestra, English Theatre, French Theatre and Dance, as well as the Scene festivals and NAC Presents, which showcase established and emerging Canadian artists. The organization is at the forefront of youth and educational activities, offering artist training, programs for children and youth, and resources for teachers in communities across Canada. The NAC is also a pioneer in new media, using technology to teach students and young artists around the globe, by creating top-rated podcasts, and providing a wide range of NAC Orchestra concerts on demand. The NAC is the only bilingual, multidisciplinary performing arts centre in Canada, and one of the largest in the world.

ABOUT THE GOVERNOR GENERAL’S PERFORMING ARTS AWARDS

Created in 1992, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Artistic Achievement are Canada’s highest honour for the performing arts. Two other distinguished national awards are also conferred each year – the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts, and the National Arts Centre Award, which recognizes exceptional achievement over the past performance year. Every spring, laureates are honoured at various events in the Nation’s Capital – in the House of Commons, at Rideau Hall and at the NAC’s star-studded Gala that features performances, evocative film portraits by the National Film Board, and personal tributes by guest stars.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Rosemary Thompson,
Director, Communications and Public Affairs
National Arts Centre
613 947-7000 x260
rthompson@nac-cna.ca