Citation preview
UK – Ireland – Nordic CountriesSeptember – December 2018
53R D E D I T I O N Covering and distributed in the UK, Ireland
& Nordic Countries
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Bonjour,
Welcome to the autumn edition of Québec Culture! Following an
amazing array of Québec artists at the Edinburgh Festivals during
August, this cultural season promises to be particularly rich and
varied, offering something for all tastes across all artistic
sectors. Moments to look out for include a fantastic Québec
presence at Festival America, a digital showcase at the Watermans
Centre, the UK première of Le Patin Libre’s latest creation at
Dance Umbrella and a Québec theatre showcase at the Finnish
National Theatre. The summer months have seen a flurry of cultural
activity for Québec on both sides of the Atlantic, showcasing our
brilliant talent in both Edinburgh
and Stockholm, and the launch of a new cultural policy back home.
In June, the Québec government launched its second ever cultural
policy, entitled Partout, la culture (Culture, everywhere). The
policy, which is supported by an historic additional budget of
600.9 M$, is accompanied by a five-year action plan setting out 41
concrete measures that will ensure the presence and vitality of
Québec culture everywhere, both across Québec’s regions and on the
international stage. This is a government-wide policy involving not
only the Ministry for Culture, but an additional 16 ministries. The
funds involved will directly benefit artists, as well as
organisations, institutions and businesses, all of whom ensure the
continued development of Québec’s cultural ecosystem.
In other important news, QC-UK Connections, our biannual call for
cultural cooperation projects between Québec and the UK in 2019 and
2020, is open for applications until 30 September 2018. This
amazing scheme has, over the last 16 years, supported over 60
cultural projects. In fact, of the seven projects supported by the
scheme in 2017 and 2018, three appear in the pages of this
brochure: SPECTRUM on page 8, Lightwaves on page 17, and the
collaboration between Milieux and Together! 2012 CIC on page 20. We
hope many of you will submit an application. For more information,
please go to page 21.
As always, Maude and her team would love to hear more about any
projects you may have in development with Québec. Please don’t
hesitate to get in touch.
Bonne lecture!
John A. Coleman – Agent-General, Québec Government Office in
London
Whilst every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the
information in this brochure you are advised to contact the host
organisations for confirmation.
This brochure should not be reproduced in full or in part without
the consent of the Québec Government Office.+44(0)20 7766 5930 |
www.quebec.org.uk | www.facebook.com/QuebecUK |
www.twitter.com/Quebec_UK
Maude Laflamme Director for Culture
Maude.laflamme@mri.gouv.qc.ca
Marie Morin Cultural Attaché Marie.morin@mri.gouv.qc.ca
Project Manager Qc.london-culture@mri.gouv.qc.ca
Andrew Bailey Cultural Attaché Andrew.bailey@mri.gouv.qc.ca
S E P – D E C 2 0 1 8 01
Cultural Contacts
Notes on a literary visit Susie Nicklin is CEO of the MILD Group
and Director of Festival America in London (see overleaf for
further details). She visited Montréal in April 2018 to participate
in the Metropolis Bleu literature festival and to discover more
about the city’s rich literary scene. We asked her to share some
reflections on her trip…
“I landed in Montréal in a thunderstorm, bewildered by sleet and
cold, after a golden few days on the West coast. A group of
Scandinavians was enjoying a wild party a few doors away from mine.
Jetlagged and suffering from FOMO, I ordered
desultory room service and frowned.
Next day, newly-resolute, I strode out to discover the glories of
Montréal and fell in love with a city between breakfast and supper.
Humming with brains from its 250,000-strong student population,
crammed with chic independent shops and cafés, the city unfurled
itself to me thanks to advice of the helpful staff of the Union des
écrivaines et des écrivains québécois who insisted I took the bus
rather than a taxi to Mile End. I browsed the Drawn and Quarterly
bookshops nestled among boutiques and bars, and bought the searing
Heart Berries by Marie Therèse Mailhot. I saw posters for their
forthcoming event with Michael Ondaatje (whom we later hosted as
part of the Balham Literary Festival) in conversation with Heather
O’Neill (invited to our Festival America) so I knew I was in the
best company.
At the Metropolis Bleu festival I spoke onstage with (and
fangirled) festival curator heroes and publishers including Linda
Leith, listened to Jo Nesbo in the ravishing Place des Arts, was
radicalised by Zebedee Nungak (author of Wrestling with Colonialism
on Steroids) and heard, for the first time, live throat singing
from Jeannie Calvin and Hannah Tooktoo.
When my plane home was delayed by ten hours, I was tempted to stay
on indefinitely. Wonderful food from Northern India and China,
bilingual conversation, bristling with history, home to French
ex-pats, a diverse and buoyant publishing industry – what’s not to
like? I’ll be back.”
Susie Nicklin – CEO, the MILD Group
© S
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S E P – D E C 2 0 1 8 L I T E R A T U R E
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Québec @ Festival America 24 – 27 September London, UK
This September, a number of exciting Québec writers come to the UK
as part of Festival America. This is the first London satellite of
the much-lauded festival of the same name, founded in Vincennes,
France in 2002, which this year has a special focus on
Canada.
Dany Lafferière 24 September Institut Français
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Dany Laferrière fled the
dictatorship in 1976 to settle in Québec, where he started to
write. He has so far published 30 books which have been translated
into more than 15 languages, and was appointed to the Académie
française in December 2013. Dany Laferrière’s appearance at
Festival America will be a celebration of French Caribbean culture,
and an exceptional opportunity to hear him talk about his writing
and more specifically his 2009 novel The Enigma of the Return. The
talk will be followed by a book signing and a music session.
Andrée Michaud 25 September Marlborough House
Andrée Michaud is a two-time winner of the Governor General’s
Literary Award for Fiction, among many other literary prizes. Her
latest book The Last Summer is an elegiac tribute to teenage
beauty. Andrée Michaud appears alongside Canadian Métis Cherie
Dimaline and British-Canadian Nancy Lee for an exploration of the
dystopian and dark themes of their work in this event hosted by
Leslie Hurtig, director of the Vancouver Writers Fest.
L I T E R A T U R E 03
Québec @ Festival America Heather O’Neill
26 September Canada House
Montréal author Heather O’Neill has written for This American Life
and the New York Times. Her latest novel The Lonely Hearts Hotel
was published in 2017 and longlisted for the Baileys women’s prize
for fiction.
At Festival America, O’Neill appears alongside Guy Vanderhaeghe and
Michael Redhill. They will discuss and read from their work, and
talk about how they see the role of the writer in the global
ecology of books.
Christian Guay-Poliquin
26 September 27 September Canada House Québec Government
Office
Christian Guay-Poliquin’s second novel The Weight of Snow has won
several awards in Canada, and is currently being translated in ten
different countries. His third, Running on Fumes, electrified the
Québécois literary community with its lyrical blend of mythology,
contemporary issues and road movie.
On 26 September, Guay-Poliquin shares the stage with Emma Hooper,
Nancy Lee and Lennie Goodings for a discussion of ‘Myths, moods and
melodies’. On 27 September he takes part in a discussion with
Cherie Dimaline and Guillaume Morissette (next page).
© M
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S E P – D E C 2 0 1 8 L I T E R A T U R E
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Québec @ Festival America Guillaume Morissette
27 September Québec Government Office
Guillaume Morissette is the author of The Original Face, the story
of a struggling digital artist facing up to the anxieties of the
internet age.
In London, Guillaume joins Canadian Métis author Cherie Dimaline
and fellow Québécois writer Christian Guay-Poliquin for a
discussion on language as the basis of culture.
Eric Plamondon
27 September Canada House
Born in Québec, Eric Plamondon currently lives in Bordeaux. His
latest novel Taqawan is highly praised by booksellers and the
press.
Eric Plamondon joins Jennie Melamed and Omar El Akkad for a
discussion on genre-crossing literary fiction.
www.festivalamerica.co.uk
Up The Mountain
Marianne Dubuc Marianne Dubuc is an international award-winning
illustrator and writer of books for children of all ages. She
studied Graphic Design at the Université du Québec à Montréal and
has since been published in over
15 countries. In 2014, Marianne won the prestigious Governor
General Award for outstanding illustrations in The Lion and the
Bird.
Marianne’s new picture book is now available across the UK. Up the
Mountain is a heart- warming story about friendship and generosity
which will inspire every reader to explore the outdoors.
www.bookisland.co.uk | www.mariannedubuc.blogspot.com
L I T E R A T U R E 05
Louise Penny
23 September Bloody Scotland Albert Halls Stirling, UK
Number One New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny lives in
a small village south of Montréal. Her ingenious new novel Kingdom
of the Blind, the 14th in her Québec-set series of Inspector
Gamache Mysteries, is due to be published in November.
Louise will share a stage with British crime writer Ann Cleeves at
the Bloody Scotland crime writing festival. With 36 novels between
them, a room full of awards and twin armies of devoted fans, they
are two of crime fiction’s most charming and successful authors.
The event is chaired by Alex Gray and sponsored by The Times and
Sunday Times Crime Club.
www.bloodyscotland.com | www.louisepenny.com
Isabelle Arsenault
25 – 28 September Stockholm & Gothenburg, Sweden
Isabelle Arsenault is an internationally renowned children’s book
illustrator. She has won the prestigious Governor General’s Award
for Children’s Literature three times, and two of her picture books
were named as New York Times Best Illustrated Books of the Year.
The poetry expressed through Isabelle Arsenault’s graphic universe,
the gentle flow of her lines and the overall charm of her books
have made her one of Canada’s best-known and most esteemed
illustrators.
For the first time, two of Isabelle’s books will be published in
Swedish: Louis och demonerna (Louis Undercover) and her writing
debut, Colettes fågel (Colette’s Lost Pet). Events are planned in
Stockholm and Gothenburg including two seminars at the Gothenburg
Book Fair.
www.goteborg-bookfair.com www.bokmassan.se
www.isabellearsenault.com
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D I G I T A L A R T S 06
Tim Hecker & Kara-Lis Coverdale
6 October Barbican Hall London, UK
Musician and sound artist Tim Hecker returns to the Barbican for
the first time since 2016 with a special ensemble concert. It will
be a celebration of his forthcoming project, fusing electronic
production with traditional Japanese gagaku court music.
Opening the evening, Montréal-based composer, musician and producer
Kara-Lis Coverdale creates colourful and dense arrangements with a
unique approach to melody, harmony and sonic detail.
The concert is produced by the Barbican in association with Bird on
the Wire, with support from the Great Britain Sasakawa
Foundation.
www.barbican.org.uk | www.sunblind.net |
www.kara-liscoverdale.bandcamp.com
Martin Messier
8 October Brighton Digital Festival Attenborough Centre for the
Creative Arts Brighton, UK
Multi-disciplinary creator Martin Messier performs Field at
Brighton Digital Festival, sharing the stage with Suzanne Ciani.
This audiovisual work starts from the principle that sounds can be
generated from electromagnetic fields in the environment. On stage
the artist interacts with two aluminum panels, continuously
plugging and unplugging the connections between them to create a
sound and light composition whose possibilities are endless.
Martin Messier studied composition at the Université de Montréal,
after which he began an experimental sound practice incorporating
video images. He has presented his work in some 20 countries around
the world, including at Glasgow’s Sonica festival.
www.brightondigitalfestival.co.uk | www.mmessier.com
D I G I T A L A R T S 07
Digital Performance Weekender
10 & 11 November Watermans Centre Brentford, UK
Watermans’ Digital Performance Weekender provides a chance to see
some of the best and brightest in digital art performance,
including three emerging artists from Québec who return to
Watermans after a 2017 performance with their four-person project,
Quadr.
Antivolume IN/EXT
Lucas Paris Lucas Paris works with realtime sound and has been
building digital instruments for more than ten years. His research
focuses on creating new forms of digital performance and engaging
the audience with content that is multi-sensory, immersive and
emotional. AntiVolume IN/ EXT explores movements and dynamics
between interior and exterior through a volatile and energetic
sculpture made of sound and light. The result of algorithmic
research, it is sculpted in real time by Lucas’s
improvisation.
ELEMENTS
Myriam Boucher & Pierre-Luc Lecours ELEMENTS is an audiovisual
performance by Montréal artists Myriam Boucher and Pierre-Luc
Lecours. The project addresses the theme of nature, presenting air,
water, fire and earth in a video musical discourse inspired by the
movements and organic behaviours of the elements. The
composer-performers draw on our kinetic relationship to the world
to deploy a poetic interpretation of themes which are universal and
fundamental to the human experience.
www.watermans.org.uk www.lucasparis.ca www.myriamboucher.com
www.pierreluclecours.com
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Gerald Finley
8 September 2 October Last Night of the Proms, Royal Albert Hall
Middle Temple Hall London, UK London, UK
Québec baritone Gerald Finley performs Stanford’s Songs of the Sea
as part of ‘the greatest annual party in classical music’, the Last
Night of the Proms, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis.
Gerald returns to London in October to perform Schubert’s
Schwanengesang and Brahms’ Vier Ernste Gesänge alongside his
regular performance and recording partner, pianist Julius
Drake.
www.royalalberthall.com www.templechurch.com
www.geraldfinley.com
Tess Roby
1 – 7 October Various venues in the UK (see listings p.24-25 or
visit website)
The music of Montréal-based Tess Roby, accompanied by her brother
Eliot on guitar, rides the melancholic line between classic 80s
new-wave and lyric-driven pop. The listener simultaneously feels
the intimacy of Roby’s bedroom, cut with a romantic urgency akin to
Hounds of Love-era Kate Bush.
The arrangements are minimal and hauntingly sparse, giving way to
the richness of Roby’s voice and the hypnotic pulses of her
analogue synthesizer. Her debut LP Beacon is available now.
www.tessroby.com
D I G I T A L A R T S 08
SPECTRUM
HUB
7 – 16 December Lightwaves 2018 Salford Quays Manchester, UK
Following an open call for proposals from UK and Québec- based
artists, Montréal collaborative HUB has been
selected to create the major new artwork SPECTRUM. This bold,
large-scale digital artwork will premiere at Quays Culture’s
digital light festival Lightwaves before being exhibited in
Montréal.
This project was commissioned through an exciting international
collaboration between Salford’s Quays Culture and the Quartier des
Spectacles Partnership, which is responsible for the public spaces
in Montréal’s main arts and entertainment district.
Supported by the QC-UK Connections programme (British Council and
the Québec Government)
www.quaysculture.com | www.quartierdesspectacles.com
Chilly Gonzales
7 September 8 September 10 September 11 September Cadogan Hall
Grand Theatre Southbank Centre RNCM London, UK Leeds, UK London, UK
Manchester, UK
Montréal-born pianist and entertainer Chilly Gonzales is known as
much for the intimate piano touch of his albums Solo Piano I and
Solo Piano II as for his showmanship and composition. He performs
and writes songs with artists including Jarvis Cocker, Feist and
Drake, and in 2013 won a Grammy for his work on Daft Punk’s Random
Access Memories.
2018 sees Gonzo, as he is known to close collaborators, return to
the stage with an intimate hour of pieces from the Solo Piano album
cycle, after which he is joined by Stella Le Page on cello and Joe
Flory on drums to perform hits and hidden surprises from the rest
of his repertoire.
www.cadoganhall.com | www.leedsgrandtheatre.com
www.southbankcentre.co.uk | www.rncm.ac.uk
www.serious.org.uk/chilly
S E P – D E C 2 0 1 8
Songs in the Key of Cree
M U S I C 11
Le Vent du Nord
27 October – 3 November Various venues in Norway and Sweden (see
listings p.24-25 or visit website)
Indefatigable folk performers Le Vent du Nord (the North Wind) come
to the Nordic Countries after a packed itinerary of summer
concerts, including a performance at the Edinburgh International
Festival. Known for their energetic gigs which combine traditional
songs and original compositions, Le Vent du Nord have gone from
strength to strength since they were joined by a fifth member in
2017.
www.leventdunord.com
Steve Hill
9 – 30 November Various venues in the UK, (see listings p.24-25 or
visit website)
Steve Hill, winner of a Juno award in 2015 for Blues Album of the
Year (Solo Recordings, Vol. 2), returns to the UK with his unique
brand of one-man band blues- rock.
An ambitious and raucous force to be reckoned with, Steve Hill’s
reputation as an exciting performer has provided him the
opportunity to showcase his talents at some of Canada’s biggest
music festivals including the Montréal Jazz Festival. He is in his
element as a solo artist, inviting listeners into a world of
musical madness in the form of blues and rock ‘n’ roll.
www.stevehillmusic.com
Voivod
2 - 20 October Various venues in the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Finland
& Norway (see listings p 24-25 or visit website)
Voivod formed in Jonquière, Québec in 1982, and their 1988 album
Dimension Hatröss was included in Rolling Stone’s ‘100 Greatest
Metal Albums of All Time’. 2018 sees the band come to the UK and
the Nordic Countries for a tour celebrating their 35th anniversary
as well as the worldwide launch of their new album The Wake on
Century Records.
www.voivod.net
Helena Deland
22 October 23 October 24 October The Poetry Club The Castle
Sebright Arms Glasgow, UK Manchester, UK London, UK
‘Helena Deland’s moving, poetic, continually absorbing songwriting
stole our hearts’ CLASH Magazine
Helena Deland’s sincere pop music combines clever word play with
lush rock instrumentation - she describes her songwriting as a
collection of ‘unsent letters’. Following UK performances in summer
2018, including at the Great Escape festival, Helena returns to the
UK as part of a world tour promoting the release of her LP,
Altogether Unaccompanied.
www.thepoetryclub.net www.thecastlehotel.info www.sebrightarms.com
www.helenadeland.bandcamp.com
Une grenouille qui s’appelle Woânda (A Frog Called Woânda)
Théâtre À l’Envers
27 September – 3 November Various venues in the UK (see listings
p.24-25 or visit website)
Montréal-based company Théâtre À l’Envers collaborates with
Northumberland’s Théâtre Sans Frontières to bring this original
work on a UK tour. Using live action, puppetry, music and shadows,
A Frog Called Woânda tells a funny and touching story of love, loss
and friendship. It is performed in English or simple French (check
with individual venues) for ages 5 – 10 years.
Laura’s world is turned upside down after she loses her lucky ring
down the plughole. To Laura’s surprise, up pops Woânda, a frog who
has taken up residence in the bathroom pipes. Together, they search
for the ring through a whirlwind of twists and turns.
www.tsf.org.uk | www.theatrealenvers.ca
Alex Gaumond
From 17 October (previews from 26 September) Gielgud Theatre
London, UK
Alex Gaumond joins the cast of Marianne Elliott’s highly
anticipated new production of George Furth and Stephen Sondheim’s
Company, which re-imagines the two main characters as a gay couple
for the first time. Jonathan Bailey will play Jamie (originally
written as the female character,
Amy) and Alex will play his devoted fiancé, Paul in this
multi-award winning musical comedy about life, love and
marriage.
www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk | www.elliottandharper.com
S E P – D E C 2 0 1 8
© M
Québec @ The Finnish National Theatre Lista
Jennifer Tremblay
In repertory from 14 September Finnish National Theatre Helsinki,
Finland
Jennifer Tremblay has written two novels, several children’s books,
and stage works including Lista (La Liste), which won the Governor
General’s prize in 2008 and has since been performed around the
world, including to great critical acclaim at Edinburgh Fringe
Festival in 2014 and 2015.
This autumn a new production of this award-winning monologue comes
to Helsinki, translated into Finnish by Reita Lounatvuori. Directed
by Irene Aho and performed by Pirjo Mättä, Lista is a riveting,
subtle study of the fine line between the mundane and the
devastating.
Change your Life – Plays from Québec
Sarah Berthiaume, Jean-Denis Beaudoin, Olivier Choinière &
Catherine Léger
15 September Finnish National Theatre Helsinki, Finland
Through a col laborat ion between Québec’s Centre des auteurs
dramatiques and the Finnish National Theatre, Québec comes to
Helsinki with Change your Life, a set of rehearsed readings of
extracts in English from recent works by four contemporary
playwrights. These very different plays reflect the vast range of
contemporary drama in Québec’s vibrant theatre scene.
Actress and playwright Sarah Berthiaume’s play Nyotaimori, named
after the Japanese tradition of eating sushi from the prone body of
a naked woman, examines the modern day work ethic. Jean-Denis
Beaudoin, who graduated from Québec’s Conservatoire d’art
dramatique in 2013, explores sibling rivalry in My Children are not
Afraid of the Dark, a mysterious tale of simmering resentment set
deep in the woods. Olivier Choinière’s 2007 play Félicité played at
London’s Royal Court Theatre as Bliss, and his new work Simon Says
is a satire on the seductive appeal of populism. Catherine Léger
has written for TV, and in 2006 won the Prix Gratien-Gélinas. Her
comedy Baby-sitter tackles the complexities of sexual
politics.
www.kansallisteatteri.fi | www.cead.qc.ca
© E
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S E P – D E C 2 0 1 8 D A N C E
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Threshold
Le Patin Libre
18 – 21 October Dance Umbrella Alexandra Palace Ice Rink London,
UK
‘Both athletic and artistic, casting its own spell’ WhatsOnStage
(on Vertical Influences, 2018)
Montréal’s Le Patin Libre defy the conventions of figure skating to
evolve a new dance form – on ice. Having wowed London audiences at
Dance Umbrella 2014 with their award-winning Vertical Influences
(seen on Darcey Bussell’s New Dance, BBC2, earlier this year), they
return with a completely new show Threshold. Playing with contrast
and change, they zoom towards viewers seated on the ice, combining
athletic virtuosity with joyous physicality.
www.danceumbrella.co.uk www.alexandrapalace.com
www.lepatinlibre.com
Lifeguard
Benoît Lachambre / Par B.L.eux
6 – 8 November Moving in November festival Cable Factory Helsinki,
Finland
Lifeguard is an intimate piece which unfolds like a stroll. Benoît
Lachambre invites the spectator to share in an impersonal intimacy
in a context that blurs boundaries and definitions about dance and
movement. The work creates a subtle connection between the audience
and the performer. While
questioning the role of the artist and the audience’s passivity,
Lifeguard allows for an uninhibited discussion about
existence.
www.movinginnovember.fi | www.parbleux.qc.ca
Needles and Opium
7 & 8 November Theatre Royal Plymouth, UK
Versatile in every form of theatre craft, Robert Lepage is equally
talented as a director, playwright, actor and film director. His
creative and original approach to theatre has won him international
acclaim.
Through highly visual staging, which is as much magic as it is
theatre, Lepage revisits his work Needles and Opium 20 years after
its first production. A new scenography, original images, and an
acrobat onstage complement the words of Jean Cocteau. The result is
a production with mesmerising effects, a journey into the night
that puts us under a spell and leads us into the light.
www.theatreroyal.com
Look out also for smash-hit musical Notre-Dame de Paris, which
returns to London for just seven performances at the London
Coliseum, 23 – 27 January, after touring in 23 countries worldwide
in 9 languages over the last 20 years.
Based on Victor Hugo’s Notre-Dame de Paris, this stage spectacular
features an international ensemble of acclaimed performers
including Québec’s Daniel Lavoie, Richard Charest, and Martin
Giroux, as well as unforgettable music composed by Richard
Cocciante and book by celebrated Québécois lyricist Luc
Plamondon.
www.notredamedeparis.co.uk
S E P – D E C 2 0 1 8 V I S U A L A R T S
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Lightwaves
22 September – 25 November Street Level Photoworks Glasgow,
UK
Lightwaves is an exhibition of new work by contemporary photo-based
artists, the result of exchange residencies between Street Level
Photoworks in Glasgow and VU Photography Centre in Québec City.
Working around themes of heritage and migration, the two artists
from Québec and their counterparts in Scotland, Mat Hay and Melanie
Letore, developed new work in response to their stay in each city
and the dialogues which emerged during and after their residencies.
The project has a blog which includes commentary on the process:
www.photodialogues.net
Supported by the QC-UK Connections programme (British Council and
the
Québec Government)
Catherine Sheedy
13 October Studio du Québec 139 Manhattan, Bow Quarter London,
UK
Catherine Sheedy is a Québec artist working in the contemporary
jewellery field. She is currently artist in residence at the Studio
du Québec in London,
accompanied by her partner and their three-year-old child. As part
of her residency Catherine is working on conceptual and formal
research about jewellery as an object of relation, especially in a
family context. The work at this open studio event will include
sculptural and 2D explorations with different materials, photos and
videos. www.catherinesheedy.com
© J
Ovo
Cirque du Soleil
19 September – 21 October Various venues in the UK & Ireland
(see listings p.24-25 or visit website)
Since its formation just outside Québec City in the early 1980s,
Cirque du Soleil has wowed international audiences and
revolutionised the circus sector. Based in Montréal, it is now the
largest theatrical producer in the world.
Following dates at London’s Royal Albert Hall and arenas in the
north of England, Cirque du Soleil’s OVO returns to wow audiences
with its colourful depiction of the lives of insects. We see the
creatures work, play, fight and look for love, and display intense
curiosity when a mysterious egg appears.
www.cirquedusoleil.com
V I S U A L A R T S
Cicatrix
12 September – 3 December Swindon Museum & Art Gallery Swindon,
UK
In Cicatrix the work of Catherine Farish, an artist specialising in
contemporary printmaking, is displayed alongside pieces by artists
from the UK and across the Commonwealth. This unique collaboration
responds to Salisbury Plain, a vast landscape where soldiers have
trained since WW1. Prints from the project will also be presented
in an exhibition at Atelier Circulaire in Montréal this November
and December.
In her research, the artist was struck by images and stories of
indigenous soldiers who came to fight in Europe. She also took
inspiration from Salisbury Plain itself, and its mud and clay which
stuck to her shoes for months after she visited.
www.cicatrix.co.uk | www.catherinefarish.com
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Simon Plouffe
8 September Open City Documentary Festival & ORIGINS Festival
Picturehouse Central London, UK
According to UNESCO, a language ceases to be spoken in the world
every fifteen days. Documentary film Those Who Come, Will Hear
brings together the speakers of several indigenous languages of
Québec whose dialects face extinction.
Québec director Simon Plouffe combines sensitive, observational
portraits of daily life in remote communities with field recordings
that reveal the rich musicality of the languages and the cultural
importance of these venerable oral traditions. A vital, urgent
archival project, the film serves as a profound reflection on the
consequences of the erosion of linguistic diversity. This European
Premiere will be followed by a Q&A session with the
director.
www.opencitylondon.com | www.bordercrossings.org.uk |
www.simonplouffe.com
4 – 7 October Glasgow, UK
For its fifth edition, the World of Film International Festival
Glasgow (WoFF) celebrates animation from Britain and beyond, with
the first Animation Day in Glasgow on 6 October. Through its long
standing collaboration with the Montréal International Animation
Film Festival, WoFF will host a selection of the best short films
from Québec, along with a special screening of the iconic 1981
animated sci-fi film Heavy Metal by British-Québécois director
Gerald Potterton. www.woffglasgow.com
C I N E M A & T E L E V I S I O N 19
TV5Monde TV5MONDE is available in the UK via Sky 717 and Virgin
825. Please visit www.europe.tv5monde.com to check for local
providers in the Nordic Countries. All timings given are for the
UK.
Blue Moon (brand new season 2) – Tuesdays @ 8pm from 18 September
Having inherited her father’s company, Blue Moon, Justine Laurier
quickly realises that its activities are unclear and that she has
no choice but to infiltrate activist Thylan Manseau’s gang.
Les pays d’en haut (brand new season 2) – Tuesdays @ 8pm from 23
October This acclaimed series takes viewers on a journey to rural
Québec in the late 19th century against a backdrop of collusion
between the church and politicians and the difficult living
conditions of the day.
L’Épicerie – Tuesdays @ 8.30am L’Épicerie is the place to be for
anyone interested in what they put on their plate. Enjoy recipes,
surveys, taste tests, audience participation and simple but
effective cooking tips. Presented by Denis Gagné and Johane
Despins.
Elles Pêchent – Fridays @ 8am (series ends 23 November)
Enthusiastic anglers Suzanne Beaudet and Louise Laparé go fishing
in Québec’s generous waters. They are keen to share their passion
and show that this hobby is accessible to all.
Électrons Libres – Sundays @ 7.30am Pierre Chastenay, Rabii Rammal
and Marianne Desautels-Marissal make science more entertaining,
understandable and exciting! Includes reports, experiments and
scientific news.
Let the sea wonder, courtesy of WoFF
40 Weeks, courtesy of WoFF
S til
© Pixcom
M U L T I D I S C I P L I N A R Y A R T S 20
Annie Roy & Pierre Allard
14 September IETM Satellite Wales Llandudno, UK
ATSA is a Montréal organisation which creates transdisciplinary
works and events for the public realm. It has made its mark in
the
UK with public engagement piece While Having Soup.
At IETM’s upcoming Satellite in Llandudno ATSA’s founders Annie Roy
and Pierre Allard will be leading a workshop on confronting
preconceived ideas, encouraging attendees to take a critical look
at and question their own practice. The session will challenge
assumptions about culture in rural areas, the hierarchy of the arts
depending on the size / centrality of the settlement, expectations
regarding audiences, and participatory work.
www.ietm.org | www.atsa.qc.ca
Milieux: Institute for Arts, Culture and Technology Always Waiting
VIBE: The Art of Transatlantic Inclusion
27 October 1 December
London Borough of Newham (exact venues to be confirmed) London,
UK
This collaboration between East London’s Together! 2012 CIC and
Milieux: Institute for Arts, Culture and Technology, at Concordia
University in Montréal, brings together Disabled artists and their
communities to co-produce new digital art works and experimental
sound sources which can be experienced through vibrational
tactility as well as aurally and visually.
Always Waiting is a street art premiere, while VIBE: The Art of
Transatlantic Inclusion is a symposium and exhibition which
showcases tactile sound and video works. Both events showcase the
work of Disabled artists in Montréal and East London.
Supported by the QC-UK Connections programme (British Council and
the Québec Government)
www.together2012.org.uk | www.milieux.concordia.ca
B R I T I S H C O U N C I L F O C U S 21
QC–UK Connections The British Council, the Québec Ministère de la
Culture et des Communications and the Québec Ministère des
Relations internationales et de la Francophonie are pleased to
invite you to submit an application for financial support to carry
out a cultural cooperation project between Québec and the UK in
2019 and 2020. Through funding and support, the scheme encourages a
cultural dialogue leading to better mutual understanding between
the two societies.
This partnership will favour projects promoting digitally-based
cultural development, through the support of the joint creation or
dissemination of digital cultural content initiatives, or
innovative initiatives allowing the cultural sector to adapt to new
digital realities. Projects whose focus is not on digital concerns
are also accepted for this call.
Please note that the call for proposals covers a two year period,
therefore the projects must take place during 2019 and 2020. The
financial support will be granted in two separate payments,
following the reception of the mid-project report. Each
organisation can apply for £5,100 or CAD$10,000 for each
year.
To find out more, and to apply, please visit www.britishcouncil.ca.
The deadline is 30 September 2018.
S E P – D E C 2 0 1 8 S
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FEST IVALS & EVENTS IN QUÉBEC 2018 – 2 019 22
See below a selection of the 400 festivals and events hosted in
Québec each year They all welcome international delegates and
industry professionals.
12 – 22 September 2018 Festival de cinéma de la ville de Québec
www.fcvq.ca
3 – 14 October 2018 Festival du Nouveau Cinéma
www.nouveaucinema.ca
8 – 18 November 2018 Rencontres Internationales du Documentaire de
Montréal www.ridm.ca
20 February – 2 March 2019 Les Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois
www.rvcq.com
13 – 17 March 2019 Regard sur le court métrage au Saguenay
International Short Film Festival www.festivalregard.com
July – August 2019 (dates TBC) Le Festival international de films
Fantasia www.fantasiafestival.com
4 – 14 July 2019 Montreal Complètement Cirque
www.montrealcompletementcirque.com
May – June 2019 (dates TBC) IX 2019 International Symposium on
Immersive Experiences www.ix.sat.qc.ca
June – July 2019 (dates TBC) ELEKTRA www.elektrafestival.ca
August 2019 (dates TBC) MUTEK www.mutek.org
14 – 19 November 2018 Salon du Livre de Montréal
www.salondulivredemontreal.com
10 – 14 April 2019 Salon du Livre de Québec www.silq.ca
April 2019 (dates TBC) Metropolis Bleu www.bluemetropolis.org
12 – 14 November 2018 HUB – Rendez-vous international des
industries créatives www.hubmontreal.com
February 2019 (dates TBC) Mois Multi Multidisciplinary Digital Arts
www.mmrectoverso.org/fr/mois-multi
21 February – 3 March 2019 Montréal en Lumière
www.montrealenlumiere.com
August 2019 (dates TBC) Montréal First Peoples Festival
www.presenceautochtone.ca
30 August – 2 September 2018 Festival de musique émergente en
Abitibi-Témiscamingue www.fmeat.org
6 – 8 September 2018 Envol et Macadam Emerging Music
www.envoletmacadam.com
12 – 16 September 2018 Conférence Trad Montréal & La Grande
Rencontre www.espacetrad.org
26 – 30 September 2018 Pop Montréal www.popmontreal.com
23
13 – 16 November 2018 Mundial Montréal World Music
www.mundialmontreal.com
14 – 17 November 2018 M pour Montréal Indie Rock Showcase
www.mpourmontreal.com
17 January – 2 February 2019 Igloofest Electronic Music
www.igloofest.ca
June 2019 (dates TBC) Festival de Musique de Chambre Montréal
www.festivalmontreal.org
June 2019 (dates TBC) Festival Suoni Per il Popolo Experimental
Music www.suoniperilpopolo.org
27 June – 6 July 2019 Festival International de Jazz de Montréal
www.montrealjazzfest.com
28 – 30 June 2019 Chants de Vielles Festival Traditional Music
www.chantsdevielles.com
August 2019 (dates TBC) Osheaga & MEG www.osheaga.com
5 – 15 September 2018 Festival Quartiers Danses
www.quartiersdanses.com
12 – 17 November 2018 CINARS Peforming Arts Biennial
www.cinars.org
22 May – 5 June 2019 Festival TransAmériques Theatre & Dance
fta.qc.ca
May – June 2019 (dates TBC) OFFTA Live Art Festival
www.offta.com
Winter 2019 (dates TBC) Parcours Danse
www.ladansesurlesroutes.com
6 – 10 March 2019 Le Festival de Casteliers Puppetry
www.festival.casteliers.ca
May – June 2019 (dates TBC) Carrefour international de théâtre
www.carrefourtheatre.qc.ca
August 2019 (dates TBC) Festival du théâtre de rue de Lachine
www.theatrederue.ca
August 2019 (dates TBC) Dramaturgies en Dialogue (CEAD)
www.dramaturgiesendialogue. com
14 February – 21 April 2019 Manif d’art 9 www.manifdart.org
April 2019 (dates TBC) Foire d’art Papier de Montréal
www.papiermontreal.com
September & October 2019 (dates TBC) Momenta – biennale de
l’image www.momentabiennale.com
11 – 18 November 2018 Les Coups de Théâtre
www.coupsdetheatre.com
13 – 16 November 2018 FOCUS Québec www.maisontheatre.com
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ontréal. Photo © Jean-G
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