Montreal, May 15, 2024 – The Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) will receive an additional $15 million for its mission support program. (available in French only)
The Front commun pour les arts et les lettres eagerly awaited the announcement from Mathieu Lacombe, Minister of Culture and Communications, regarding the necessary budget increase for the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ). Yesterday, we learned of the allocation of an additional $15 million to CALQ’s mission support program for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
This sum comes from a reallocation of funds from the Ministry of Culture and Communications’ portfolio and will temporarily restore the mission support program to the level of the previous fiscal year.
While this demonstrates a certain responsiveness from the Minister of Culture, this budgetary adjustment remains an incomplete response to the need for necessary investments to support the vitality of Quebec’s cultural sector and preserve its achievements. It should be noted that the organizations targeted by this announcement had not seen their funding consolidated for 7 years, and they must now contend with significant cost increases due, in particular, to the inflationary context and labor shortages.
Furthermore, this adjustment overlooks artists and all non-mission-supported organizations that have been at the heart of recent weeks’ mobilization and whose precarity continues to worsen. Consequently, we maintain that yesterday’s announcement is perceived as a first step towards a significant recovery of funds allocated to all of CALQ’s regular programs.
For months, even years, the arts and literature community has relentlessly testified to the effects of its underfunding. The demands of organizations and individuals are documented. The needs are urgent. These piecemeal announcements of funds signify that the major issues afflicting the arts and literature sector are not recognized and illustrate the government’s lack of long-term vision for the development of our sector. It seems inconceivable to us to still have to demonstrate the economic, social, and identity-related benefits of culture to a nationalist government that nonetheless claims to recognize its value. The Front commun demands a consolidation of CALQ’s budget and the implementation of a systematic indexation principle for its programs.
On May 16, 2024, artists, creators, artisans, cultural workers, culture enthusiasts, and loyal partners will once again be present in front of the minister’s office to continue passionately and devotedly protecting Quebec culture.
About the Front Commun Pour Les Arts Et Les Lettres
The Front commun pour les arts et les lettres is a coalition of organizations whose main objective is to raise government awareness of the interconnectedness of the various components of the arts and literature sector and the urgency of achieving the financial catch-up necessary for their development.
For more information:
Véronique Gravel, Communications Manager
514-717-3641
communication@cqt.qc.ca
From the Front Commun Pour Les Arts Et Les Lettres
Professional Association of Performing Arts Presenters – RIDEAU
Quebec Music Council – CQM
Quebec Theatre Council – CQT
Doc Québec – Documentarists of Canada
En Piste, national association of circus arts
Quebec Musicians’ Guild –
GMMQ Quebec Visual Arts Artists’ Coalition –
RAAV Quebec Street Arts Coalition – RAR
Coalition of Quebec Artist-Run Centres – RCAAQ
Coalition of Independent Research and Experimentation Arts Peers – REPAIRE Quebec Dance Coalition – RQD
Quebec Museums Society – SMQ Artists’ Union – UDA
Union of Quebec Writers – UNEQ
