National Arts Centre Costumes and Posters

As the National Arts Centre (NAC) turns 40, it's fascinating to explore past performances. The NAC has dug deep into its archives to produce two fascinating online collections of rarely seen theatre costumes and posters.

The Secret Life of Costumes shows more than 200 costumes selected by retired NAC archivist Gerry Grace. Essays on theatre costume design and biographies of the designers bring this collection to life. You can also find information on the dresser's point of view and low-cost costuming ideas for your own production as well as lots of resources for teachers and students.

Persuading Presence is a collection of over 400 performing arts posters from NAC performances. There's information on poster design, how posters are used as marketing tools, and more activities for teachers and students.

Photo: National Arts Centre Lobby
Courtesy Ottawa Tourism

More on the National Arts Centre
Photo Gallery - NAC History on Display - The Ottawa Citizen
ArtsAlive.ca
The National Arts Centre