This text is part of the special section Culture Montérégie
Regional cultural development is a valuable tool for ensuring the quality of life of citizens and developing their sense of belonging, believes Linda Phaneuf, director general of the MRC de Beauharnois-Salaberry, located in the southwest of the island of Montreal.
“Art and culture are part of this ‘great whole’ that defines the quality of life in a region and its appeal,” explains the woman who has worked for the MRC for thirty years. It is important to get closer to artists and artisans, and to support them through projects. »
Concretely, the MRC de Beauharnois-Salaberry is the custodian of the territorial partnership program signed between the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ), the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the other regional county municipalities of Montérégie. .
Together, the partners have collected an envelope totaling more than $2 million, which will be distributed over three years to artists and cultural organizations in the region.
“Culture is the manifestation of a region’s identity,” says Céline Lavallée, director of support for artists, communities and regional action at the CALQ. It is therefore very important that she lives and that she is supported to meet her needs in order to develop. »
Unlike current CALQ programs, which are open to all artists residing in Quebec, this type of financial envelope (there are 17 similar ones elsewhere in Quebec) is intended for artists who reside in a specific region, with the avowed aim of allowing them to exercise their profession on site.
“We don’t want to see an exodus of artists to major centres. We want to keep the wealth of the regions in the region, assures Céline Lavallée. We want to promote the retention of artists in their locality to stimulate creation in the region and contribute to their growth. »
Funded projects must also be rooted in the community, that is, they must be produced and broadcast locally with the help of local partners. One more way to ensure cultural vitality, not only for the artists, but also for the local public.
“It contributes to the formation of a community spirit,” says Céline Lavallée, who gives the example of dance or theater troupes evolving outside the halls, in non-traditional places such as public squares or hospitals. .
“It’s a way of involving citizens, since they have access to works or artistic events close to home. For artists, it’s a way to win over new audiences or to meet audiences who don’t have access to culture. It gives a very dynamic environment. »
In the courtyard of the municipalities
For a long time confined to the simple management of the territory, the municipalities have seen their field of competence increase in recent years. Culture is one of them. And according to the stakeholders interviewed, the RCMs, local governments par excellence, are in an excellent position to stimulate cultural development.
“We tend to believe that culture is not the priority of the RCMs, but when I sit down with their leaders, that’s not what I feel,” says Céline Lavallée, who is called upon to negotiate with several stakeholders. regions within the framework of the territorial partnership programme. Our financial envelopes show it: we manage to collect good amounts of money. We see the desire of the RCMs to invest in culture. Administrators know that this is very important for their territory. »
Culture is also a communicating vessel with land use planning, the primary mission of the RCMs, emphasizes Linda Phaneuf. “It is also very important for the economy and the promotion of a territory. It’s part of the DNA of a region. »
In particular, the RCMs have had an important role to play in enhancing the built heritage on their territory. “Heritage is the pride of a region. By highlighting its village cores, by protecting buildings that have a history, by “looking good”, as I like to say, we encourage the feeling of belonging to a region,” says Linda Phaneuf.
She gives as an example the rich history surrounding the construction of the Beauharnois Canal, or the industrial heritage, still too little known, left by the cotton industry in Valleyfield.
“How many people know this story? It is up to us, the cities and RCMs, to bear witness to this richness and to make this past known to our fellow citizens. »