It’s the end for Les Coups de Théâtre, one of the only youth theater festivals in Quebec. The organization announced Tuesday the cancellation of its 19e edition, scheduled for September, and the cessation of all its activities.
For thirty years, “the Festival Les Coups de Théâtre has enabled children to explore the field of possibilities […], [de découvrir] that the unknown is a source of curiosity and that the pleasure of discovery is at the heart of life”, underlined its founder and artistic director, Rémi Boucher.
The announcement of his retirement and “the difficulty in bringing together the necessary staff and financing” motivated this decision, the chairman of the festival’s board of directors said in a press release.
In his statement, Jean-Rock Gaudreault praised the “remarkable commitment” of Mr. Boucher, stressing that he has “strongly contributed to the influence of creation for young audiences in the world”.
Rémi Boucher has indeed worked hard to make art accessible to young audiences. In addition to creating the Les Coups de Théâtre international arts festival for young audiences in 1992, the graduate of the National Theater School of Canada founded the first international film festival for young audiences in Quebec, Les 400 Coups. He also directed the Ciné-Kid component of the regular programming at Excentris, in Montreal. “The results are impressive,” summarizes Mr. Gaudreault.
“It is now up to the new generations to determine the form and content that international exchanges in theater and dance for young audiences will take,” commented Rémi Boucher in a letter of thanks.
Between now and its closure, the organization says it will fulfill its commitments to its staff, contractors and suppliers, and that it will digitize and deposit its archives in the National Archives.