How to continue to export the performing arts in the inflationary post-pandemic?

Allusion, illusion. The company Les 7 Fingers de la Main is currently offering seven shows, in Quebec and abroad. The president and CEO of the circus troupe, however, asks not to be fooled by this apparent post-pandemic success.

“I must say it and emphasize it: this success does not happen with two fingers in the nose and what is happening to us should in no way serve as a lesson for the entire Quebec performing arts community,” summarizes Nassib El -Husseini from the start of the interview made to present concrete cases of Quebec artistic companies active abroad, near or far. “I also don’t want to be the one who says everything is bad. »

A CINARS study has just documented the decline in touring. In 2022-2023, three-quarters (77%) of French-speaking companies and agencies that organize representations across borders recorded a 30% decline in their representations compared to the previous year. CINARS’ mission is to promote and support the export of national shows.

The company Les 7 Fingers de la Main, a collective bringing together so many artists and opportunities to create, produces and tours astoundingly. At the time of the interview, the CEO had passed through Quebec for the premiere of Royal Pub, musical comedy by Cowboys Fringants, after a trip to Mexico to negotiate new contracts. Three shows by the troupe are presented on cruise ships; two (Passengers And Duel Reality) are on tour in Europe and Asia; Dear San Francisco permanently occupies a room in California. To these 7 of 7 will be added in February a creation based on the work of the painter Riopelle and another on Broadway (Water for Elephants).

“Our reality was changing before the pandemic,” says Mr. El-Husseini. It changed with the disaffection of traditional cinemas by new generations, who favor screens. It changed with our moods about eco-responsibility. The pandemic has accelerated the challenges to which inflation has recently been added. We made the decision to diversify our offerings so as not to die. »

Examples ? Lab7 explores the integration of cutting-edge technologies to develop new artistic languages. Green compensation counterbalances lucrative contracts on cruise ships known to pollute. The permanent installation in San Francisco notably avoids air travel.

“We adapt, we gain ground, but when we take a step forward, a new problem takes us back,” says Nassib El-Husseini. Inflation poses a huge challenge right now to continue to provide good salaries and quality shows. »

Alone or with others

The 7 Fingers hire and rotate dozens and dozens of artists and technicians. Fou Glorieux offers the opposite example of a micro-company organizing pocket tours with the dancer and choreographer Louise Lecavalier, sometimes accompanied by a technician and scenographic elements. It will offer around twenty performances elsewhere in the world this year, compared to around 25 in 2019.

The puppet company La Tortue Noir estimates that touring costs roughly double compared to a few years ago. In 2019-2020, the troupe gave 46 performances abroad, then none the following two years, and only four in 2022-2023. There could be around fifteen in 2023-2024, the rest of the sixty performances taking place in Quebec.

“We filmed a lot in France, where cultural budgets have decreased with a tendency to want to broadcast more national productions,” explains Sara Moisan, founder of the Black Tortue in 2008. We also have much more difficulty recruiting technicians and managers. for travel. »

The organization Les Voyagements, dedicated to the dissemination of creative theater for adults across Quebec and the Canadian Francophonie, has on the contrary experienced a post-pandemic boom. Its main indices are on the rise with 175 performances in 2018-2019 and 223 in 2022-2023 which attracted 27,500 spectators five years ago and 37,000 this year.

“In Quebec, we are lucky to have the CALQ which really supported broadcasters with the ticketing measure to continue to be bold in their programming,” says Hubert Côté, deputy director of the non-profit organization. lucrative. But in certain provinces, it is more difficult in this regard. »

Give/receive

National and international releases ensure the life and survival of stage works. Shows by the Marie Chouinard company were presented intermittently for two decades. “Quebec and Canada do not have the pool of theaters and audiences to sustain certain plays in the long term,” summarizes Sara Moisan, CEO of La Tortue noire. Traveling elsewhere in the world is an obligation of survival. »

Mickaël Spinnhirny, co-director of his eponymous agency, knows this very well, and this is why he frankly questions the part of responsibility attributable to the offer of shows to explain the current situation. “We hear a lot of complaints from the industry about international opportunities, the impact of the pandemic and the lack of technicians on tours,” he says. We should also ask ourselves whether our shows are suitable for different target markets. If certain shows are not selling at the moment, it may also be because the supply is becoming far too large for the absorption capacity. »

We should also ask ourselves whether our shows are suitable for different target markets. If certain shows are not selling at the moment, it may also be because the supply is becoming far too large for the absorption capacity.

It’s not just the quantity. Mr. Spinnhirny also dares to wonder out loud about the qualities of certain proposals. “The social questions that we currently have in Quebec are perhaps not questions that we will have in other markets, where other questions often arise,” he said. Sometimes, I find that the works are not made to resonate with international audiences, even if, behind it, there is pressure to tour. I think we should think differently internationally. […] The last few years have been difficult and it is certain that brighter, more generous and accessible proposals work better at the moment. »

Les 7 Doigts only offers that, or almost, and it works. Nassib El-Husseini recalls that his company, like all the others on tour, is active in the field of international cultural exchanges while the guns are speaking loudly at the moment. His company arrested two shows in Moscow because of the war.

“Do we prefer to highlight canons or cultural diplomacy? he asks. Art touring poses environmental and economic challenges. But they also serve to elevate the soul, to spread beauty and to establish a dialogue between humans, everything that is sorely lacking at the moment. »

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