May 28th , 2025
Cabaret Lion d’or, Montreal
The ELAN community gathered recently on a sunny and warm spring day at the end of May with a simple yet relevant goal: to respond to the concerns Quebec’s English-speaking art community has expressed to us in the recent months. Concerns such as funding scarcity, cost of living, and the insecurity of the social and political situation in the US impacting opportunities for artists.
Creating a direct and public dialogue with decision makers and funders who would be able to give more insight into these concerns was the motivating force behind ELAN’s first Town Hall. Members, staff, and guest speakers met in an intimate setting, and shared a fruitful exchange through live and online interactions. Lesley Bramhill, Senior Program Advisor, and Danielle Azoulay, Regional Manager from Canadian Heritage (PCH) offered a practical, in-depth overview of PCH’s work structure and the types of programs offered. They spoke about the different aspects of their roles as public servants and funding agents, highlighting initiatives such as the action plan for Official languages, of which ELAN’s Trellis Micro-grants project is a recent example.
Julien Valmary, Support and Philanthropy Director of the Conseil des Arts de Montreal (CAM), gave a presentation outlining the current context of arts and culture in Montreal, and CAM’s role within this ecosystem. CAM’s work encompasses a large and diverse community which requires special attention and care. Freedom of expression is CAM’s key motto, and it has been since its foundation in the 1950s. The Conseil encourages artists to make use of their power in times of crisis, to lead, advocate for freedom, and change narratives.
Both PCH and CAM are great longstanding supporters and collaborators of ELAN, and we are incredibly grateful for their availability to participate in the Town Hall as well as their commitment to our mission.
The final presentation was a live call between the Town Hall’s moderator, Quinten Sheriff, and Brigitte Wallen, Executive Director of Voice of English-speaking Quebec (VEQ), who connected online from her office in Quebec City. Brigitte spoke about the place of arts and culture in the overall English-speaking community and their role in fostering a sense of belonging for newcomers. VEQ’s work goes beyond arts and culture, involving health and social services, places of worship, CEGEPs, seniors, support networks, and more. The idea of integration that VEQ defends is one where individuals can feel that they can stay in the Quebec City region and make a life there, which is a personal, not governmental measure. In this sense, VEQ highlights how community groups have the power to make a difference in times of crisis.
The session concluded with an in-depth overview of ELAN’s work, with an emphasis on advocacy initiatives, by our Director of Operations, Deborah Forde. Our mission as an arts service organization is to create bridges between the community and decision makers through events such as the Town Hall, a gathering which ended on a note of optimism. ELAN is committed to organizing more events that give the community a chance to come together and engage with important institutions so their voices can be heard.
We learned a lot from our first Town Hall about how to continue to develop this kind of programming, and we hope to have more opportunities to do so in the near future with even more members of the community in attendance. To stay informed about upcoming ELAN news and events, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter, to follow us on social media, and to check our Events Calendar.
