Arts and culture inspire us and bring us together. They also strengthen our communities and boost our economy. Since March 2020, Canadians have had few opportunities to take part in arts and cultural gatherings due to closures or cancellations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many organizations have been under financial pressure. During these difficult times, the Government of Canada has been committed to supporting them.
It was in this context that the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage, and the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, today announced Government of Canada funding to support the 39th edition of the Just For Laughs Festival.
Canadian Heritage funding of $1,700,000 over two years (2021 and 2022 editions) will be provided through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund. These funds will support the artistic programming of the Just For Laughs Festival. The event will offer the community a bilingual, cosmopolitan and extensive program both indoors (paid) and outdoors (free). Activities will take place in Place des Festivals and at several venues in the Quartier des spectacles.
On January 19, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) announced a non-repayable contribution of $1,300,000 for the Festival. CED’s support for 2020 and 2021, as part of the Quebec Economic Development Program, includes the development of products to diversify the brand, ensuring overall attractiveness of the event and the implementation of a marketing strategy on local and international markets.
Quick Facts
Montréal’s Just For Laughs/Juste pour rire Festival, which is due to take place from July 15 to 31 this year, is attended by more than 1.5 million spectators each summer.
Just For Laughs MONTRÉAL/Juste pour rire MONTRÉAL will be held in the Quartier des spectacles and offer over 60 free outdoor performances, roving entertainers, large-scale video projections, fun activities and the Soirées Carte blanche at the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts. Exclusive stand-ups filmed abroad, sketch series, podcasts and digital fiction projects will be posted online for free and available throughout the event.
The Canada Arts Presentation Fund provides funding to organizations that host arts festivals or seasonal professional-performance programs. The Fund also supports organizations that back arts broadcasters.
CED’s Quebec Economic Development Program aims to help communities take advantage of promising opportunities for future economic development and diversification.
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