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| Festival Montréal Complètement Cirque | |
|---|---|
| Name | Festival Montréal Complètement Cirque |
| Location | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Dates | June (annual) |
| Genre | Circus, contemporary circus, street performance |
Festival Montréal Complètement Cirque is an annual circus arts festival held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that presents contemporary circus, traditional circus, street arts and multidisciplinary performance. Founded in 1995, the festival has become a major international gathering for circus companies, producers and artists, drawing companies from Europe, Latin America and Asia while integrating local Montreal and Canadian troupes. The program combines indoor theatre shows, outdoor spectacles, community activities and professional forums to foster exchange among curators, presenters and funders.
The festival emerged in the mid-1990s amid a resurgence of contemporary circus alongside institutions such as Cirque du Soleil, National Circus School, Festival International de Jazz de Montréal and the growth of Montreal's cultural districts like Quartier des Spectacles. Early editions showcased companies linked to movements represented by Pablo Neruda-era cultural networks and touring circuits similar to those used by Théâtre du Soleil and Compagnie Philippe Genty. Through the 2000s the festival expanded programming in parallel with developments at organizations such as Cirque Éloize, Les 7 Doigts de la Main and collaborations with European festivals like Festival d'Avignon and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Institutional partnerships later included arts funders analogous to Canada Council for the Arts, municipal bodies like Ville de Montréal and provincial entities such as Société de développement des entreprises culturelles.
Programming spans contemporary circus works, street shows, family programming and professional development. The festival curates productions comparable to those seen at La Scala (Milan), Sadler's Wells, Théâtre du Châtelet and touring platforms used by companies like Cirque Plume and Roncalli Circus. It has presented artist-driven projects in dialogue with choreographers associated with Pina Bausch, directors linked to Robert Lepage-style staging, and musical collaborators who have worked with ensembles such as Les Violons du Roy and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. The festival also programs outdoor spectacles that relate to street events at Notting Hill Carnival, Caribana (Toronto) and Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France.
Performances take place across Montreal in venues including major theatres akin to Place des Arts, black box spaces similar to Théâtre Prospero, outdoor sites like Parc Jean-Drapeau, community stages in neighbourhoods such as Plateau-Mont-Royal and adapted industrial spaces reminiscent of Hangar 16 and Le Bain Mathieu. Touring tents and pop-up stages echo practices used by Dutch National Opera’s temporary structures and by circuses such as Cirque Medrano. The festival’s footprint often intersects with landmarks including Old Montreal, Saint-Laurent Boulevard and the commercial arteries of Rue Sainte-Catherine.
The festival is organized by a nonprofit board and producing team that operates in the ecosystem of Canadian arts organizations like Festival d'été de Québec, Folklorama, Toronto Fringe Festival and presentation networks akin to Réseau Ontario and Canadian Arts Presenting Association (CAPACOA). Funding streams resemble mixes provided by agencies including Canada Council for the Arts, provincial ministries similar to Ministère de la Culture et des Communications (Québec), municipal culture departments such as Conseil des arts de Montréal, corporate sponsors and private philanthropists in the vein of donors linked to McCord Museum and Fondation du CHUM. The festival also generates revenue through ticket sales, sponsorships comparable to Bell Canada partnerships and collaborative co-productions with companies like Cirque Éloize.
The festival draws local, national and international audiences, paralleling attendance patterns seen at Montreal World Film Festival and contributing to cultural tourism alongside events like Nuit Blanche (Paris)-style initiatives. Its economic and cultural impact is reflected in increased hotel occupancy in areas like Downtown Montreal and patronage of restaurants on Rue Saint-Denis, and in the career development of artists who later tour at venues such as Kennedy Center and Sydney Opera House. The festival’s community outreach programs mirror models used by Sadler's Wells’ community projects and have produced collaborations with educational partners such as Concordia University and McGill University.
Over time the festival and participating companies have received recognitions comparable to Prix de la danse de Montréal, international touring awards like Total Theatre Awards and programming accolades from cultural organizations similar to Association des diffuseurs indépendants (ADI). Individual productions presented at the festival have gone on to win prizes at events like Offfest (Avignon) and to earn critical mention in media outlets that cover festivals such as Le Devoir, La Presse and The Globe and Mail.
The roster has included artists and companies whose trajectories intersect with entities such as Cirque du Soleil, Les 7 Doigts de la Main, Cirque Éloize, Compagnie XY, NoFit State Circus, Cie. Willi Dorner and creators who have collaborated with directors like Robert Lepage and choreographers in the lineage of Pina Bausch. Productions presented have ranged from debut works that later toured to institutions like Lincoln Center, Barbican Centre and Helsinki Festival to experimental site-specific shows resonant with projects staged at Documenta and Manifesta.
Category:Festivals in Montreal Category:Circus festivals Category:Performing arts in Canada