The Quebec government announced on Friday that it will increase its aid for festivals and tourist events by $ 35 million over three years, from the amounts set for the 2022-2023 budget, to reach total support of $ 85.2 million until 2025..
Organizers will have access to a $ 35 million envelope grant this year, which represents an increase of $ 15 million over the amounts previously announced.
Ten million additional dollars are also planned for 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, for a total of $ 25.1 million in subsidies per year.
These amounts will be donated to the financial assistance program for festivals and tourist events.
In this announcement, Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx said look at summer 2022 in a very good waypointing out that the atmosphere of festivals and tourist events needs to be imaginative, inventive and creative throughout the pandemic.
Favorable reception
The Grouping of Major International Events (RÉMI) and the Grouping of Independent Regional Artistic Festivals (REFRAIN) both welcomed the news.
This help is needed, because we must not be left behind once the pandemic is over. And then, the festivals are also affected by inflationreaction by Patrick Kearney, president of REFRAIN.
This provincial boost is more welcome considering that the current labor shortage is a headache for the festivals, which are struggling to find the technical staff and volunteers they need, according to him.
Patrick Kearney also points out that the eligibility criteria for the financial aid program has been relaxed, which, according to him, is what the festival community wants.
The standard of the program is more appropriate, people from the department have a better understanding of our reality he gladly accepted.
Radio Canada
Radio Canada
Source: Radio-Canada
