MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) is a multi-disciplinary venue with an intercultural mandate that presents professional contemporary artists. The only space in Montreal with such a mandate, MAI showcases works reflecting current cultural practices which draw from cultural diversity and are inviting to the audience.

An incubator for the arts favourable to reflection and research, a space for dialogue and exchange between cultures that allows many different partners to collaborate, MAI has the mandate of supporting creation, presentation and outreach for intercultural arts.

MAI presents original creations in dance, music, theater (in both French and English), multidisciplinary arts, visual and media arts. Within projects of local, national and international significance, MAI presents emerging, mid-career and established artists while focussing particularly on artists from cultural communities.
MAI therefore welcomes artists and organizations to submit their projects and residency proposals. Projects must be intercultural in nature.

• Multidisciplinary and performing arts

• Media and visual arts.

MAI'S INTERCULTURAL VISION

MAI offers a space for exploring new artistic intercultural practices. These practices are based on intercultural relations: exchanges between individuals or groups of defined identities. Such encounters may also be expressed through linking cultural objects or aesthetics borrowed from other cultures.

In the arts, this approach requires a commitment to the notion of dialogue as the very core of the process, and an emphasis on developing the forms of this hybridization. In this perspective, MAI contributes to the development of intercultural artistic practices by offering residencies to professional artists and organizations which provide an opportunity to develop high-quality, mature works, in addition to encounters with the public and collaborations.

Cross-cultural creation not only provides a dynamic field for questioning intercultural relations, but also allows for a reflection on the very essence of art and on the necessary conditions for its renewal. Intercultural artistic practices also lead to fundamental changes in traditional artistic disciplines. Interdisciplinary productions that incorporate mixed artistic approaches and create new and original artistic languages are therefore included in MAI’s regular season, as well as in special activities.

MAI works towards the growth and empowerment of artists and organizations dedicated to intercultural practices in their community. MAI creates strong links with local communities by presenting activities with the support of community artistic or cultural organizations within the Boroughs of Montreal. These events include: visits from professional artists presented at the MAI; dialogues between artists of different practices; coaching of local artistic and cultural activities; technical or promotional support, etc.