The pandemic has hit the artistic community head-on and our great institution in Longueuil was no exception. The team rolled up their sleeves, kept up activities and continued to cling to this large cultural complex project.
This project has been under discussion for more than 15 years and would finally give Longueuil the means to fulfill its ambitions and provide Quebec’s fifth largest city with a cultural infrastructure commensurate with local talent. Under the impetus of new management, the Théâtre de la Ville has also carried out a unifying and promising strategic planning exercise, relying even more on its strengths and distinctive character. We are ready to spread our wings, to improve our theatrical offering, to offer more to the people of the South Shore and to accelerate the advent of a highly talented artistic succession.
An unplanned challenge on the horizon
This summer, the City of Longueuil informed us, as well as to the three other major partners concerned – the Orchester symphonique de Longueuil, the Motus Theater and Plein Sud, an exhibition center for contemporary art – that the cultural complex project Originally scheduled for 2020 was once again postponed, this time due to the apprehended increase in construction costs.
In reaction to this news, we want to reaffirm our desire to actively participate in the relaunch of the project and hope that the City will integrate the full contribution of all our resources and skills to design a project truly adapted to current cultural needs.
We call for the commitment of the new municipal council in this regard.
Also, although it has always been hosted on the campus of our major partner, Collège Édouard-Montpetit, our lease is expiring. The CEGEP has informed us that it intends to resume certain spaces devoted to artistic activities at the Theater, due to the increase in its student population. The Théâtre de la Ville therefore finds itself today in a position that greatly weakens it.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, PRESS ARCHIVES
The Ville de Longueuil informed the partners concerned that the cultural complex project originally planned for 2020 was postponed.
We have possible solutions to relocate some of our services and we are optimistic that we can count on the financial support of our institutional partners in this regard. However, on the horizon we see the loss of access to cultural spaces, the limitation of our dissemination activities, and even the endangering of our support component for artists and our residency program. Everyone will agree that this is not an acceptable option for lovers of the performing arts of the South Shore and Montérégie.
In the short term, we must therefore secure our current artistic spaces, studios and rooms. Subsequently, over a reasonable horizon of five years, we would like to see the advent of new construction or renovated rooms to fully achieve our mission.
We therefore appeal for the essential contribution of all our partners to support the development and ensure the sustainability of the Théâtre de la Ville. The stake requires the collaboration of all; it will not be able to be regulated individually.
The arts and culture are the best medicine to give people back the happiness that many have been deprived of in recent years. Longueuil and the South Shore have a lot to offer its citizens and our project must meet the legitimate expectations of the population.
More than ever, we must therefore together ensure the future of the only multidisciplinary broadcaster in our territory, for the benefit of the entire community.
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