Quebec Residents and Visitors Are Invited to Get Their Fill of Culture This Summer

Press Release

MONTRÉAL, June 22, 2019

As Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day approaches and the Fête nationale du Québec as well as the summer festival season, the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, announced the Government of Canada is investing $10.5 million in nearly 400 cultural celebrations and events across Quebec this summer.

This funding will give residents and tourists throughout Quebec numerous opportunities to discover homegrown artists of various disciplines, and to celebrate the richness and diversity of their cultural heritage. It will also contribute to the vitality and economic success of various communities.

The funding is provided through the Celebrate Canada program, the Local Festivals component of the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage Program, and the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF).

Minister Rodriguez also highlighted the increased investment of more than $50 million, which was announced in Budget 2019, to support a wide range of arts and heritage events, including arts series, festivals and celebrations throughout Canada.

Additional funding for the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage program will benefit current organizations receiving support. LGBTQ2+ festivals will also benefit from more stable, reliable funding for Pride and other important LGBTQ2+ festivals in the coming years.

The increased funding from the Celebration and Commemoration Program has already been distributed. Large-scale celebrations for National Indigenous Peoples Day, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Canadian Multiculturalism Day have been funded and community celebrations have already received an average increase of 17 percent, compared to 2018.

This investment will help meet present demands and growth, notably in rural and remote regions.

This additional funding will strengthen the cultural and creative industries, encourage Canadians celebrate diversity, and promote greater inclusion.

Quotes

“Finally, summer festival season has arrived! Festivals, celebrations and events throughout Quebec over the summer are a testament to the richness and diversity of our cultural scene. They promote regional economic growth by attracting numerous visitors. The festival season gives us the opportunity to go out, discover new talents and simply have fun with friends, family. Let’s get out there!”

—The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism

Quick facts

• The projects have been funded through Canadian Heritage’s Building Communities through Arts and Heritage, the Canada Arts Presentation Fund, and Celebrate Canada programs.
• The Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program increases opportunities for local artists, artisans, heritage performers or specialists to be involved in their community through festivals, events and projects.
• The Canada Arts Presentation Fund provides financial assistance to organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series, as well as their support organizations.
• Every year, the government supports more than 1,350 festivals and performing arts events in more than 400 communities throughout Canada, through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund and the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage program.
• Celebrate Canada provides funding to community-based activities celebrating and promoting National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24, Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27, and Canada Day on July 1. Every year, more than 10 million Canadians participate in more than 1,600 events supported by this program throughout the country.
• The increased funding proposed in Budget 2019 for the Celebration and Commemoration Program will help expand the scope and visibility of these days of celebration, and to highlight the new National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
• The additional investment of $50.25 million over two years (2019-2020 and 2020-2021) announced in the last budget will be distributed as follows:
  • $16 million over two years for the Canada Arts Presentation Fund;
  • $14 million over two years for the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage program; and
  • $20.25 million over two years for the Celebration and Commemoration Program.

Associated links

• Building Communities through Arts and Heritage
• Canada Arts Presentation Fund
• Celebrate Canada

Contacts

For more information (media only), please contact:

Simon Ross
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism
819-997-7788

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
pch.media-media.pch@canada.ca

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