FAQ.
Travail d’ELAN
Que fait ELAN exactement ?
ELAN sert et appuie les artistes et travailleurs culturels anglophones du Québec –qui se trouve à être la communauté artistique de langue officielle en situation minoritaire du Québec. ELAN y parvient à travers diverses avenues :
- Évènements ELAN: Connecter les artistes lors de divers évènements de réseautage, ateliers et autres regroupements
- Communiquer les préoccupations des communautés artistiques à des bailleurs de fond, diffuseurs, comités gouvernementaux et autres preneurs de décisions.
- Projets: Entretenir des partenariats entre divers secteurs, développer des opportunités pour accroître la carrière des artistes, créer des ponts entre les régions du Québec et les communautés linguistiques, adresser les préoccupations communes et célébrer les terrains d’entente.
- ELANouvelles: Diffuser l’information et promouvoir les activités des membres dans notre infolettre mensuelle et gratuite en ligne.
- Facebook et Twitter: Partager les nouvelles et opportunités de nos membres et communauté.
- Abonnement: Mettre de l’avant les membres d’ELAN à travers la promotion, l’appui et des offres spéciales.
À travers toutes ces avenues, la portée d’ELAN s’étend à tout le Québec et couvre toutes les disciplines artistiques, pratiques et niveaux de carrière. Les membres et la communauté d’ELAN comprennent des artistes d’une variété d’horizons linguistiques et culturels.
Qu’est-ce qu’une langue officielle en situation minoritaire ?
Les francophones à l’extérieur du Québec et les anglophones au Québec sont considérés comme une minorité de langue officielle; communautés de personnes qui parlent une des deux langues officielles du Canada, mais se trouvent à être en minorité par rapport au reste des gens dans leur région qui parlent l’autre langue officielle. Ce rapport de Statistique Canada offre plus de détails quant au concept des communautés de langue officielle en situation minoritaire et les définitions complexes que le concept implique. Selon le recensement, les anglophones représentaient environ 13,5% de la population du Québec.
La Fédération culturelle canadienne-française (FCCF), basée à Ottawa, est la contrepartie d’ELAN, qui sert et appuie les artistes francophones à l’extérieur du Québec.
Qu’en est-il de la partie anglophone d’ELAN?
Les membres d’ELAN ont en commun le fait d’utiliser l’anglais dans leur vie, que ce soit à travers leur expression créative, leurs activités professionnelles, ou tout autre domaine. ELAN utilise les termes langue anglaise et anglophone de manière inclusive: sans égard à sa langue maternelle, tout le monde peut parler en anglais.
ELAN encourage une identité québécoise en évolution qui reconnaît le français comme la langue publique et célèbre la diversité sociale, culturelle et artistique. ELAN croit que les artistes anglophones du Québec bénéficient de liens forts avec leurs collègues francophones et entre eux.
Combien d’artistes anglophones québécois vivent au Québec?
Selon le recensement de 2011, 8500 québécois anglophones travaillent dans le milieu des arts et de la culture. Plus de 3000 travaillent dans l’industrie du film et de la télévision, 1000 dans le domaine de la musique et 800 en arts visuels. Un plus petit nombre de québécois anglophones travaillent dans les milieux du théâtre, de l’écriture, de l’édition et des arts médiatiques. Des chiffres significatifs représentent ceux qui travaillent dans les domaines de l’animation et de la traduction.
Beaucoup d’artistes travaillent dans au moins deux langues. L’étude d’ELAN en 2010 sur les travailleurs dans le milieu du film et de la télévision révélait que 26% vivent dans un foyer bilingue, 62% se considèrent couramment bilingue et 97% sont au moins partiellement bilingue.
Que fait ELAN pour ses membres?
Le travail d’ELAN bénéficie à tous les artistes et amateurs des arts, mais va encore plus loin pour ses membres. Les membres d’ELAN bénéficient de :
- Promotion et visibilité sur les réseaux sociaux (plus de 2700 abonnés sur Facebook et Twitter, respectivement) et ELANouvelles* (plus de 2300 abonnés)
- Rabais sur ce qui touche aux arts et à la culture – 10% de rabais à la libraire Drawn & Quarterly
- Encadrement et appui pour les opportunités de financement, ressources et développement de carrière
- Préavis pour les projets, campagnes et autres opportunités de connections avec d’autres artistes et de développement de carrière.
- Accès exclusif, gratuit ou à rabais, aux ateliers et évènements payants d’ELAN, tel que l’atelier très populaire Getting Media Attention avec CBC Montréal.
- Mise en lumière des œuvres de ses membres dans le répertoire des membres d’ELAN
- L’occasion de présenter leur œuvre à un auditoire très captif lors des évènements de réseautage fréquents.
Cliquez ici pour en savoir plus sur l’abonnement ELAN.
De quelle façon ELAN se mobilise?
ELAN rencontre régulièrement des institutions fédérales (comme le Conseil des Arts du Canada, Téléfilm, l’Office National du Film), des comités sénatoriaux, des organismes artistiques francophones (tels le Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, le Conseil des arts de Montréal), et d’autres preneurs de décisions pour discuter des enjeux relatifs au milieu des arts et de la culture et aux communautés de langue officielle en situation minoritaire.
Ce travail se déroule presque entièrement en arrière-plan, mais des résultats concrets en découlent :
- Une entente tripartite de coopération et de collaboration d’une durée de trois ans, pour renforcer le secteur audiovisuel et culturel du Québec, a été signée entre l’Office National du Film (ONF), le Conseil québécois de la production de langue anglaise et ELAN.
- Inclusion de commentaires de la part de membres de communautés anglophones dans l’examen 2016 de la politique culturelle au Québec, passé largement inaperçu par les médias anglophones.
- 20% de la programmation de Vidéotron sur MAtv, sa chaine communautaire, est dédié au contenu anglophone – le résultat de plusieurs années d’interventions, aux côtés de groupes communautaires et d’artistes travaillant dans ce secteur.
Cliquez ici pour découvrir ce sur quoi ELAN a travaillé dernièrement.
How do I submit an event, job call, or other item to ELANews?
If you’re a member, log in to your profile and click whatever you need to click on the new website.
If you’re not a member, and you have an opportunity that would benefit other artists – for example, a call for submissions, a job opportunity, or an offer to collaborate – email news@quebec-elan.org.
As for promoting exhibitions, shows, events, or books/albums/other artistic products: this is the type of thing we usually reserve as a benefit for ELAN members. To find out more about membership, click here.
Can I present my work at an ELAN event?
If you’re a member, sure! Many ELAN networking events feature a Minute Market, where members sign up for 60-second slots to promote a current or upcoming exhibition, show, book launch, or other project to a captive audience of artists and arts lovers.
Click here to find out about upcoming ELAN events.
Will you help me promote my album/concert/production/movie/book/exhibition?
This is the kind of thing usually reserved as a benefit for ELAN members.
To find out more about membership, click here. If you’re an ELAN member, submit this way (either via email or through the website).
Do you offer English classes?
No. Try getting in touch with a continuing education program like those at Concordia or McGill, or a community program like the YMCA International Language School.
Funding, Networking, and Career Development (version française à venir)
I’m new to Quebec. Where can I go to find information on establishing myself here?
- Follow ELAN on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to ELANews (it’s free). ELAN shares as many job opportunities as possible through these channels and on our websitehere.
- Consult YES Montreal’s resources for job seekers and artist-entrepreneurs.
- Other good resources: Artère (FR) is comprehensive and covers every artistic discipline. QWF, QDF, and Culture Montréaldistribute job opportunities to their members.
- If you’re a returning student under 30, register for Young Canada Works. Many arts organizations fund temporary positions through YCW.
- Same with Emploi-Québec’s wage subsidyprogram, which is open to workers at the beginning of their career. Some employers require a letter of eligibility as part of your application package, so it’s worth getting to know the program in advance.
- Emploi-Québec also offers project grants to cultural workers under 30 through the Young Volunteers (Jeunes volontaires) program .
- To improve your French (and your chances in the job market), look into the Francisation program or classes through CEGEPs or other continuing education institutions. There are also many Meetup groups where you can practise.
- Get out there. Go to vernissages, panel discussions, arts organizations’ AGMs, and any other free (or paid) events you can find. See the tips on networking above for other suggestions. Networking might not get you a job instantly, but it’s a crucial part of getting to know the field
How can I meet artists working in my area/discipline? Do you have tips for networking here?
“Networking” can be an intimidating concept, but it’s really just meeting interesting people who care about the same things you do. Here are some good ways to jump in:
- Come to an ELAN event! Networking events are free and open to everyone, not just ELAN members.
- Go to vernissages (exhibition openings), shows, workshops, panel discussions, and 5-à-7s (networking cocktails). Find information on events in ELANews (subscribe here), and on ELAN’s Facebook and Twitter feeds.
- When you’re at an event, be curious and engaged. Listen carefully and ask good questions. Don’t be afraid to strike up conversations – everyone else is there to meet people, too.
- Volunteer. Festivals, galleries, and organizations can often use a helping hand. Volunteering helps you learn about an artistic community, introduces you to fellow volunteers and artists, and often gets you into events for free.
- Check out ELAN’s sister organizations if you’re a writer or theatre artist and want to meet people working in your discipline: the Quebec Drama Federation (QDF), the Quebec Writers’ Federation (QWF), and the Association of English-Language Publishers of Quebec (AELAQ).
- Networking takes practice and time. Notice what works best for you, identify your challenges, and keep at it!
I really need a job. How can I find work in Quebec’s arts and culture sector?
- Follow ELAN on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to ELANews (it’s free). ELAN shares as many job opportunities as possible through these channels and on our website here.
- Consult YES Montreal’s resources for job seekers and artist-entrepreneurs.
- Other good resources: Artère (FR) is comprehensive and covers every artistic discipline. QWF, QDF, and Culture Montréal distribute job opportunities to their members.
- If you’re a returning student under 30, register for Young Canada Works. Many arts organizations fund temporary positions through YCW.
- Same with Emploi-Québec’s wage subsidy program, which is open to workers at the beginning of their career. Some employers require a letter of eligibility as part of your application package, so it’s worth getting to know the program in advance.
- Emploi-Québec also offers project grants to cultural workers under 30 through the Young Volunteers (Jeunes volontaires) program .
- To improve your French (and your chances in the job market), look into the Francisation program or classes through CEGEPs or other continuing education institutions. There are also many Meetup groups where you can practise.
- Get out there. Go to vernissages, panel discussions, arts organizations’ AGMs, and any other free (or paid) events you can find. See the tips on networking above for other suggestions. Networking might not get you a job instantly, but it’s a crucial part of getting to know the field
Does ELAN provide funding?
No. But we do advocate to funders and decision-makers on behalf of English-speaking artists to maintain, improve, and create opportunities for them to support their work.
Read more about ELAN’s recent advocacy work here
Do you have any grantwriting tips?
Yes! Check out our Grantwriting Resources and from previous workshops.
We also host grantwriting workshops. Click here to see if we have one planned near you.
I’m looking for funding for my project and really don’t know where to start. Help?
If you’re an ELAN member, we would be happy to sit down with you to talk about your situation and offer specific suggestions. Get in touch.
Otherwise, three good places to start are the Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM), Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ), and the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA). Look at the programs they offer. If you’re unsure whether you qualify for a particular grant, get in touch with the program officer listed to confirm your eligibility and find out whether your project is a good fit.
Or, work backwards. Find a project similar to yours in terms of discipline, scope, and artistic content. Look for a website page, poster, or other promotional material that shows which funders supported it.
Many funders publish a list of grant recipients online a certain amount of time after a grant is awarded. This is another good way to find out which grants your peers are receiving.
Where can I get money to translate my website/promo materials into French?
There are surprisingly few clear-cut ways for artists to finance translations. You can write translation into the cost of a project grant, either as a line item (if the grant allows) or as part of your promotional costs. If you’re not quite there yet, try arranging a translation trade with a French-speaking colleague or artist whose work you admire.
ELAN has been trying to solve the translation funding puzzle for a while now. Become a member or subscribe to ELANews, and you’ll be the first to know when we figure it out.
Membership (version française à venir)
Who can be an ELAN member?
Artists and organizations of all disciplines and backgrounds are welcome to join. Those who consider themselves arts lovers are welcome to join as Friend members. Membership is free for students studying full-time as defined by their institution.
Find out about membership categories and eligibility criteria here.
What are the benefits of membership?
Discounts, promotion, an online Spotlight showcasing your work, cheap or free workshops, and more – but most importantly, the warm fuzzy feeling of supporting ELAN’s work on behalf of Quebec’s English-speaking artists.
I speak English, but it’s not my mother tongue. Can I still join?
Yes! ELAN’s eligibility criteria [link to Become a Member Page] don’t take mother tongue into account. Many ELAN members, including some of the leaders on our Board, have a mother tongue other than English.
Member Accounts and Services (version française à venir)
So what do you do exactly?
We serve and support English-speaking artists who live and work in Quebec – that is, Quebec’s official language minority (OLM) artistic community. We do this through connection, visibility, and advocacy.
Our scope is province-wide, and our work covers all artistic disciplines. Our members work in many different domains, and represent various artistic practices, career stages, and linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
Wait. What is an official language minority?
French speakers outside Quebec and English speakers inside Quebec are considered to be official language minorities (OLM): communities of people who speak one of Canada’s two official languages, but who are in the minority insofar as the rest of the population in their region speaks the other official language. This Statistics Canada report provides more detail on the concept of OLM communities (OLMCs) and the complex definitions involved. According to this report (p. 14), as of the 2006 Census, Quebec’s OLMC accounted for about 13.4% of the province’s population.
The Fédération culturelle canadienne-française (FCCF) is ELAN’s counterpart, serving and supporting French-speaking artists outside Quebec.
OK. But what’s with the English-Language part of ELAN?
Our members have in common the fact of using English in their lives, whether as part of their creative expression, their professional activities, or another domain. We use the terms English-language and English-speaking inclusively: regardless of mother tongue, anyone can be an English speaker.
We encourage an evolving Quebec identity that recognizes French as the public language and celebrates social, cultural, and artistic diversity. We believe Quebec’s English-speaking artists benefit from strengthened connections to their French-speaking colleagues and to each other.
How many English-speaking artists live in Quebec?
According to the 2006 Census, 8,500 English-speaking Quebecers work in arts and culture. More than 3000 work in film and television, 1000 in music, 800 in visual arts. Smaller numbers work in theatre, writing, publishing, media arts, dance and circus arts. Significant numbers work in fields such as animation and translation.
Many artists work in at least two languages. ELAN’s 2010 study of workers in Film and Television revealed that 26% live in bilingual homes, 62% considered themselves fluently bilingual, and 97% were at least partially bilingual.
