A word from the President

This is the archive site for Carnaval du soleil, a unique, rebellious annual event accessible to all, which created a truly enjoyable and lasting impact on the streets of Montreal during its years of existence from 1983 to 1990.

MISSION

Carnaval du soleil was a multi-faceted cultural event. When a group of artists launched the first edition in 1983, three priorities were already taking shape: multiculturalism, urban intervention and free admission.

The audacity of this festival corresponded to the zeitgeist, the desire to mark Montreal differently, by presenting performances usually only seen in galleries and museums. All this coupled with the musical performances of World musique (an idea successfully pursued by Nuits d’Afrique 3 years later) and the presence of artisans.
A place where the barriers between different trends were broken down, where multiple forms of artistic expression rubbed shoulders, a street arts festival at the heart of urban life.

Street art at its best!

Corporate trajectory

When we incorporated Carnaval du soleil, we had no idea that this gesture would give rise to a host of other initiatives. In fact, Carnaval du soleil later mutated (adopting a triple personality) into Matière à Musée for the 2 Sculpture symposiums (1991 and 1995) and into the Académie musicale Eval Manigat, a school founded in St-Marc, Ayiti, dedicated to musical knowledge, in memory of the great Montreal musician Eval Manigat. It is still in operation.

Links :

HIGHLIGHTS 1983-1990

  • 1983- First event on rue St-Denis, music, performance and artisan booth, Galerie Motivation, “HORS LES MURS” performance.
  • 1984- Vieux Port, Musique tropicale, sculpture, installation and performance. “ARCANE X11, multidisciplinary creation and event by Jacques Charbonneau, with dancer Suzanne Verdal and her son Kalhil.
  • 1985- “L’ART DANS LA RUE SOUS LE SIGNE DU SOLEIL” (ART IN THE STREET UNDER THE SUN), Latin music from the West Indies and Africa, Live painting, multimedia performance.
  • 1986- “BERMUDA” Contemporary and traditional dance, performances with Les Foufounes Électriques, BATUCADA Longe de la and parade.
  • 1987- Congolese ballet “LOKOLÉ”, specially invited from Paris. In association with the Haitian community, EXHIBITION OF HAITIAN PAINTERS. Armand Vaillancourt le Centaure, PERFORMANCE D’UN POÈTE ANARCHISTE.
  • 1988-KATARI TAIKO, Japanese group from Vancouver, dazzling taiko drum show. FÊTE DE LA ST-JEAN, introductory remarks by Dr ARCELIN, President of the Quebec Section of Multiculturalism “The aim of Carnaval du soleil: to bring Quebecers of different origins together under the auspices of art in all its versatility”.
  • 1989-Entertainment contract with Molson for the Grand Prix and mini-symposium on Crescent Street with Armand Vaillancourt, Serges Beaumont, Yvanhoë Fortier and Don Darby. Festival Salsa et Visions d’Afrique.
  • 1990- Last year of the Carnival of the Sun. Animation contract for the Grand Prix, again sponsored by Molson. The turning point came with the conference “La sculpture publique : Inscrire le lieu”. This was followed by the International Sculpture Symposium Matière à Musée on the Plaza de la Place Ville-Marie from early June to late August 1991.