The Plante administration is partly responsible for the financial difficulties and the disappearance of several Montreal festivals, due to the stagnation of municipal funding granted to these events, according to the opposition at city hall.
Several festivals have had to deal with the same subsidies from the City for several years, lamented Councilor Stéphanie Valenzuela, of the Ensemble Montréal party, Monday during the municipal council meeting.
This is the case of Just for Laughs, which receives $600,000 from the City, of Montréal completly circus, which receives $630,000, of the Montreal International Jazz Festival, which receives $600,000, and of the Festival TransAmériques, which earns $400,000.
The Go Vélo Festival, organized by Vélo Québec, which notably includes the Tour de l’île, even had to face a drop in funding: it will receive financial support of $120,000 from the City of Montreal in 2024. “C This is less than in 2016, when the City of Montreal granted $135,000 to this festival. I have difficulty explaining how, for events that are so important to Montrealers and the influence of their city, the City of Montreal can offer less funding,” added the mayor of the Montreal-North borough, Christine Black.
“Ten days ago, the festivals launched a new cry of alarm in The Press. The organizers are faced with a financial headache,” added councilor Chantal Rossi, referring to the open letter in which representatives of several festivals report organizational costs increasing by 30 to 40%.
Read the open letter
Montreal’s reputation as a city of festivals is at stake, according to the opposition.
“We see this magnificent model crumble, festival after festival. The list of closures is growing and the cancellations are accelerating,” laments Mme Valenzuela, citing, in addition to the setbacks of Just for Laughs, the disappearances of Carifiesta, Heavy Montréal, Week-ends du monde, Montréal en fête (which organized the New Year’s Day festivities), Métro Métro , the Carnival of Colors, the Black and Blue Festival and Coups de théâtre, in particular.
I fear that this will only be the start of a wave of closures that is already well underway if nothing is done. What does the administration think summer 2024 will look like?
Stéphanie Valenzuela, advisor to the Ensemble Montréal party
The head of culture within the administration, Éricka Alneus, responded to these concerns by announcing that Mayor Valérie Plante had summoned festival representatives to a meeting, which will be held on Friday, to discuss these issues. A first meeting had already taken place last December.
She also explained that funding was now announced for periods of three years, to give more “predictability” to festivals, and that the City also offered logistical support and equipment to organizers. For example, in the case of the Go Vélo Festival, this support in goods and services is estimated at 1.8 million.
In interview, Mme Alneus added that funding for certain festivals, such as Nuits d’Afrique and Fierté Montréal, has nevertheless increased recently due to specific circumstances.
“We need to take a step back to address these issues and find systemic solutions. Yes, costs have exploded, but there is a financial reality that we also experience as a City. We will have a plan for this summer and we continue to ensure that the festivals can make our very festive identity shine,” she concluded.
reference: www.lapresse.ca