Acting for Climate Montréal / Mouvement Climat Montréal addresses sensitive issues through committed and eco-responsible contemporary circus
The Montreal Arts Council and En Piste, the national circus arts network, join their voices to warmly congratulate the recipient organization of the first Propulsion Award in Circus Arts.
The award, accompanied by a $10,000 grant, recognizes an artist, cultural worker, collective, or organization in circus arts that innovated and contributed to the enrichment of the discipline in 2023. This new initiative is the result of a three-year partnership established between the Council and En Piste.
For its unprecedented and audacious contributions to circus arts, its eco-responsible operating model, and its influence locally and internationally, the award is presented to the company Acting for Climate Montréal / Mouvement Climat Montréal.
Founded in 2020 by Nathan Biggs Penton, Agathe Bisserier, and Adrien Malette-Chénier, and recently joined by Samuelle McGowan-Richer, Acting for Climate Montréal / Mouvement Climat Montréal demonstrates high artistic standards and civic engagement, advocating for practices that address current environmental concerns.
The jury highlighted the dynamism of Acting for Climate Montréal / Mouvement Climat Montréal, which promotes parity, inclusion, and artist development through its creative residencies and productions. This company generates benefits within the circus community by hiring diverse acrobats and newcomers with varied training backgrounds. It has a broad reach locally and introduces new audiences to contemporary circus on stage, in parks, and other public spaces. Their show
After thanking En Piste and the Council for creating the Propulsion Award and for receiving its first edition, Nathan Biggs Penton, speaking on behalf of the collective, added:
” Today, I am alone, but surrounded by an entire community of people,
essential to the success of our projects. Thank you to all those who have supported us,
who believe in the importance of our approach and create with us.
Since we created Acting for Climate Montréal, we have greatly helped and
inspired each other among the small companies.
We would not have gotten here – to this point – without this
expanding ecosystem that is changing Quebec circus
Even with the art cuts we are currently experiencing,
magnificent initiatives are emerging that make us proud to be part of Quebec circus.
“The future is not what happens, but what we will do.”
Acting for Climate Montréal / Mouvement Climat Montréal is an inspiring and accessible model for future artists. Its entrepreneurial stance is characterized by creative management that considers touring methods to focus on alternative distribution and circulation avenues for works and social immersion. The company unites both the public and the circus community.
Among the 19 high-level projects submitted, the jury, composed of five individuals from the circus community, selected four finalists. The other three are Frédérique Cournoyer Lessard and Scuse, the collective People Watching and Play Dead, as well as La compagnie des autres for its Contribution to the Circus Community in 2023. The jury was unanimous: the four finalist projects brilliantly meet the criteria of the Propulsion Award. They propose original creative approaches, equitable and inclusive practices, new organizational models, and avant-garde working methods.
The Propulsion Award was presented during the opening night of the festival MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE, on July 3, 2024, at TOHU.
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Source:
Eloi Savoie
Interim Communications Director
esavoie@enpiste.qc.ca