This text is part of the special section Culture Montérégie
The Montérégie may have 20% of the population of Quebec, but it finds itself at the bottom of the list when it comes to cultural funding per capita, and has no Radio-Canada or Télé-Québec antenna on its territory.
Nestled between Estrie and Montreal, which call on artists like so many sirens, Montérégie is struggling to carve out a place for itself in the province’s cultural ecosystem. In 2019, a study conducted by KPMG calculated the economic and social impact of arts and culture in the region. Commissioned by Culture Montérégie and produced jointly with Tourisme Montérégie, the report talks about figures, but also problems… and possible solutions.
In the shadow of Montreal
In total, the added value of the Montérégie cultural sector was estimated at $426.9 million in 2019 — and a good part remains in the region. It carries recognized cultural events, such as the International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu or the Agricultural Expo in Saint-Hyacinthe. There are also more modest players, such as the Smallest Animation Film Festival in the World, in Huntingdon, or theater companies for young audiences, such as the Théâtre de la Dame de Cœur, specializing in puppets. Despite everything, the region receives only 3.5% of cultural investments from the provincial government, a fairly low percentage given its population density.
“We distribute the sums invested by the Government of Quebec over a greater number of individuals, of course, but that does not entirely explain this disparity in funding,” underlines Nancy Bélanger, Executive Director of Culture Montérégie. On this territory, which includes the municipalities of Sorel, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and Longueuil, among others, there are relatively few artists’ studios, recognized cultural centers and, notes the director, adequate equipment for creation and dissemination, whether cinematographic, visual or scenic. Consequently, cultural workers flock to Montreal to practice their livelihood.
The fault of the metropolis? Not only. Populated with streets bearing the names of birds, very characteristic of the suburbs, the region is still struggling to define a clear identity. The population there is growing faster than the Quebec average, increasing the pool of possible audiences. “This regional cultural development, this culture which is impregnated, which is inserted and which is created everywhere in the regions, is very important. It is necessary to rekindle the flame of the public towards his city, ”estimates Mme Belanger.
The report also highlights the impact of the transition to digital and foreign competition, particularly that of web giants, on the region’s cultural sector – two findings that will only have been accelerated by the pandemic. Of course, the Montérégie is not the only one to experience these upheavals, but since it already lacks venues, the public quickly withers.
time to talk
One of the objectives of the publication of the KPMG report, Culture Montérégie does not hide it, was to solicit more elected officials and prefects of the MRCs. “We cannot fully measure the contribution of culture without supporting it adequately,” says Sylvain Massé, actor and president of the organization. Among the priorities that the provincial body politic has set itself in the region is the creation of a strong identity through culture.
“I believe in it, but there is a lot of work to do,” says Mme Belanger. An increase in private funding and philanthropy, which promises opportunities and arts-business partnerships similar to those in the metropolis, could be one of the possible solutions to increase the cultural pool in the region. Fortunately, the call seems to have paid off. During the pandemic, elected officials had time to read the study and consider the problem.
“Now we have a much more attentive ear and a real impact. Suddenly, many business people, elected officials and prefects are contacting us. We scored a big blow with that, ”believes Sylvain Massé. Culture Montérégie wants the body politic to understand that its culture is a pillar of the province’s economy, and above all, that the region is more than a territory on the outskirts of the big city.