Ottawa (Canada)—As Prime Minister Stephen Harper continues his seventh annual tour of Canada’s North this week to highlight the Government of Canada’s support for economic and social development in that region, the National Arts Centre (NAC) is busy with preparations for two major initiatives that will shine a national spotlight on Northern Canadian artists and communities like never before: the NAC Orchestra Northern Canada Performance and Education Tour (October 26 to November 4, 2012) and Northern Scene (April 25 to May 4, 2013).

The Government of Canada is a major partner and supporter of both initiatives, which have been years in the making.

“We congratulate the Prime Minister and the Government for their ongoing focus on the North,” said Jayne Watson, CEO of the National Arts Centre Foundation. “The NAC is proud to be their partner as we celebrate Canadian artists from a region with a rich cultural heritage.”

With visits to Nunavut, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, the NAC Orchestra 2012 Northern Canada Performance and Education Tour will delight audiences, inspire future artists, help foster the development of young musicians, preserve and celebrate local culture, and showcase Northern artists in their communities and nationally. 

Northern Scene is the sixth in a series of highly successful biennial festivals that celebrate professional and emerging artists from various regions of the country. Northern Scene will showcase 250 artists from Nunavut, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut, in venues throughout the National Capital Region. Music, theatre, dance, sculpture, tapestry, print-making, the visual and media arts, literature and storytelling, circus, film, sports, games and culinary arts will be celebrated in more than 50 events.

The NAC will unveil details for the NAC Orchestra Northern Canada Tour and Northern Scene in the coming weeks. Both initiatives will build on the NAC’s past partnerships with Nunavut schools, educators and artists developed through a music education initiative called the Music Alive Program over the last three years.

-30-