OCTOBER 7-8, 2026
Annabelle Cloutier
President & CEO, National Arts Centre
Annabelle Cloutier is the President and CEO of Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC), our country’s bilingual, multidisciplinary home for the performing arts. Located in the Nation’s Capital, the NAC invests in the dreams of artists and brings bold new performances to the stage, inviting audiences to connect with Canada’s vibrant culture. Appointed in December 2025, Annabelle is the first Francophone woman to lead the national institution since its opening in 1969. She sees the NAC as a welcoming and ambitious gathering place where culture strengthens our identity and helps build a more connected society. Annabelle brings more than 25 years of leadership experience at the intersection of public affairs, governance, the arts, and strategic planning. Trained as a lawyer, with graduate studies in communications and an Executive Certificate in Public Leadership from Harvard Kennedy School, she combines strategic rigour with empathy. Her lifelong connection to the arts is shaped by early musical and performance training.
Opening remarks
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