Cartel capitalizes on Montréal’s identity as North America’s most European city as well as its geographic location as a logical meeting point for Europe and North America. The project’s four great partners, from 4 countries of two continents, combine a diversity of expertise and perspectives which are a function of their varied roles as programmers, presenters and cultural organizers.

All over Europe and North America, locally based music scenes contain highly active and creative communities of presenters, musicians and audiences who collaborate together and achieve extraordinary local results. At the same time there is a lack of co-ordination between the different communities. A presenters network could coordinate efforts between the different network nodes to the benefit of all if it possessed the same kind of dynamism that has manifested itself on the local level.

Musical diversity is a central concept for Cartel because it understands that contemporary audiences welcome and are receptive to many forms and modes of experimental music. Cartel also recognizes the vital importance of collaboration between presenter organizations in terms of sharing ideas and experience, developing programming projects and establishing tour networks which enhance the activities of both artists and presenters.

Cartel is a developing project which hopes that its structure and organization will evolve as a result of the input of its participants. Cartel is looking for established, open minded programmers interested in diverse programming, able to manage different types of projects and used to working with a variety of artists and producers.

(This section of the site is currently being developped, more information about Cartel will be available shortly)