This text is part of the special Culture Montérégie notebook
In Montérégie, several organizations, including Culture Montérégie, the drama center L’Arrière-Scène and Théâtre Motus, work to promote the artistic awakening of children and their sensitivity to local culture.
Josiane Arsenault-Dubé, youth culture coordinator at Culture Montérégie, gets excited talking about the benefits, for little ones, of the human experience that culture underpins, whether it unfolds on stage, in DIY or in role-playing games, for example. And this, both in educational and school environments (early childhood centers (CPE), schools, youth centers) and through family meetings.
“Children have this visceral desire to connect with someone. The phase of discovery of the world occurs at a young age. Already, at the CPE level, arts and culture serve as sensory objects to discover the world around us,” explains M.me Arsenault-Dubé, adding that even shows aimed at babies aged 0 to 3 generally reach their target very well. “It’s fascinating how babies instinctively understand the fourth wall…”
An opinion shared by Hélène Ducharme, co-founder and co-artistic and general director of Théâtre Motus, which offers performances for young toddlers, and for all age groups, up to adolescence. Specializing in puppetry and advocating a multicultural approach, Théâtre Motus, based in Longueuil, designs productions — often in collaboration with companies from other countries, such as Senegal or Mexico — called to travel all over the world and develops workshops and other attractions (exhibitions, master classes, audio theater). A section of its programming is dedicated to young spectators affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or intellectual disability.
“It’s important that children return to a state of presence, that they understand what’s happening at the moment, without always having something polished, recorded, immutable every time we play it again. Let something happen live with them, here and now. I find this dynamic valuable,” says M.me Some charm.
Close to home
Jean-François Guilbault, artistic director of L’Arrière-Scène, address in Beloeil which produces and distributes plays and provides cultural mediation (in particular by organizing activities linked to shows before and after performances, such as DIY sessions, puppets, movements), advocates cultural discovery close to home. This, he judges, will be more easily accessible.
“Quite frankly, it often costs less to go out near us than to go all the way to Montreal,” he explains. It’s easier to consume more culture, to return to it more often, more than once a year, and thus create a habit. When it’s far away, it takes on a more event-like character. Culture must be desecrated, in a certain way; remove the preconceived image that it is pompous and difficult to approach. »
“We are lucky, there is an incredible quality of creation here. We are in demand around the world. People often don’t know it, but internationally, there is great interest in Quebec,” says Hélène Ducharme.
Natural enthusiasm
Josiane Arsenault-Dubé reaffirms the importance of vitalizing, for the good of both, a true partnership between cultural and educational institutions. She highlights France’s progress at this level, where specific policies have been established to promote twinning between culture and education, as detailed in the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Culture and Communication and the Ministry of Families, Children and Women’s Rights, signed in Paris in March 2017.
“I dream of a daycare center where works would be hung in the premises, at eye level with children, without them having to break their necks to see a Riopelle in front of them or touch sculptures. We must make educators and organizations understand that children are ready for this meeting. »
“Starting to read with young children is good, but when you invite a writer into a CPE, who will read his book to the children and answer their questions, something bigger is happening than the story in it -even. For older children, illustrators and slammers can talk to them and make them see something other than the restricted world in which they live. The whole of society must mobilize to offer this to young people! » argues Mme Arsenault-Dubé, while Jean-François Guilbault reiterates the natural interest of little ones for creation in the broad sense.
“When you play in front of 350 children and they start clapping their hands because the music is good, it “hits the mark”! I’ve never experienced that in front of an audience at the Quat’Sous theater…” he emphasizes.
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