Fonds consists of records created and/or maintained by the National Arts Centre Corporation and its predecessors. Textual records include files from the offices of various executives, as well as from the NAC's Music Department, Theatre Department, and Dance, Variety and Special Events Department.
Films and videos in the fonds include footage of the construction of the NAC and its opening in 1969; recordings of various on-stage performances throughout the 1970s and 1980s; and sound recordings of speeches given by politicians and officials at the NAC opening in 1969.
The fonds also includes thousands of individual arts works, primarily posters advertising NAC performances and productions, as well as some costume, set and prop designs produced by various designers for NAC productions.
Photographs in the fonds include publicity portraits of performers from the late 1960s through to the 1990s, and photographic portraits that were part of an NAC-commissioned exhibit in 2006, "New Lives: 50 Stories Chronicling the Hungarian-Canadian Experience."
There are a few architectural drawings of aspects of the NAC building and interior in the fonds, and some cartographic material related to Expo 67 that was collected by G. Hamilton Southam in his capacity as a member of the Canadian Government Committee for Expo '67.
National Arts Centre (Canada) : The National Arts Centre Corporation came into being with the passage of the National Arts Centre Act (14-15 Elizabeth II, Chap. 48, assented to 15 July 1966). Despite minor amendments to this legislation since 1966, the fundamental objectives and administrative structure of the Corporation, as set out in the Act, have remained unchanged to the present. The Corporation currently (1997) reports to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage although earlier in its history it had reported through, first, the Secretary of State and, later, the Minister of Communications.
The Corporation, with its head office located in Ottawa, consists of a Board of Trustees composed of a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, the mayors of the cities of Ottawa and Hull, and six other members appointed by the Governor in Council. The Director of the Centre, appointed by the Board of Trustees, is the chief executive officer of the Corporation and has supervision over and direction of the work and staff of the Corporation. G. Hamilton Southam served as the first Director (1967-1977). Successors to this post have included: Donald MacSween (1977-1987); Bruce Corder (Acting Director, 1987); Yvon DesRochers (1987-1994); J. M. (Jack) Mills (Acting Director, 1994); Joan Pennefather (1994-1995); John Cripton (appointed September 1996).
The objectives of the Corporation, as set out in the Act, are to operate and maintain the National Arts Centre (opened in June 1969), to develop the performing arts (drama, music, and dance) in the National Capital Region, and to assist the Canada Council in the development of the performing arts elsewhere in Canada. To further these objectives, the Corporation is empowered to arrange for and sponsor performing arts activities at the Centre; encourage and assist in the development of performing arts companies resident at the Centre; arrange for or sponsor radio and television broadcasts from the Centre and the showing of films in the Centre; provide accommodation at the Centre for national and local organizations whose objects include the development and encouragement of the performing arts in Canada; and arrange for performances elsewhere in Canada by performing arts companies and arrange for performances outside Canada by performing arts companies resident in Canada.
The administrative structure of the institution has evolved over three decades. Currently (1997) there are three permanent committees of the Board of Trustees - the Executive Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Audit Committee - in addition to ad hoc committees. Operations are carried out through a number of departments which relate to Artistic Direction (e.g., the National Arts Centre Orchestra, English and French language theatre, dance and variety) and Administration (e.g., marketing, patron services, communications, property management, restaurants and catering, development, finance, and human resources).
