NAC announces Christopher Deacon as new president and CEO

The National Arts Centre (NAC) announced Tuesday that longtime NAC Orchestra managing director Christopher Deacon will succeed Peter Herrndorf as the centre’s new president and CEO, effective immediately.

Herrndorf stepped down from the post on June 2, 2018 after nearly two decades as president. News of his departure was announced in September.

Born in Montreal, Que., Deacon, 59, has 35 years of experience managing orchestras – the last 22 of which he has served as managing director of the NAC Orchestra.

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“The National Arts Centre is a place of dreams for artists and producers in Canada,” Deacon said in an NAC news release. “It is the place where many do their best work, a destination that says they have ‘arrived.’ Or the launching pad for their future artistic path.

“I love what the NAC means to Canadians and I have a passion for what it could become in the next chapter of its development.”

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The NAC said Deacon’s appointment marks the first time someone has been promoted internally to president and CEO in the organization’s history.

News of Herrndorf’s departure was announced in September. He applauded Deacon’s appointment in the release.

“Christopher Deacon is a champion of the performing arts in Canada,” Herrndorf said. “He’s got a proven record as a risk-taker and as an adventurous arts administrator leading highly ambitious projects.”