International Project Incubator hosted by the Commission internationale du théâtre francophone
The Commission internationale du théâtre francophone (CITF) was created to support multilateral theatre coproduction and circulation projects in La Francophonie. The CITF funds artistic projects that support dialogue and collaboration between artists from at least three countries on two continents. La Francophonie is at the heart of these joint theatre productions that are sometimes visited by other disciplines. To date, several hundreds of projects have been supported, providing artists with the opportunity to meet on creative and theatre-based grounds, to challenge and enhance their artistic processes, to discover other French-language cultures and to win over new audiences.
The Canada Council for the Arts holds a seat at the Commission on behalf of Canadian Heritage as part of its support for Francophone-minority communities.
2025 Artist Profile
Siona Gareau Brennan
Vancouver, British Columbia
Photographer(s): MatSimpson“The project incubator helped me further develop my vision of international artistic collaboration. We had the opportunity to really get to know each other, form connections and discover artistic affinities.”
— Siona Gareau Brennan
About
In collaboration with the Institut Français (Paris, France) and the Festival Les Rencontres à l’échelle – Bancs publics (link in French only) (Marseille, France), the Commission internationale du théâtre francophone (CITF) (link in French only) organized a project incubator in Marseille, from May 26 to June 7, 2025.
The Commission was created in 1987 to support the realization of multilateral theatre creation and circulation projects. The seat on this Commission is held by the Canada Council for the Arts on behalf Canadian Heritage.
The project incubator has been designed as a space for Francophone artists from various backgrounds to meet and share ideas, with a view to generating a desire for active collaboration, both within and outside the CITF’s projects. For 10 days or so, participants met artists whose approach is based in politically engaged art or the creation of works that champion, denounce, defend or take a stand with regard to a given cause. The cohort participated in creative labs. At the end of these workshops, their works were presented in the presence of CITF officials and artistic experts.
The Canada Council for the Arts provided funding for a maximum of three artists from Francophone and Acadian communities across Canada to attend the incubator.
Incubator goals:
- Enhance the collective knowledge and the connections between artists from Europe, North America and countries in the Global South
- Support the development of artistic collaborations and co-produced theatre projects between companies and artists in the Francophonie
- Contribute to the development of theatre practices
- Spark conversations about everyone’s respective practices and share knowledge
- Promote theatre from the host country
Eligibility
Selected candidates must have:
- had five years of recognized professional practice in theatre;
- had at least two of the following skills: playwriting, acting, stage directing or musical composition;
- had a company with which they could carry out production projects;
- demonstrated a genuine desire for professional resourcing and development;
- wanted to collaborate on artistic projects with creators from other Francophone areas; and
- been available for the duration of the incubator.
Submitting an application
Applicants must have:
- included a cover letter that explains their artistic approach, how international connections fit into their own journey and which incubator goals made them want to take part in the event;
- confirmed their availability for the duration of the incubator; and
- sent in their resumes.
Application deadline
Applications were sent in no later than 11:59 p.m. (EST) on March 3, 2025, to the Canada Council for the Arts’ International division, at international.coordination@canadacouncil.ca.
Selection process
- Peer evaluation is fundamental to the Canada Council’s decision-making process. A peer assessment committee assesses the eligible applications.
- The committee selects applicants that represent local, geographic or cultural diversity, as well as a range of scopes of artistic practice.
Attendees were selected in mid-March and notified by phone or by email.
Event agenda
The Festival Les Rencontres à l’échelle (link in French only) brought together artists from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, thereby providing a diversity of artistic offerings and participants.
Les Rencontres à l’échelle: an immersion in Marseille’s creative ecosystem
A cosmopolitan city at the crossroads of several Mediterranean and African influences, Marseille offers a particularly fertile context for the emergence of innovative artistic projects.
Home to the Festival Les Rencontres à l’échelle, Friche la Belle de Mai is a cultural centre renowned for its international outlook and its cooperation projects, with venues in the South, offering a non-hierarchical, inclusive space for creation.
- The incubator was organized around a flexible timetable, alternating between group and individual time during the 10 days of group work.
- Over these 10 days, the cohort was encouraged to use art and creation to come up with visions of the world through approaches that reflect the varied backgrounds of its members.
- Participants benefited from artistic and dramaturgical support, which enabled them to develop their projects in a stimulating professional environment.
- The creative workshops were interspersed with exchanges with external stakeholders from different fields, with a view to informing the work of the cohort in a spirit of openness.
- Shows presented as part of the Festival Les Rencontres à l’échelle – Bancs publics, which took place from June 4 to 15, 2025, were also included in incubator programming. Outside incubator labs, attendees were free to attend Festival performances.
At the end of the incubator, artists submitted a short account of their experience.