REPAIRE benefits from the experience and expertise of two merged organizations: the Conseil québécois des arts médiatiques (CQAM) and the Regroupement des arts interdisciplinaires du Québec (RAIQ). By pooling revenues and human resources, this alliance actualizes and affirms the essential role of a group dedicated to independent research and experimentation in the arts.
History of CQAM
In 1996, during a plenary assembly closing the États généraux des artistes de la vidéo et du cinéma indépendant, delegates unanimously supported a resolution to found a permanent forum dedicated to improving the conditions of independent artists associated with these practices. Two years later, a few media arts artist centers got together to found the Conseil québécois des arts médiatiques (CQAM). Incorporated on June 19, 1998, the CQAM brings together professional artists, cultural workers and organizations dedicated to media arts to work for the common good of the sector in a united way. In 2003, CQAM was recognized as Quebec’s national media arts organization.
History of the RAIQ
In 2004, as part of the reform of its multidisciplinary program, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) convened several practitioners from the field. A committee was then set up to organize a forum to which practitioners and organizations from the interdisciplinary field were invited. Supported by the CALQ, the CAC and the CAM, the forum aims to identify the needs shared by a very diverse community, allow for the advancement of interdisciplinary practice and improve its public image and working conditions. Following this forum, a committee was mandated to start the process of founding and incorporating an organization representing interdisciplinary arts. On April 5, 2005, the Regroupement des arts interdisciplinaires du Québec was born.
Fusion of CQAM and RAIQ – Founding of the independent arts research and experimentation peer group REPAIRE
In November 2019, an integration committee was officially formed. It included Éric Desmarais (president) and François Toussaint (vice-president) of the CQAM, Gilles Arteau (administrator) and Vincent de Repentigny (vice-president) of the RAIQ as well as Manon Tourigny (president) and France Choinière (vice-president) of the RCAAQ. The committee worked to model a new entity by defining its organizational form, vision, mission, mandate, budget structure and membership.
The three terms experimentation, research and independence guide all the reflections of the integration committee and constitute the foundations of the new entity. This is not a trivial matter: it is a profound transformation of the culture of an entire community where the norm is to define itself by its disciplinary affiliation or its governance model.
Independent work
An independent work is considered to be a work whose conception, realization and modes of distribution result from creative and decision-making process over which the artist or artists’ collective has full control, despite any impediment.
Research work
A work is considered to be a research work if it is dedicated to the reflection and development of existing processes, techniques, technologies, forms or vocabularies with the objective of creating new ones.
Experimental work
A work of experimentation is considered to be a work based on the observation of developing processes, techniques, technologies, forms or vocabularies with the goal of creating evolving artistic explorations.
On June 3, 2021, REPAIRE received its Letters Patent. On June 29, 2021, REPAIRE’s members adopted their general by-laws and proceeded to elect their first directors. This election put to the test a complex formula of board composition – as laid out in the organization’s bylaws – with the objective of reflecting the diversity of the independent research and experimental arts milieu.
Read the full integration project report leading up to the fusion (June 2021)
