A showcase of musical talent has been shining under the 黑料吃瓜网 spotlight throughout the South Slave region this week before preparing to step onstage for a grand finale performance at the 黑料吃瓜网 Arts and Cultural Centre (NACC) on Saturday.

In celebration of NACC鈥檚 40th anniversary, the performances highlight the talent of community groups and 黑料吃瓜网 musicians such as Dene fiddler Wesley Hardisty and 罢艂颈肠丑贸 mezzo-soprano Michelle Lafferty.

Being the only performing arts centre in the NWT, board member Maureen Crotty-Williams, said NACC has become 鈥減art of the fabric of life and of living in a community.鈥�

鈥淚t's that other side of life that humans need. Whether it's intellectual stimulation or physical activity, we're more than just feeding ourselves and going to work and coming home,鈥� Crotty-Williams said of the need for enjoying artistic endeavours in their many forms.

鈥淚t probably goes back as far as humans have been on the planet. But there is this side to us that wants storytelling or music or dance,鈥� she said.

Lure of 黑料吃瓜网 spotlight

Crotty-Williams, herself an accomplished classical musician who has performed onstage at NACC, said over the decades, NACC has evolved from hosting several performances throughout the year to attracting 鈥渨orld class鈥� performers to the Yellowknife stage.

鈥淭here is something about the exoticness of the North,鈥� she said of the curiosity that entices some of the performers up from the south and from world stages in Toronto or London, England, for example.

She said it is a definite advantage that NACC is a smaller venue compared to the large concert halls in other parts of the world.

鈥淚t's a smaller and more intimate venue, and usually to hear really great performers, you're in much larger centres where the theatre is harder to get into, and there is 1,000-plus people in the hall with you.

So, it's really a privilege - especially when we've had this unusual ability to attract some of these outstanding performers.鈥�

Crotty-Williams said it was of great benefit to both performers and audiences that NACC shows are also often brought to smaller NWT communities that otherwise might not get to experience such performances.

鈥淭he fact that you're travelling to the smaller communities, I think that's obviously a benefit to the people attending, and if there are any artistic children or young people that have this talent in them, or this interest in the arts, I think seeing performances gives them the idea that this can really happen, that this exists in the world, and perhaps (believe) 鈥業 could be part of it鈥�.

鈥淪ometimes when you're in a more remote or isolated community, you don't even know what is out there,鈥� she said.

Marie Coderre, executive and artistic director of NACC, said the Centre is multi-faceted, by running mentorship programs, outreach programs and by building capacity throughout the territory.

鈥淲e always aim at presenting multidisciplinary shows. And our mandate has been to support local artists, visiting artists, the youth and community groups,鈥� Coderre said.

Fabulous at 40

Since the inception of NACC, Coderre said there has been a celebration each decade 鈥渢hat reflects what NACC is all about.鈥�

鈥淎nd you know, the (40th anniversary) show will be really a symbolic show reflecting the northern scene, not only in Yellowknife, but also in the small communities and it will reflect different arts forms from the NWT, and it's also intergenerational,鈥� Coderre said of the two-hour event, which will also see in attendance all of NACC鈥檚 board members to commemorate the anniversary.

鈥淪o, there will be dance, opera, fiddle music. There will be choir work. It's very eclectic as a show.

鈥淭here's such a rich culture in the North. It's so diverse, it's so unique. It's not one culture. There's many, many different influences and also ways of creating.鈥�