The Circus Art District

What drives us to take the stage

Since Cirque du Soleil established its headquarters in 1997 on the outskirts of the Miron Quarry—a former open-air landfill in Montreal—the area has become a hub for the production, training, and promotion of the circus arts, and has been built on environmental and human values. Since then, the waste has given way to greening and the creation of Frédéric Back Park. The next generation of circus artists is trained at the National Circus School, and TOHU—North America’s only presenter specializing in the circus arts—offers multidisciplinary activities, including a cultural program (performing and visual arts), with a focus on social and community inclusion and environmental education.

The Circus Arts District thus builds on 20 years of collaboration, social and environmental innovation, international influence, training, and research. Drawing on this experience, the founding members are proposing a second phase of urban transformation that will address contemporary challenges, including the climate emergency and territorial equity.
 
Based on the model adopted twenty years earlier for the creation of the Cité des arts du cirque, the renewed vision for the transformation of the Saint-Michel neighborhood centers on the circus as a catalyst and tool for urban development. Circus, as a living art form, is the result of a collaborative process and the convergence of various forms of expertise mobilized for the benefit of the public and society. It embodies the values of inclusion, solidarity, acceptance, and trust as the prerequisites for a successful performance. For its second phase of implementation, the Cité des arts du cirque is therefore positioning itself as the Quartier des Arts du Cirque (QUAC), inviting the entire Saint-Michel community to carry out a social, environmental, and economic project that places people at the heart of decision-making. The circus will be the central element ensuring the harmonious development of the region through culture and the performing arts.

What Drives Our Performance

Collaboration

QUAC is defined by co-creation and co-governance among residents, artists, institutional partners, and private organizations in the pursuit of an ambitious shared project that places people and the earth at the heart of decision-making.

Multidisciplinarity

A delicate balance will need to be struck to carry out a cross-disciplinary project that encompasses all the performing arts and draws on a diverse range of expertise, from economic development to architecture and social innovation. The project’s success will depend on transcending disciplinary boundaries to deliver innovative solutions that are committed to the socio-ecological transition.

Performance

Since magic cannot happen without dreams and pushing one’s limits, QUAC will explore new possibilities through ambition and innovation. It will give itself the freedom to explore, experiment, and test models that do not yet exist but are necessary for the resilience of a community and its environment.