OTTAWA­–The National Arts Centre (NAC) is delighted to announce the first programming details of Northern Scene, the sixth in a series of national Scene festivals that showcases the finest established and emerging artists in the country. 

Northern Scene will be the largest gathering of artists from Canada’s North ever held outside the region.  The festival will celebrate the work of 250 artists from Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut in 50 events taking place over 10 days. From April 25 to May 4, 2013, it will feature music, theatre, dance, visual and media arts, film, storytelling, fashion and food in venues throughout the national capital. Northern Scene is a rare opportunity to discover the myriad and often surprising cultural riches of the north.  The Presenting Partner of Northern Scene is TransCanada Corporation.

“Northern Scene shines a spotlight on a region of Canada that few Canadians know,” said festival producer and executive director, Heather Moore.  “I am excited to introduce audiences to the diverse artistic landscape of the north.  I know we will shake up some stereotypes as we celebrate new voices and honour northern tradition.”

Sean McMaster, executive vice-president, stakeholder relations and general counsel says “Through TransCanada’s support of Northern Scene, we can help connect communities across the country in an inspired and meaningful way, providing diverse engagement in celebrated culture and creativity throughout the festival. It is through initiatives like Northern Scene that we can enrich lives, while building healthy and vibrant communities for generations now and in the future.”

The Scene festivals have been celebrating Canada’s artists since Atlantic Scene in 2003.  It was followed by Alberta Scene (2005), Quebec Scene (2007), BC Scene (2009) and, most recently, Prairie Scene (2011).  Each festival has shared a goal to propel the careers of professional artists by exposing them and their work to new audiences, as well as to a group of well known presenters from all over the world.  Since 2003, the NAC has invited 384 presenters from 27 countries to join us in Ottawa to discover and book Canadian talent.  To date, this initiative has resulted in more than 400 performance bookings and well over $1.2 million in fees for artists.  Northern Scene will welcome 50 Canadian and international agents, presenters and talent scouts to the capital.

“The Government of Canada is proud to invest in Canada’s northern cultural industries, which are receiving important recognition around the world,” said the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) and Minister for the Arctic Council.  “The Northern Scene is an opportunity to showcase Canada’s North, its people, their culture and the diversity of opportunities they create.”

“The Government of Yukon is proud to support the presentation of Yukon’s diverse contemporary culture outside the territory,” Yukon Tourism and Culture Minister Mike Nixon said. “The festival will introduce new audiences to our artists through ten exciting days of music, theatre and visual arts. This will be an excellent opportunity for arts lovers to see Yukon artists at work in a unique and collaborative forum.”

“We have a wealth of talented artists and performers in the Northwest Territories and we want the world to know that we are proud of them,” said Northwest Territories Premier Bob McLeod.  “The Northern Scene is a chance for people outside the North to experience the full range of artistic creation going on in the Northwest Territories today, from the traditional to the contemporary. We are pleased to have this opportunity to showcase NWT arts, crafts and music next spring.”

“We are delighted to partner with Canada’s National Arts Centre’s Northern Scene to celebrate our Canadian artists,” said the Honourable Eva Aariak, Premier of Nunavut. “We cannot wait for Canadians in the Nation’s Capital and across the country to discover our talented singers, musicians, actors and artisans taking part in this remarkable festival next spring.”

This preliminary programming announcement is timed to coincide with the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s Northern Canada Tour, which began on October 26 and comes to a close on November 4.  The tour has been a tremendous success, featuring six orchestra concerts and 50 educational events creating unique opportunities for cultural exchange in communities across the three Northern territories.  Northern Scene and the Northern Canada Tour underscore the NAC’s commitment to national outreach and its designated “Year of the North” in the 2012/13 season. 

A Sneak Peek at Northern Scene Programming

Today’s announcement represents about 30% of Northern Scene’s full programming, with the balance to be announced at a media launch to take place in Ottawa in February 2013. 

Theatre and Dance at the Scene includes work from each of the three territories:

• Justice, Gwaandak Theatre’s compelling look at a clash of cultures during the Klondike Gold Rush;
• Tulugak: Inuit Raven Stories brings together a diverse group of leading artists from Nunavut, Nunavik, and Greenland to collaboratively explore Inuit stories through dance, music, circus, theatre, and storytelling.  This unique work will be presented as part of the National Arts Centre English Theatre Family Series;
• Stuck in a Snowbank Theatre’s A Taste of the Wildcat, a play about the unique characters and stories of the North, will take place in a replica of the original Wildcat Café at the Canadian Museum of Civilization; and more;
• Spirit of the Drums, a major celebration of First Nations and Inuit drumming and dancing that was first developed by the Adäka Cultural Festival, and more…

Music at the Scene will feature:

• Adventures in Canada’s North, a musical journey with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and special guests Susan Aglukark, throat singing duo Kulavak, and members of the acclaimed circus collective Artcirq.  The concert will be presented as part of the NAC Orchestra’s TD Bank Family Adventures in Music series;
• A Circumpolar Soundscape that brings together the dynamic talents of Aboriginal singer-songwriters Leela Gilday, Diyet, Sylvia Cloutier, and Nive Nielsen;
• Emerging artists, traditional fiddlers, hip-hop, throat singing and much more, including the ever-eclectic Tanya Tagaq, singer-songwriters Kim Barlow and Dana Sipos, and the infectious Francophone pop of Soir de Semaine, and more…

Visual and Media Arts at the Scene features work by the North’s best contemporary and traditional artists:

• Dorset Seen at the Carleton University Art Gallery is an expansive look at the rich print-making tradition of Cape Dorset;
• The Soniferous Æther of The Land Beyond The Land Beyond, a stunning new film installation by Sobey Award nominee Charles Stankievech and presented with SAW Video, the Ottawa Art Gallery and the City of Ottawa;
• Earth and Sky, a dramatic banner by acclaimed Nunavut artist Shuvinai Ashoona on display at the National Gallery of Canada;
• Whalebone, Beads, Fur, Feathers and Fibre: From the Collection of the Canada Council Art Bank offers a rare opportunity to see works from the collection that speak to the distinct variety of materials incorporated in Northern art forms;
• Inuit Ullumi: Inuit Today is drawn from the extraordinary collection of Inuit art belonging to the TD Bank and reflecting both traditional and contemporary interests;
• Aurora Boreawesomer, organized in collaboration with Ottawa’s Gallery 101 and Fort Simpson’s Open Sky Creative Society, offers a look at the contemporary visual art landscape of the Northwest Territories; and
• Sewing our Traditions: Dolls of Canada’s North is a delightful look at the long-standing traditions of doll-making in the North in an impressive collection originally curated by the Yukon Arts Centre for the Vancouver Olympic Games, and more….

And that’s just the start.  Northern Scene will also include film, fashion, storytelling, food, Arctic games, and more.  For more information about Northern Scene and to sign up to receive programming updates and the Northern Scene newsletter, please visit www.northernscene.ca

Partners

Northern Scene would like to thank the Government of Canada, the Governments of Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut and the Canada Council for the Arts for their generous support of this event.

A festival of this magnitude would not be possible without the support of corporate and individual partners. The National Arts Centre Foundation would like to thank Presenting Partner TransCanada Corporation, Special Partners John and Bonnie Buhler, Community Partner TD and Major Partner Enbridge Inc. Thanks also to Supporting Partners NCC Investment Group and Gail & David O’Brien, and Travel Partner First Air. The Major Media Partner is CBC North and the Ottawa Citizen is the Media Partner.

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For more information:

Rosemary Thompson
Director of Communications
National Arts Centre
(613) 947-7000, ext. 260
(613) 762-4118 cell
rosemary.thompson@nac-cna.ca

Laura Denker
Northern Scene Publicist
LOF Communications
613) 947-7000, ext. 381
(613) 299-8844 cell
laura.denker@nac-cna.ca