Week-ends du monde, to be held in July in Montreal, will not take place this year due to lack of labor and equipment while some other festivals in Quebec also face recruitment difficulties.
Scheduled for July 2, 3, 9 and 10 at the Parc Jean-Drapeau, the Week-ends du monde is intended, as every year, to allow cultural communities to showcase their music, their dances, their traditions and their cuisine to the Montreal public.
We failed, said Ericka Alneus, responsible for culture and heritage on the Montreal city executive committee. Both the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau and the cultural services of the City of Montreal did everything to make sure the event took place.
According to Ms. Alneus, post-pandemic recovery translates into a full-throttle recovery and therefore difficulty in supplying event equipment as well as staff.
Many people want the same things at once and prices change so it is very difficult to get the material, especially when we have to work on tenders.
According to him, companies are unable to answer calls for tenders due to their inability to find the work necessary to honor their contracts.
A widespread shortage
Other cultural events were also affected by recruitment problems in Quebec.
It’s not easyrecognizes Patrick Kearney, president of the Grouping of independent regional artistic festivals (REFRAIN).
The shortage is mainly associated with technical personnel, who work on sound and lighting, as many people abandoned this environment during the pandemic.
However, the lack of labor does not threaten the holding of one of the REFRAIN member feasts, of which there are nearly a hundred, at the moment.
Mutualization to the rescue of festivals?
According to Ericka Alneus, meditation is already underway to try to remedy these deficiency problems.
The combination of human and material resources deserves to be explored in a context that requires more and more agility, he believes. Creativity, reflection and collaboration are the keys to continuing the revival.
We must remember the new normal and unite all forces to be able to pursue the things that the people of Montreal expect and value.
This text is notably written froman interview conducted by Catherine Richercultural columnist on the show 15-18. Comments may have been edited for clarity or brevity.
Source: Radio-Canada
