Independent performance venues fund
Facilities that offer cultural programming are currently experiencing significant economic challenges. Many cultural businesses face financial constraints that have the effect of reducing the diversity of the artistic offer, which adversely affects customer traffic and profitability.
In order to provide support for independent performance spaces, Ville de Montréal is introducing a financial assistance program administered by PME MTL. The objective of this subsidy fund is to stimulate the vitality of the cultural offer in central Montréal neighbourhoods.
Eligible expenses within the context of the program
- Development of customer traffic (e.g.: promotion or loyalty program aimed at customers)
- Diversification and enhancement of programming (e.g.: new artistic disciplines, special events)
- Marketing and promotion strategy (e.g.: digital partnership tools, optimized ticketing)
- Sharing of resources (e.g.: shared equipment, staff training)
- Optimization of customer traffic data (e.g.: demographic studies, sales management)
Financial assistance
An individual space may be entitled to financial assistance of up to 90% of the total cost of the project, to a maximum of $40,000.
A group of spaces (minimum of three spaces) may be entitled to financial assistance of up to 90% of the total cost of the project, to a maximum of $100,000.
Eligible businesses
- Operators (owners or lessors) of an independent performance space with a capacity of less than 1,000 people that offered programming featuring at least 35 performances during the year preceding the request;
- Groups of operators who wish to carry out a shared project;
- Spaces that offer annual cultural programming featuring a minimum of 35 performances that are publicized and accessible to the general public, excluding the following:
- Benefit or charitable performances
- Corporate or private performances
- Karaoke
- Businesses that have received financial assistance from CALQ.
Territories targeted by the program:
- PME MTL Centre-Ville: For spaces located in the boroughs of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Plateau-Mont-Royal, Outremont and Ville-Marie, along with the City of Westmount.
- PME MTL Centre-Est: For spaces located in the boroughs of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie and Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension.
- PME MTL Grand Sud-Ouest: For spaces located in the boroughs of Sud-Ouest, Verdun and LaSalle.
Selection criteria for projects
- Economic viability of the performance space
- Participation of other financial partners in the project
- Experience of the performance space management team
- Inclusion of a strategic sustainable development process
Documents required:
- Duly completed electronic Form
- Copy of the certificate of occupancy for the performance space issued by the borough or the reconstituted municipality
- Copy of the articles of incorporation or a statement of information submitted to the Registre des entreprises du Québec
- Professional artistic or stage programming presented in the independent performance space that is the subject of the request, indicating the number of professional performances scheduled and publicized during the year preceding the submission of the request and for the year in progress when the request is submitted
- Liquor license issued by the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux du Québec, indicating the maximum capacity of the independent performance space, or if no liquor license has been issued for the independent performance space, any other document issued by a public organization that indicates the maximum capacity of the space
- Copy of a commercial lease with a remaining term of at least two years, or copy of a document that establishes ownership in accordance with land registry records
- Executive summary of the project presented in connection with the subsidy request
- Financial statements for the two previous fiscal years or interim financial statements
- One or another of the following documents:
- Copy of the certificate of occupancy for the independent performance space that is the subject of the request issued by the borough or the reconstituted municipality
- Letter from the borough or the reconstituted municipality authorizing the presence of the independent performance space within its territory
- Copy of the resolution of the Borough Council or the City Council of the reconstituted municipality approving the PPCMOI request in connection with the independent performance space
- Copy of the resolution of the Borough Council or the City Council of the reconstituted municipality approving the request for conditional use in connection with the independent performance space