News Releases

  1. THE NAC WILL KICK OFF SUMMER WITH A BIG BANG: A CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL TO DELIGHT YOUNG AND OLD

    May 24, 2022

    News Release Summer edition to be presented over the Canada Day long weekend Ottawa, May 24, 2022 – On July 2 and 3, the sound of children’s laughter will echo through the National Arts Centre (NAC) during the BIG BANG Festival, an all-music event dedicated to youth. Forced to go digital last February, the popular sound adventure is back for 2022 (take 2) in a live... Read more

  2. THE NAC TO MARK VETERANS’ WEEK AND REMEMBRANCE DAY WITH HOST OF VIRTUAL COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

    November 5, 2020

    The NAC joins Canadians in remembering the First and Second World Wars with virtual “Letters from the Great War” musical and theatrical performance, free online activities, and stunning digital displays OTTAWA (Canada) –This Veterans’ Week, November 5 -11, in honour of the brave Canadians who fought for our freedom, the National Arts Centre will offer a virtual musical and... Read more

  3. Celebrating 75 Years of Freedom & Friendship through the Arts

    March 6, 2020

    Arts of the Netherlands featured at the NAC with events, activities and performances March 17- 21 OTTAWA – As 2020 marks 75 Years of Freedom and Canada’s important role in the liberation of the Netherlands, the National Arts Centre wishes to honour the deep friendship between both countries with a week-long focus on the arts of the Netherlands, from March 17 to 21. The Embassy... Read more

  4. A MUSICAL ADVENTURE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: THE BIG BANG IS BACK AT NAC

    January 15, 2020

    An explosion of fun, shows and free activities… and much more! Get ready: the BIG BANG festival is back... and it will blow your socks off! The fun begins in just one month, on February 16 and 17 at the National Arts Centre (NAC). For one festive week-end, the BIG BANG will again transform the NAC into a joyful musical maze, full of adventures in sound to explore.... Read more

  5. The 12 Highlights of the National Arts Centre's 50th Anniversary Year

    December 17, 2019

    The National Arts Centre enjoyed an extraordinary 50th anniversary year in 2019. It included exquisite performances by The National Ballet of Canada; the highly successful North American premiere of the popular BIG BANG festival; the landmark programming announcement for the inaugural season of Indigenous Theatre; a triumphant 50th Anniversary European Tour by the NAC Orchestra; a celebratory Open... Read more

  6. SEPTEMBER 11 TO 29: MÒSHKAMO FESTIVAL KICKS OFF INAUGURAL SEASON OF FIRST INDIGENOUS THEATRE OF ITS KIND AT CANADA’S NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE

    September 9, 2019

    Algonquin-led Canoe Procession Down Rideau Canal to Officially Open the NAC’s Indigenous Theatre From 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 14 OTTAWA (Canada) The inaugural 2019–2020 season of the world’s first national Indigenous Theatre of its kind gets underway in Ottawa at the National Arts Centre (NAC) with Mòshkamo: Indigenous Arts Rising, a unique Indigenous... Read more

  7. September 11 to 29: Mòshkamo Festival Kicks-off Inaugural Season of First Indigenous Theatre of its Kind at National Arts Centre

    September 6, 2019

    The inaugural 2019–2020 season of the world’s first national Indigenous Theatre of its kind gets underway in Ottawa at the National Arts Centre (NAC) with Mòshkamo: Indigenous Arts Rising, a unique Indigenous arts and community festival featuring exciting all-Indigenous programming in the NAC’s performance and public spaces September 11-29, 2019 The festival will take... Read more

  8. On its 50th Anniversary Thousands of Canadians made the NAC their stage

    June 3, 2019

    On Sunday, June 2, 2019 the National Arts Centre celebrated its 50th Anniversary by welcoming thousands of Canadians to its free 50th Anniversary open house. This momentous occasion provided a rare look at the magic of the backstage, lively workshops in theatre and dance, free performances by Canadian artists, and family activities throughout the NAC’s public spaces. This unique event was in... Read more

  9. National Arts Centre Compost Program to Divert 500,000 Food and Drink Containers from Landfill Annually

    May 9, 2019

    The National Arts Centre (NAC) and the Hon. Catherine McKenna, Canadian Minister of the Environment and Climate Change and Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre, today unveiled an innovative program that will introduce plant-based food and drink containers and transform them into rich compost to be put into herb gardens at the NAC. The move will divert 500,000 containers from the landfill... Read more

  10. THE NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT OF THE BIG BANG FESTIVAL A ROUSING SUCCESS!

    March 5, 2019

    8000 people enjoyed the family-friendly two-day Festival of sound By all accounts the North American debut of Europe’s BIG BANG Festival was a rousing success! On February 17 and 18 the NAC opened its doors to 8000 participants who enjoyed adventures in sound, dozens of shows, performances and sound installations dreamed up by artists from here and abroad in celebration of the joy of... Read more