A source of entertainment and inspiration for many residents in Park-Extension , several Montreal festivals damaged by the pandemic, such as MUTEK, Cinémania and Montreal completely circus, are worried about their future. On Tuesday February 21st, the general management of 17 cultural meetings in the metropolis asked the governments to extend the financial aid put in place during the health crisis in order to ensure their survival.
In an open letter, the signatory organizations write that they got through the Covid years by the sweat of their brow, a tour de force made possible thanks to notable investments by the public authorities. They now bear witness to the aftermath of abrupt crises, which reveal the fragility of their structures and the shortness of their teams. Inflation, increase in artist fees, human resources issues: the signatory festivals paint a bleak portrait of the challenges to be met to ensure the sustainability of their activities.
We are suffering the impacts of the depreciation of the conditions of employment of the cultural sector, which has been observed for many years, one can read in the open letter. The current funding no longer allows us to maintain the jobs necessary for the proper deployment of our activities. The situation has dramatic consequences for the future.
In a context where the special assistance offered during the pandemic has ended, our ability to offer substantial programming and to contribute to the workplace and the economy is in jeopardy, argue the organizations.
The signatory directorates general, which also include Pop Montréal, Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma, the Festival international Nuits d’Afrique, the Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal and the Festival TransAmériques, are therefore asking for financial support from the provincial and federal governments, as well as than to the City of Montreal, in the coming years.
The dynamism of our festivals contributes to the affirmation of Montreal as a unique Francophone cultural metropolis in the Americas, they point out. It is gratifying to find large audiences and to stimulate with them the heart of the cultural and artistic life of Montreal. This solidarity deserves our commitment as well as yours.
