CALQ x Cité

The 1960s in Quebec were marked by a period of modernisation in which the government undertook sweeping reforms designed to open the province up to the world: culture was now regarded as a strategic asset. It was against this backdrop of socio-cultural dynamism that the partnership between Quebec and the Cité internationale des arts in Paris was established. In 1994, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec was established and took over the development of artist residencies, including those at the Cité. Today, this historic partnership remains a cornerstone of support for mobility, creation, and research, and plays a vital role in promoting Québec’s influence on the international arts scene.

More than a hundred Quebec artists have stayed at the Cité internationale des arts since 1965 (since 1993, an average of three artists per year have stayed there), reflecting the strengthening of this partnership over the years and the importance of Paris as a key location in their professional careers. During the early decades, the hosted artists worked primarily in music and the visual arts. When the CALQ took over the programme in 1994, the collaboration expanded to cover a much wider range of artistic disciplines, now including literature, dance, theatre, and film.