This text is part of the special Culture Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean notebook
The position of cultural citizenship agent within Culture Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, created in 2023, is a relatively recent initiative in the regional and provincial cultural sector. “Although still little known, it is a concept which, according to us, allows culture to respond to social challenges,” explains Adrien Guibert-Barthez, who currently holds the position.
Adrien Guibert-Barthez is particularly dedicated to analyzing the influence of culture on different aspects of regional life, including health, and examines how it can serve as a response to regional social issues. According to him, many cultural groups in the region practice cultural citizenship, often without being aware of it. For researcher Christian Poirier, co-director of the Observatory of Cultural Mediations, cultural citizenship, although fluid in its definition, has several key characteristics. “For me, there is a central core which revolves around three poles: the subject, always in relationship with others and the world; the cultural center; the political pole in the broad sense, that is to say this space which allows one to express oneself, to enter into relationships with others and to act,” he says.
Take ownership of the concept
Since their creation in 1977, Quebec’s regional cultural councils have played an essential role in the decentralization and democratization of cultural life across the province. They successively take on the roles of advice, promotion of culture, consultation and training of the cultural environment. Federated under the aegis of the Network of Regional Cultural Councils of Quebec (RCRCQ), which among other things carries a common vision and strategy, these councils invest, among other things, in the cultural citizenship of young people. “In 2012, we launched a collective approach with our members so that our young people are part of our cultural life,” explains Éric Lord, director of the RCRCQ.
We then talk about the need to redefine traditional roles in the cultural field, namely those of consumer or producer of culture. “Within Culture SLSJ, we want to recognize culture as a vector of strong social and regional development, because even if we can measure the economic benefits of culture, its most profound and intersectoral effect is not yet well understood , recognizes Adrien Guibert-Barthez. This is what we want to make people realize, because culture is part of our identity. »
An example of this approach is the multidisciplinary and large-scale show Daisy, created in 2019 in Petit-Saguenay. Residents took charge of creating this major spectacle to tell their own story. This project illustrates how communities can actively appropriate their heritage and culture, thus demonstrating that cultural vitality is not confined to large urban centers, according to Adrien Guibert-Barthez.
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