Quebec artists to be focus of 2007 NAC festival

The artists of Quebec will take the spotlight in Ottawa next spring, as the National Arts Centre's multidisciplinary arts festival shines its light on la belle province.

NAC organizers announced Monday that more than 700 artists from the worlds of music, theatre, dance, film, comedy, literature, circus, culinary, visual and media arts will descend on the Ottawa and Gatineau area for Quebec Scene.

Artists who have already signed on include dance troupe La La La Human Steps, playwright Wajdi Mouawad, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montral, the Lorraine Desmarais Trio, the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir, and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under conductor Kent Nagano.

More participants will be announced in the new year.

Third instalment of popular festival

The festival which will run April 20 to May 5 is the NAC's third biennial "Scene" eventafter 2003's Atlantic Scene and 2005's Alberta Scene. The events are designed to give national and international exposure to Canada's regional talents.

"What struck me most in the almost two years now that I've been working on this has been the passion that the [Quebec] public has for their artists," the festival's producer and executive director Heather Moore told CBC News.

"They know the authors, they know the playwrights, they know the choreographers. It's just so easily transferred to me. That enthusiasm is contagious. I hope we can do a good job of bringing that to the Ottawa-Gatineau region and to the rest of Canada."

To help choose what will be featured in the massive event, Moore called on a team of Quebec-based advisers and programmers. Also, organizers will invite nearly 100 international and national agents and programmers to attend the festival so as to better spread the word about Quebec artists.

Quebec Scene will spread out across Ottawa, with exhibits, installations and performances taking place in venues ranging from the National Arts Centre's own four stages to bars and restaurants in the area.