Montreal Votes 2025: What each party is saying about arts & festival funding this election

Montreal’s identity has always been inseparable from its culture. One need only look at any one of the summer festivals that fill the streets or small, artist-run spaces that keep the city alive year-round to see it. The city’s creative sector is both an economic engine and a collective heartbeat.

But that heartbeat is under pressure. Rising costs, dwindling grants, and bureaucratic hurdles have left many artists and organizers wondering whether the next administration will treat culture as a public good or just a branding tool.

Ahead of the 2025 municipal election, The Main asked every party how they plan to support the city’s artists, cultural organizations, and festivals—both large and small. We also asked how they would reform the funding and permitting processes, and whether they see culture as an economic driver, a public service, or both.

Editor's Note: Projet Montréal and Action Montréal did not respond to our repeated requests for an interview. The notes included for those parties are extrapolated from their published platforms.

Here’s what each party had to say in their own words, where available.

How will you ensure stable, long-term funding for Montreal’s arts organizations and artists?

Futur Montréal – Équipe Jean-François Kacou:

"As an administration, we would look to continue Montreal’s support for the arts, but as a city there will always be a limit on what can be spent. We would work with the arts community to support the creation of programs that offer training services for artists to earn from their art."

Transition Montréal – Équipe Craig Sauvé:

"We’ll rebalance funding to protect independent and community-based creators who are being squeezed out by corporate concentration. Our policy includes a push for solidarity ticket contribution, a small share of large event revenues redirected to a public fund that supports small venues, emerging artists, and experimental work."

Ensemble Montréal – Équipe Soraya Martinez Ferrada:

"We’ve committed to increasing the contribution to the Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM) to reach $30 million in 2028, then index the funding annually on a permanent basis. We also plan to establish a secretariat for Montreal as a cultural metropolis within the first 100 days of an Ensemble Montréal administration."

Projet Montréal – Équipe Luc Rabouin:

Projet Montréal’s 2025 platform emphasizes culture as a cornerstone of civic life and a tool for social inclusion. The party commits to sustained funding for local arts organizations through the Conseil des arts de Montréal and to maintaining strong municipal support for artists and cultural institutions. The platform also calls for increased collaboration between boroughs and the cultural sector to better distribute resources citywide.

Action Montréal – Équipe Gilbert Thibodeau:

Action Montréal’s platform highlights the importance of economic development and tourism but does not specifically outline measures for arts funding. However, its emphasis on supporting public events, markets, and local commerce suggests an indirect commitment to cultural vitality through economic channels. The party advocates reducing administrative barriers for entrepreneurs and organizers, which could also benefit festival producers and community events.

What changes would you make to the permitting and funding process for festivals, both large and small?

Futur Montréal – Équipe Jean-François Kacou:

"For the permitting process, we believe faster response times and greater efficiency are essential to helping the city reduce operating costs. Festivals, like all activities, need to be able to plan years in advance. We would work to enact a three-year permit granting program for annual festivals. We would also work to create funding and training programs for festival entrepreneurs seeking to launch the next Montreal major event."

Transition Montréal – Équipe Craig Sauvé:

"This is one of the priorities the Night Mayor will have on their to-do list, as well as an area to review globally. Montreal has great international-scale festivals that make sure our city is a can’t-miss on the festival circuit. What we are lacking is coherent policies and streamlining of festival activities for smaller more local events. That is why we have promised to double the budget for small festivals and independent events."

Ensemble Montréal – Équipe Soraya Martinez Ferrada:

"Festivals are important to us. They help make Montreal a city that shines on the international stage, and we want to ensure that they continue to thrive. We have announced a $3 million investment to promote culture in all neighborhoods of the city. We’ve also promised to restore the conditions necessary for Montreal to regain its reputation as a cultural metropolis by addressing issues of cleanliness, safety, and traffic flow. We want to co-develop pilot projects that aim to increase revenue for festival-goers while preserving free access, create a philanthropic matching fund for private donations to stimulate the development of new revenue streams, and encourage the sharing of equipment and storage space at venues."

Projet Montréal – Équipe Luc Rabouin:

The platform reinforces a commitment to simplification and accessibility in cultural administration. Projet Montréal supports easing permitting procedures for festivals and cultural events and strengthening the city’s coordination role between boroughs and organizers. Its focus is on ensuring that smaller and emerging festivals receive the same level of attention and support as major institutions, maintaining cultural diversity across neighbourhoods.

Action Montréal – Équipe Gilbert Thibodeau:

While the platform does not address festivals directly, Action Montréal’s promise to reduce red tape and administrative delays for entrepreneurs would likely extend to event organizers. Its call to support public events that animate neighbourhoods suggests a preference for deregulation and local autonomy rather than centralized cultural policy.

Do you see arts and culture as an economic driver, a public service, or both? How would your policies reflect that?

Futur Montréal – Équipe Jean-François Kacou:

"I think that the arts and the economy progress our society together — both enrich our society and both are needed to inspire a positive change in our city."

Transition Montréal – Équipe Craig Sauvé:

"Both, but first and foremost a public good. Culture is not a commodity; it’s the soul of the city. It sustains mental health, strengthens community, and makes Montreal more humane and just."

Ensemble Montréal – Équipe Soraya Martinez Ferrada:

"Both! For us, culture is not a luxury. It is an investment that benefits everyone. Culture is an essential part of quality of life, a vehicle for social cohesion, and a pillar of our city’s development. That’s why we’ve announced some important measures."

Projet Montréal – Équipe Luc Rabouin:

Projet Montréal presents culture as both a public service and an economic driver — a means to foster social cohesion while supporting sustainable growth. The platform outlines plans to integrate cultural policy with economic development, emphasizing creative industries, local talent, and public accessibility to the arts.

Action Montréal – Équipe Gilbert Thibodeau:

Action Montréal tends to frame culture through its economic potential, seeing cultural events as a way to attract tourism and revitalize commercial districts. While its platform lacks a detailed cultural policy, its emphasis on supporting local events and easing regulations suggests it views culture primarily as a contributor to economic recovery and neighbourhood vitality.