Ottawa (Canada)—The 2010-2011 Annual Report of the National Arts Centre (NAC) tabled in Parliament yesterday shows that the NAC achieved an $801,000 operating surplus in 2010-2011, attracted more than 500 thousand paid customers (up 12%), and had more than 1.65 million on line visitors during the year (an all time high).

The Annual Report entitled, “The NAC. Wherever you are” highlights the NAC’s New Media activities and the NAC’s efforts over the past decade to reach out to new audiences in Canada and around the world.

“Fascinating new statistics show that more and more people—1.65 million in 2010-2011 alone— visited us online at nac-cna.ca to learn about the NAC; to secure classroom resources; to experience our programming through videos or podcasts; or to listen to the NAC Orchestra through free downloadable music found at NACmusicbox.ca 24 hours a day,” said the President and CEO of the National Arts Centre Peter Herrndorf.

“While most performing arts enthusiasts would argue there is simply nothing that compares to the rush of seeing a live performance, it’s increasingly clear that more than ever before in the NAC’s history, people are also choosing to access the NAC virtually,” said Herrndorf.

Not only was the 2010-2011 season an artistic success, it was a financial success as well. The NAC presented 1,298 performances in 2010-2011—a 29% increase from the previous season and posted an operating surplus of $801,000— the tenth surplus the NAC has achieved over the past 12 years. The total number of subscribers reached 33,542, an 8% increase over the previous year.

The National Arts Centre’s Foundation raised more than $7.3 million in 2010-2011, an increase of $1.3 million from the previous season. The Foundation, which is the fundraising arm of the NAC, helps to bring the performing arts to more than 100,000 children across Canada every year.

The NAC’s 2010-2011 Annual Report includes the following highlights:

- The NAC produced the Prairie Scene, the fifth in a series of national Scene festivals showcasing Canada’s finest established and emerging artists from different regions of the country.  More than 500 artists from Saskatchewan and Manitoba participated.

-Under the leadership of Peter Hinton, the newly re-established NAC English Theatre Resident Acting Company expanded to feature 24 actors from all across Canada, performing in four major productions and co-productions during the season including a new English translation of Michel Tremblay’s provocative play Saint Carmen of the Main which was co-produced with the Canadian Stage Company in Toronto.

-The NAC 13^th Annual Summer Music Institute (SMI), led by NAC Music Director Pinchas Zukerman, brought 96 students from across Canada and 13 other countries to the NAC to take part in private lessons, chamber music coaching, and conducting and composing workshops with 25 renowned faculty members.

-NAC Dance Producer Cathy Levy presented the exclusive Canadian performance of La Bayadère by the Mariinsky Ballet (The Kirov), one of the greatest classical ballet companies in the world.

-The NAC’s Artistic Director of French Theatre, Wajdi Mouawad, presented and performed in Albert Camus’ masterpiece Les Justes in an exclusive North American engagement.

-Teaching musicians from partnering orchestras in Calgary, Edmonton, Regina and Saskatoon participated in the NAC Music Alive Program, introducing classical music to thousands of students and teachers at more than 100 mostly rural schools.  NAC Orchestra teaching musicians travelled regularly to three remote communities in Nunavut to present this program to students, teachers and community members in the arctic region.

-The NAC produced the Governor General’s Performing Arts Gala honouring the lifetime achievements of Canadian artists.  Award winning filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, humourist Yvon Deschamps, dancer/choreographer Margie Gillis and actor William Shatner were among the recipients.

-The NAC continued to host and be actively involved with national festivals, events and celebrations this season, such as the Prairie Scene, the Magnetic North Theatre Festival, the Canada Dance Festival, Music Monday, the Canadian Improv Games and Culture Days.  The NAC was the venue host for the 2011 Genie Awards and presented two special Ottawa Film Premieres: Barney’s Version, a film based on Mordecai Richler’s prize-winning novel; and the French-language comedy Starbuck.

The first few months of the NAC’s 2011-2012 season is already showing strong results artistically.  On  September 11, 2011 the NAC Orchestra performed an outdoor requiem concert to commemorate the 10^th Anniversary of 9/11 for more than 3,000 people on the roof-top terrace of the NAC. In November, the NAC Orchestra embarked on an ambitious performance and education tour of Atlantic Canada, which included nine concerts with three student matinees and 80 education events.

The NAC annual fundraising gala featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan was a sold-out success; 35 artists, including actors, students, a designer, dramaturgs and directors travelled to the North Eastern coast of Newfoundland and Labrador to participate in the English Theatre research and development project, The Ark; Wajdi Mouawad’s final season as artistic director of French Theatre included a highly praised November presentation of Jackie, directed by Denis Marleau; NAC Dance presented the exclusive Canadian engagement of Danzón—a new work by the  legendary German dance company Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch; and a brand new season of NAC Presents was launched this fall, offering a fifth programming stream that reinforces the NAC as a “home” for Canada’s most interesting contemporary singers and songwriters.

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For more information please contact:

Rosemary Thompson

Director of Communications

National Arts Centre

(613) 947-7000 ext 260

rosemary.thompson@nac-cna.ca