Call for Nominations – NAC Award for Distinguished Contribution to Touring

October 14, 2025 – (OTTAWA) – The National Arts Centre and the Canadian Arts Presenting Association (CAPACOA) are once again extending a call for nominations for the National Arts Centre Award for Distinguished Contribution to Touring. The deadline for nominations is Friday, October 31, 2025. 

The National Arts Centre Award will be presented at a special dinner during CAPACOA’s annual conference, which takes place from December 1 to 5, 2025 in Ottawa. 

Established in 1992, the $2,500 award honors exceptional achievement in fostering the touring of live performing arts in Canada. The recipient – who will also receive an exquisite porcelain sculpture by Gatineau’s Paula Murray – is chosen from nominations solicited from within the industry and is selected by a committee composed of presenters, artists, managers and representatives from the National Arts Centre and CAPACOA. The recipient may be an individual, performing company, corporation or other organization. 

Previous recipients include Margo Kane (2023), Ballet BC (2019), Derek Andrews (2018), the East Coast Music Association (2017), Paul Tanguay (2016), Norman Armour (2015), Tafelmusik (2014), Alain Paré (2013), Peter Feldman (2012), Ballet Jörgen Canada (2011), La danse sur les routes (2010), Uriel Luft (2009), the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (2008), Judy Harquail (2007), Ottie Lockey (2006), Colin McIntyre (2005), CBC Radio/la radio de Radio-Canada (2004), Debut Atlantic (2003), Richard Stoker (2002), Nicholas Goldschmidt (2001), Bruce Owen (2000), the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (1999), David Haber (1998), Dr. Elmer Iseler (1997), Jean-Paul Gagnon (1996), Hugh Davidson (1995), Mark Porteous (1994), George Zukerman (1993), and CAPACOA (1992). 

Nominations for the National Arts Centre Award for Distinguished Contribution to Touring may be submitted using this online form, and must include documentation detailing the nominee’s background, experience, achievements and long-term contribution to live performance touring in Canada. Submissions should also include at least two supporting letters of reference and any other material pertinent to the nomination. 

About the NAC

The National Arts Centre is Canada’s bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts. The NAC presents, creates, produces, and co-produces performing arts programming in various streams—the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and Popular Music and Variety—and nurtures the next generation of audiences and artists from across Canada. The NAC is located in the National Capital Region on the unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation. 

About CAPACOA

The Canadian Association for the Performing Arts/l’Association canadienne des organismes artistiques (CAPACOA) is Canada’s only national arts service organization dedicated to fostering a healthy performing arts touring and presenting community. CAPACOA cultivates national and international partnerships and networks that represent approximately 2,000 professional and volunteer organizations, associations, and companies. CAPACOA’s membership includes over 180 professional for-profit and not-for-profit presenter organizations, festivals, artistic companies, agents, managers, artists, and other stakeholders working across the presenting and touring sector in Canada.

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