Cole Foundation Awards Intercultural Conversations Grants $190,200 To 11 Local Theatre Companies

Twice a year the Cole Foundation's Intercultural Conversations-Conversations Interculturelles (IC-CI) program disperses hundreds of thousands of dollars to support professional Montreal theatre companies who produce, commission and translate plays that show diversity on stage. This encourages greater understanding of Montreal's intercultural reality by having audiences both learn about and see their stories presented.

For the recent fall competition, 11 deserving companies were given invaluable grants for a total of $190,200 for the 2023-24 season, as well as added funding for post-show audience talkbacks to continue the conversation initiated in the play.

"I am honoured to support the ever-expanding international scope of the cultures and countries represented in these local productions," said Cole Foundation President and Chairman, Barry Cole. "It is important for Montreal audiences to see the breadth of perspectives from around the world on our stages."

Play submissions encompass a widespread range of ideas, cultures and identities. Anticipated new works presented by both emerging and awarded playwrights range from larger than usual casts to intimate solo pieces. Audiences will experience works of honesty, humour, history and heartbreak. Theatrical styles and themes include a poetic ode to the search for home and identity; puppet drama for older children that explores Jewish Ukrainian stereotypes; a discussion of privilege and perspective between a gay man and a Black woman; Indigenous children's rights to health care; epistolary works from emotional texts poured into real correspondence; a light-hearted look at Muslim romance; Indigenous Argentines under a system of white supremacy; cultural issues vs violence against women; rising antisemitism told through five generations of one Parisian family; the parallels of the playwright/performer and the African queen warrior/politician who shares her name; and the friendship between Indigenous artists in vastly different circumstances-one Canadian and one a Colombian living with daily threats. The works highlight contemporary Quebec issues via the Caribbean, Belgium, Lebanon, Congo (DRC), Guyana, Colombia, South Asia, Morocco, Syria, France, Ukraine and Argentina.

Intercultural Conversations-Conversations Interculturelles grants confirm local companies' valued impact in producing diverse, cross-cultural shared experiences and telling important, current stories. "Scapegoat Carnivale has had the privilege of receiving several grants from the Cole Foundation. That support from Barry Cole, the foundation, and the jury has afforded us more rehearsal, better pay for our team, and the greatest asset, time, to explore our work in a more profound and meaningful way," said Joseph Shragge, company co-artistic director. "We thank the Cole foundation for being a major force in changing the landscape of Montreal theatre for the better."

For Martine Dennenwald, co-artistic director Festival TransAmériques, "The Foundation's Intercultural Conversations grant provides much-needed support for a crucial phase in a number of works for this year's international festival. It is essential in making the conversation between Argentine and Andean communities, and Montreal theatre-goers, a reality."

Sylvain Bélanger is the artistic director of Centre du Théâtre d'Aujourd'hui, "Intercultural conversations are at the heart of our artistic and social projects. The Cole Foundation's support feeds into our mission to enrich Quebec drama, something we are dedicated exclusively to," he said. "In this era of building walls instead of bridges, the Cole Foundation's mission of intercultural dialogue is more urgent than ever. The Foundation has regularly given us the means to surpass ourselves artistically, affirmed Artistic Director Philippe Ducros, Hôtel-Motel. "The team is, as always, made up of artists and collaborators from the regions in the play. The resulting artistic and human dialogue is invaluable, and we are so thankful," Ducros added. "The Segal Centre commends the Cole Foundation for recognizing the pressing need to include antisemitism in the conversations surrounding intercultural issues. We are also thrilled to include French supertitles for every performance that can help build a bridge to engage the wider Quebec population in this important discourse," said Lisa Rubin, artistic director. Dian Marie Bridge is the new artistic director of Black Theatre Workshop, "The Cole Foundation's dedication to the promotion of intercultural exchange is deeply shared by us at BTW. We are grateful for the continued support the Foundation gives to the work, conversations and platforms that we provide to Montreal's theatre community," said Bridge.

COMMISSIONING grants are: Geordie Productions- Jordan the Great by Yvette Nolan; Teesri Duniya Theatre- Talaq by Rahul Varma; Centre du Théâtre d'Aujourd'hui- Nzinga by Nzinga Botao, Diamond and Mumbu (also production grant); and Productions Onishka- Nigamon/Tunai by Emilie Monnet and Waira Nina (also production grant).

PRODUCTION grant awards go to: Black Theatre Workshop- Every Day She Rose by Nick Green and Andrea Scott; Festival TransAmériques- Soliloquio by Tizono Cruz (also translation grant); Infinithéâtre- Dominoes at the Crossroads by Kaie Kellough; Les Productions Hôtel-Motel- Chambres d'echos by Philippe Ducros; Scapegoat Carnivale- Vertip by Joseph Shragge; Segal Centre for the Performing Arts- Prayer for the French Republic by Joshua Harmon; and Silk Road Institute- The Rishta by Uzma Jalaluddin.

There are two annual Intercultural Conversations- Conversations Interculturelles grants, in October and April. The deadline for the next competition of the award is Friday, March 31, 2023 at 5:00pm. Theatre companies interested in applying for a grant can download the necessary application forms and information from the Cole Foundation's web site at: www.colefoundation.ca/en/programmes/intercultural-conversations/.

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