Quebec government announces welcome news about new financial support
for theatrical presenters and artists

 
Montréal, Friday, October 2, 2020 - The Conseil québécois du théâtre (CQT) is delighted with the financial measures announced today by Premier François Legault and Minister of Culture and Communications Nathalie Roy to support the theatre community. These monies will provide substantial economic support to our theatre organizations.

The CQT applauds the introduction of these monetary mechanisms directed at revenues from ticket sales for shows scheduled between October 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, which has been requested by the CQT. This breath of fresh air will help theatrical institutions continue to fulfill their mission with the assurance that the budgetary risks they are undertaking do not become an economic drain. Through this financial support, many jobs will be preserved and created for both artists and cultural workers.

It must be stressed that these institutions have worked hard to create alternative seasons in a very short time, always in compliance with health measures and reduced audience participation, which have resulted in substantial losses at the box office.  

These organizations are described as being the driving force of economic recovery in the theater world, but they cannot carry the whole sector on their shoulders, especially with empty theatres. Therefore, in the coming weeks, the CQT will continue its dialogue with the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications to ensure that significant sums are also reinvested in the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec – over and above what has already been invested at the beginning of the crisis - in order to support artists through subsidies and grants for research and creation. Additionally, the CQT will take this opportunity to continue its direct communications with the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts so that they too, can also find ways to support our community through direct assistance to our artists, creators and cultural workers.

The CQT celebrates the strength of the theatre sector, its creativity and its efforts to be able to adapt to the current social context and all its challenges.
 

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CONTACT
Marine Gauthier
Communications Coordinator
communication@cqt.qc.ca 
 
ABOUT US
The Conseil québécois du théâtre (CQT) is a national group that brings together and represents professional theatre practitioners and organizations in Quebec to promote the development and outreach of the theatrical arts in all their diversity. The CQT is a political force and a well-known forum that allows the Quebec theatre world and its artisans to use it to express the challenges of their artistic practice and the issues of the future.