OTTAWA – Backstage tours, karaoke, dance workshops, classical and world-rock music, and an art exhibition about one of Canada’s most important playwrights highlight the 2011 edition of Culture Days at the National Arts Centre this weekend from September 30 to October 2.    

Culture Days is a free annual event designed to invite the public to celebrate and explore arts and culture in every province and territory in Canada. All activities are free (no ticket required), bilingual and open to all ages except where noted.

Here are details of free Culture Days activities presented by the National Arts Centre:

Self-guided NAC Backstage Visits
Sunday, October 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entrance from Main Lobby
See the National Arts Centre backstage areas like you’ve never seen them before, up-close and personal! You’ll have access to visit the NAC stages, dressing rooms, backstage corridors and set-building shops in a self-guided tour.

Live Band Karaoke
Sunday, October 2, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Fourth Stage
You’re the star in this version of karaoke where you’ll be accompanied by a live band of top-notch Ottawa musicians! Choose your favourite selection of jazz standards, musical theatre hits, rock classics, old favorites or kid’s tunes and sing your heart out in the cozy atmosphere of the Fourth Stage cabaret.

Exhibition –David French: Writing Home
Friday, September 30, 10 a.m. until Sunday, November 6
Theatre Foyer
NAC English Theatre in association with Theatre Museum Canada presents a retrospective exhibition about the life and work of one of Canada’s most important playwrights, Newfoundland and Labrador’s David French (1939-2010), in conjunction with our production of his play Salt-Water Moon.

Russian and Canadian Arctic Photography Exhibition
Friday, September 30 until Thursday, October 6
Southam Hall Lobby
This unique photography exhibition of 50 works from Ottawa’s Michelle Valberg and Moscow native Afanasy Makovnev showcases the beauty of the Arctic region and celebrates the 20 year diplomatic relationship between Canada and the Russian Federation.

Musical Chat before NAC Orchestra Concert with Jean-Jacques Van Vlasselaer: “Russian Music Through its Culture: From Glinka to Shostakovich”
Friday, September 30, 7 p.m.
NAC Salon

Vendredis de la chanson francophone: Mastikédigère and Mehdi Cayenne Club (in French)
Friday September 30, 7:30 p.m.
Fourth Stage
Join us for a free performance by two of Ottawa-Gatineau’s most exciting French-language world-rock bands.

Canadian Improv Games Wokshop (in English)
Sunday October 2, 11 a.m.
Le Salon
Learn about and participate in a hands-on workshop in theatrical improv. Learn the art of improvised plays and skits using not much more than your imagination, sense of humour and a few simple props.

Introduction to Dance Classes
Sunday October 2
10 a.m. (Contemporary Dance) 11a.m. (Hip Hop) and 1 p.m. (Bhagra/Punjabi/Folk Dance)
Southam Hall Stage
ages 14 and up
It’s never too late to learn how to dance!  Come and join us for an intro to dance class, where you will learn different dance styles from some of Ottawa’s best dance teachers. No dance experience required.

Salsa Connectica Social Latin Dance Workshops
Sunday October 2, noon (Merengue & Salsa) and 2 p.m. (Bachata & Salsa)
Southam Hall Lobby
ages 14 and up
Learn more than just dancing with our bilingual latin dance workshops. No dance experience required!

Hip Hop Demonstrations
Sunday October 2, 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Southam Hall Lobby
Come and see young hip hop dancers demonstrate their skills and best tricks!

NAC Art Guided Tours
Sunday, October 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Main Lobby
Get a guided tour of the NAC’s extensive visual art collection (indoors and outdoors) departing once an hour on the hour starting at 10 a.m. with the last tour leaving at 3 p.m. Duration: approximately 45 minutes each.

Demonstration of 3D Digital Maquette Collection
Sunday, October 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Main Lobby
This is part of a partnership between the NAC’s ArtsAlive.ca and the Carleton Immersive Media Studio (CIMS) to transform select set design miniatures into 3D models.   

Interactive Stage Lighting Exhibit
Sunday, October 2, 10 a.m to 4 p.m.
Studio Stage
You’ll learn how stage lighting works with this interactive exhibit on the Studio stage. Learn about the techniques, tricks and equipment that lighting designers use and try them out for yourself!

Open Choir Rehearsal led by Jackie Hawley, Director of the Ottawa Children’s Choir and the Cantiamo Girls Choir of Ottawa
Sunday, October 2, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Stage of Southam Hall

Come to the National Arts Centre and sing with adult, youth and children's choirs from the Ottawa area in an open choral rehearsal.

Tunetown
Sunday, October 2, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Southam Hall Mezzanine
ages 5 and up
Interactive learn-and-play activities with musical instruments of all kinds organized by Music for Young Children.

Journey through Space Time Workshop
Sunday, October 2, 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.
This workshop introduces children to the world of theatre. It provides a welcoming and informal learning environment where children are invited to discover their acting skills by exploring the basic theatrical concepts of time and space, and to experiment with the possibilities of the body and the voice.

About Culture Days

The 2011 Culture Days weekend will take place in every province, simultaneously on September 30, October 1 and 2, 2011, and is expected to see hundreds of communities of all sizes take part from coast to coast to coast. The first annual Canada-wide Culture Days celebration was held in September 2010 over three days in more than 700 Canadian cities and towns. For more information about Culture Days, visit www.culturedays.ca.

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For more information:
Carl Martin
Communications Advisor
Tel: 613-947-7000, ext. 560
Cell: 613-291-8880
cmartin@nac-cna.ca