Post-pandemic recovery | Quebec City will donate show tickets

(Quebec) The box offices of theaters in the capital are still feeling the harmful effects of the pandemic, so much so that the City has decided to launch an unusual campaign to encourage the public to reconnect with the performing arts.

Gabriel Beland
The Press

In singles, on November 23 and 24, those who buy one or more tickets for certain identified shows will receive one free of charge. About sixty events at ten broadcasters (see list below) will be eligible, from music to theatre.

“The cultural sector has been hit hard. Recovery is more difficult. For the past few months, the cultural sector has still been suffering from the effects of the pandemic, ”said Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand at a press conference. “We must not give up on this unfortunate trend. We need to support the performing arts. »

The mayor indicated that in 2019, 1.2 million people attended theaters in Quebec. Last year, they were only 250,000. “Do the math as you want, it can’t work. We have a share of responsibility as a city, as citizens, ”said the mayor.

The easing of health measures has of course given a breath of fresh air to the cultural world. But the tickets are far from flying away as before, warns Christian Robitaille, president of Culture Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches (CCNCA).

“The start of the school year is going well, we will no longer be at 250,000. But we will not be at 1,250,000 either,” he said.

Does he fear that this initiative will encourage some people to postpone their ticket purchase, in the hope of taking advantage of the promotion? “It’s a risk we were ready to take,” says Christian Robitaille.

“We notice that overall, and this has been accentuated with the pandemic, people are waiting really late before buying tickets, he says. The subscription principle no longer works as much. People were scalded by the closures. »

Concretely, a promotional code will be created for the occasion which will allow you to receive a free ticket with any purchase of one seat or more (the offer will be limited to one ticket, so a person who buys three for example will not receive any one).

The City estimates that this promotion will cost some $210,000, from a Quebec government fund for downtown revitalization. The number of tickets offered will be limited to approximately 20,000.

“We have a limited number of shows available. We hope that everything will be settled on November 23, but we held off on the 24th,” explained Mr. Robitaille. Details will be available at quebecspectacles.com.