Festival d'été international de Québec

Festival d'été international de Québec

Festival d'été international de Québec (Festival d'été de Québec 1968-86). Summer festival founded 1968 by a group of young artists and businessmen from Quebec City with the purpose of furthering cultural, touristic and economic development in their region. In 1978, the Festival took part in the celebrations for the 370th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City. Thereafter, it sought international scope by welcoming French-speaking guests from America, Europe, and Africa. By 1980, its object was to act as an instrument of communication and brotherhood between French-speaking communities in the world.

Since then, programming has become increasingly diverse and ambitious. Each festival has featured some 400 events, most of them offered free of charge at the Pigeonnier, at Place d'Youville or in the streets of the Old City; these shows are given by close to 800 artists from about 15 countries, in genres ranging from pop songs and music, classical and traditional music, to street shows and films on music. In 1989 the festival established the Prix international de la chanson francophone intended to honour songwriters and members of the production staff responsible for the creation of French-language songs, arouse interest in the media, and produce a consensus among all the participants in an effort to promote the wealth of the French-language chanson. Among artists featured at the Festival have been Colette Boky, Robert Charlebois, Céline Dion, Louise Forestier, Marc-André Hamelin, Pauline Julien, Mory Kanté (Mali), Kassav (French Caribbean islands), André Laplante, Paul Piché, Michel Rivard, and György Terebesi.