OTL Blog

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Infringement Festival to challenge “Fringe” trademark with over 50 artists and first-ever World Infringement Congress

MONTREAL, November 10, 2016

Based on the original Edinburgh Fringe of 1947, the Montreal Infringement Festival will welcome over 50 local and international artists for its 13^th edition, including burlesque, film, dance, music, and theatrical spoken word performances and events! Running from November 15 – 20, the festival has moved from June to November to coincide with the 3^rd World Fringe Congress, a gathering of Fringe Festival managers from around the world, to spark a conversation.

The Infringement Festival was created in Montreal in 2004 after the St. Ambroise Fringe kicked out experimental theatre show Car Stories in 2001, allegedly on orders of a corporate sponsor. The festival, which aims to challenge corporate interference in the arts through dialogue and by creating alternative models, has popped up in other cities and is currently one of the largest festivals in Buffalo, New York.

Infringement artists were represented at the first two World Fringe Congresses in Edinburgh, in 2012 and 2014, after receiving letters of invitation. While artists from Montreal and Buffalo infringement festivals had hoped to continue to dialogue with Fringe managers about important issues in the arts, their applications were rejected by the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF), hosts of the 2016 Congress being held in Montreal. CAFF has the word “Fringe” locked in a Canada-wide trademark and uses this fact to exclude people from participating in Fringe arts.

To counter the exclusion, not only is the Infringement Festival being offered as an inclusive space, but will also hold the first-ever World Infringement Congress on Saturday, November 19, to examine issues that tend to get glossed over at the original event and to provide a platform for the excluded artists to voice their concerns.

Furthermore, the Montreal Infringement Festival has issued a debate invitation to CAFF to engage in a Canadian parliamentary-style debate about its trademark on the word “Fringe” and the resulting exclusion of artists.

Through these strategies, the Montreal Infringement Festival aims to challenge the Fringe trademark and spark an important dialogue about finding concrete ways to protect artists and culture from excessive corporate interference.

Montreal Infringement Festival Website: infringemontreal.org

Media contact:          Donovan King     optatif@gmail.com     514-842-1467

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Pour diffusion immédiate :

Le festival Infringement défiera la marque « Fringe » avec le premier Congrès mondial Infringement.

MONTRÉAL, le 10 novembre, 2016

Fondé sur le Fringe originel d’Édimbourg de 1947, le festival Infringement de Montréal accueillera plus de 50 artistes régionaux pour sa 13e édition, incluant des événements et des spectacles de burlesque, de danse, de musique, de films et de spoken word. Allant du 15 au 20 novembre, le festival a été postposé de juin à novembre afin de coïncider avec le 3e Congrès mondial du Fringe, un rassemblement des gérants internationaux du festival Fringe dans le but de discuter.

Le festival Infringement fut créé à Montréal en 2004 après que le Fringe de Saint Ambroise eut expulsé le spectacle expérimental Car Stories en 2001, prétendument sur l’ordre d’un commanditaire. Le festival, qui vise à défier, par le dialogue, l’ingérence des entreprises dans les arts en créant de nouveaux modèles, s’est démarqué dans d’autres villes et est un des festivals les plus en vue à Buffalo, New York.

Les artistes de l’Infringement ont été représentés aux deux premiers congrès mondiaux du Fringe à Édimbourg en 2012 et 2014 après en avoir reçu l’invitation. Bien que les artistes du festival Infringement de Montréal et de Buffalo aient espéré de continuer le dialogue avec les gérants du Fringe autour des sujets importants dans les arts, leurs demandes ont été rejetées par l’Association canadienne des festivals Fringe (AcfF), hôtes du Congrès de 2016 à Montréal. L’AcfF a verrouillé le mot « fringe » dans une marque de commerce canadienne, empêchant son utilisation dans les arts du Fringe.

Pour contrer cette exclusion, l’Infringement ne s’est pas seulement offert comme espace inclusive, mais comme accueil du premier Congrès mondial de l’Infringement, qui aura lieu samedi le 19 novembre, pour examiner les problèmes qui ont été mis de côté lors de l’événement originel, et pour permettre aux artistes exclus qui veulent se faire entendre d’avoir une plateforme pour le faire.

De plus, l’Infringement de Montréal a envoyé à l’AcfF une invitation à s’engager dans un débat de type parlementaire concernant la mise en marque du mot « Fringe » et l’exclusion des artistes conséquemment. Par ces stratégies, le festival Infringement vise à défier la prise de la marque de commerce Fringe en cherchant un dialogue important sur les manières concrètes de protéger les artistes et la culture des excès de l’ingérence commerciale.

RENSEIGNEMENTS MÉDIAS : Donovan King, optatif@gmail.com, 514-842-1467

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In true democratic tradition, the Montreal Infringement festival has issued an invitation to the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF) to engage in a debate about the trademark on the word “Fringe”, Canadian Parliamentary-style:

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Dear CAFF representative,

The Montreal Infringement Festival would like to invite the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals to a Parliamentary-style debate about the Canada-wide trademark on the word “Fringe”.

Because all infringement artists were excluded when applying to the 3rd World Fringe Congress, we feel it is important to dialogue with your organization in hopes of eventually resolving long-standing issues between artists and Fringe administrators. To quote excluded Buffalo infringement artist Cat McCarthy:

“Why do we scare you so much? If you want to have a well-run festival, you must know the counterculture you have excluded. Fringe artists are supposed to be cutting-edge and on the fringe of new and exciting artistic expression.”

It is a question worth looking at. Canadian parliamentary-style debate is an important way of examining contentious issues in the democratic tradition of our country. Opposing teams of two debaters each follow a set of rules and make their case before the Speaker, all within strict time limits. The purpose is to hash out issues with the goal of their eventual resolution.

While we are open to having this debate when it is convenient for you, we have reserved some time at the World Infringement Congress on Saturday, November 19 from 3:15 to 4 pm at the Old Bank Arts Space in the working class neighbourhhood of Point Saint Charles (1900 Wellington Street) where there will be a captive audience of people. There will be two seats reserved for your organization in case you decide to take us up on this challenge.

The Infringement Festival believes that dialogue and debate are the best ways to resolve contentious issues and to set sensible policies that protect artists, spectators, communities and culture from excessive corporate interference in the arts. As such, we hope you will engage us in this important debate.

To make arrangements, please email me at optatif@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Donovan King

Montreal Infringement Festival

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The 3rd World Fringe Congress, a gathering of Fringe festival administrators from around the globe, is running from November 16 – 18 in Montreal after being held twice in Edinburgh, Scotland (in 2012 and 2014).

Normally a low-key affair whereby Fringe managers discuss different issues surrounding the festivals, controversy has struck the Congress after various artists in both Montreal and Buffalo were rejected when they applied.

The excluded artists represent infringement festivals, Fringe-like Festivals that cannot operate under the name “Fringe” due to legal threats. Infringement festival representatives were invited to the Edinburgh World Fringe Congress in 2012 and 2014, but in 2016 their applications were all rejected by the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF), hosts of the 3rd World Fringe Congress.

The CAFF has the words “Fringe” and “Fringe Festival” locked in a trademark and threatens legal action against anyone attempting to do Fringe theatre without their permission.

An open letter of complaint has been issued to CEO Shona McCarthy of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, asking her to overturn this unfortunate decision. Infringement artists feel that trademarks should have no place in the world of Fringe arts, as they result in the exclusion of artists and compromise what was once an artist-driven festival, all in the name of corporate interests.

Ironically, it would appear that the history of the Fringe is repeating itself. The artists who were excluded from the CAFF-hosted World Fringe Congress are now setting up shop on the fringe of the event. The exact same thing happened in Edinburgh in 1947 when artists’ invented the Fringe Festival. After being rejected by administrators of the Edinburgh International Festival, they decided to play on the fringe of the official festival. This act of cultural resistance spawned a global movement whereby Fringe festivals have appeared in hundreds of cities around the world.

However, there are now complaints that corporate interests are beginning to compromise Fringe festivals by trademarking them. Despite the fact that artists created this festival as a protest against exclusion, they are now forbidden to play without paying hefty fees in jurisdictions like Canada.

To highlight these issues, Montreal artists will be hosting the 13th annual infringement festival from November 15 – 20, offering unadulterated, independent infringement arts that are not tainted in any way by corporate interference.

Promising no restrictive trademarks, cross-branding, visual pollution, lotteries, unfair deals for artists and audiences, censorship, etc. typically found at other Canadian festivals, the infringement festival, is based on the original Edinburgh Fringe of 1947. Its purpose is to put the power back into the hands of the artists and spectators and to curb damaging corporate practices at Fringe festivals.

There will also be the first-ever World Infringement Congress, whereby festival administrators are being invited to conduct and/or attend progressive lectures and workshops in a more formal setting. Scheduled on Saturday, November 19, the day after the World Fringe Congress ends, this is an opportunity for Fringe managers at the Congress to explore some of the corporate problems that are compromising festivals in Canada and across the globe.

There will also be a free performance of WTF?! (What the Fr*nge?!) on Thursday, November 17 at 8 p.m. at the Rusty Shuttle Gallery (3655 Saint Laurent, Loft 411) for those who cannot attend the World Infringement Congress. This performance-lecture analyzes various problems, often corporate, that are compromising Fringe Festivals across the planet and invites Fringe Managers to reflect on their own approaches to running a Fringe Festival. The performance will be held at the Rusty Shuttle Gallery (3655 Saint Laurent Boulevard) and all Fringe managers are welcome, including the members of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF) who banned all infringement artists from attending the 3rd World Fringe Congress.

Excluded artists hope that through dialogue some of the more contentious issues compromising Fringe Festivals in Canada and across the globe can be addressed with the view of resolving them in the future.

Dear Ms. Shona McCarthy,

Firstly, my congratulations on your recent appointment as the CEO of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. I wish you all the best in your role and hope we can work together to resolve some longstanding issues at the Fringe.

My name is Donovan King and I am a professional actor, cultural worker and a school teacher from Montreal.

I attended the World Fringe Congresses in Edinburgh in 2012 and 2014 after being invited as a representative of the infringement festivals. Infringement festivals are Fringe festivals that have been threatened with legal action by people claiming to hold a Fringe trademark, so have used the name infringement to avoid being sued. The word “infringement” simultaneously questions the trademarking of the Fringe, a grassroots festival that was created by artists for artists as a protest against exclusion during the original Edinburgh Fringe of 1947.

I am writing you today in regards to some serious problems with the third World Fringe Congress, being held in my home city of Montreal. I would like to explain why I feel you should intervene as the CEO of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. The story is a bit complicated, so I have tried to make it as clear as possible.

Backstory: Fringe politics and trademark issues in Montreal and Buffalo

Fringe politics is a very common topic among artists in Montreal due to the trademarking of the word and subsequent exclusion of artists, which has resulted in a major cultural battle for over 15 years now. In a nutshell, artists who are unhappy with the trademarked St. Ambroise Fringe have been challenging it artistically through culture-jamming, whereas the St. Ambroise Fringe has responded with the exclusion of activist artists, including calling the police on them whenever they protest (despite the fact that in Canada our right to protest is protected by our Constitution). Instead of engaging in dialogue with critical artists to resolve thorny issues, the St. Ambroise Fringe has consistently attempted to exclude them and paint them as dangerous.

The infringement festival was created in 2004 in Montreal after the St. Ambroise Fringe kicked artists out of the festival in 2001, allegedly on orders of then corporate sponsor Can-West Global, a media company that produced newspapers such as the Montreal Gazette. When the Gazette’s theatre critic was offended by a critique of her behaviour (she had demanded a free ticket to the experimental play Car Stories), she stopped reviewing the entire festival until the offending artists were ejected.

This corporate sponsor was in a clear conflict-of-interest as both a media outlet reporting on the festival and a corporation financing it. To make matters worse, the St. Ambroise Fringe refused to pay artists their ticket sales after a sold out week or reimburse the hefty registration fee they charged to be associated with the Fringe trademark.

The infringement festival spread to Buffalo the following year after local artists there were threatened with legal action from the NYC Fringe, who claimed to hold a Fringe trademark. According to Dr. Xela Batchelder, the world’s leading academic on Fringe theatre, this was a falsehood – the NYC Fringe has never held a Fringe trademark.

Furthermore, the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF) also threatens legal action against students and independent artists who attempt to use the word “Fringe” without their permission.

As I hope you will agree, the idea of a Fringe trademark is the very antithesis of the original Fringe. It results in the exclusion of Fringe artists and students from participating in a form of populist arts and forces them to rename the festival if they want to carry on with their artistic activities. A trademark on the word “Fringe” is extremely problematic and damages the festival by compromising its authenticity and preventing artists from performing – all in the name of corporate interests. It is an issue that needs to be urgently debated, in my opinion.

Issue: Exclusion at third World Fringe Congress

Getting back to the World Fringe Congress, I had the pleasure to attend in Edinburgh in 2012 and 2014 after being invited by the founder, Holly Payton-Lombardo. My work at the Congress included writing a critical analysis about problems facing the Fringe internationally in 2012, followed by a workshop in 2014 called “A World Fringe Philosophy” where I outlined some of the more problematic issues for Fringe Managers. I even did a show at the Edinburgh Fringe called Critical Report from the World Fringe Congress, which has also played in other cities in the U.K., Ireland, the U.S.A. and Canada.

I was very excited at the prospect of attending the 2016 Congress to continue the conversation in my home city and to try and finally resolve some of the issues, such as the Fringe trademark in Canada that prevents artists from participating or the fact that ticket sales still have not been paid, 15 years later.

For the third Wold Fringe Congress, I had also intended to propose inviting a workshop on strategies to ensure safe(r) festivals after incidents of sexual assault and discrimination against people with disabilities at CAFF Fringe festivals came to light recently. The fact that people feel unsafe at Canadian Fringe festivals needs to be addressed, in my opinion, with the goal of creating policies to ensure the safety of all participants.

Unfortunately, the CAFF-hosted World Fringe Congress has rejected all local Montreal infringement delegates from attending without providing much reason.

This, despite the fact I helped set up the original Fringe Festival here (before it was trademarked), and then established the infringement festival to try and challenge the perceived co-opting of our Fringe by corporate interests. To be excluded in my own city is really hurtful, to be honest, especially after I invested all that time and money going to Edinburgh in 2012 and 2014 to be included in the important discussions.

I didn’t realize that the St. Ambroise Montreal Fringe’s exclusion of artists would extend to the World Fringe Congress.

Furthermore, to make matters worse, everyone who applied from the Buffalo infringement festival was also rejected. I find it really unfortunate that my colleagues in Buffalo are being rejected simply for being associated with me.

It is important to remember that these artists simply wanted to do Fringe theatre until they were threatened by the Fringe in NYC, who claimed to control a Fringe trademark. Instead, they started an infringement festival, just like we did because of the Canadian trademark that prevented us from doing a populist form of arts we have been doing since we helped found the Fringe in Montreal. We are about as Fringe as it gets – if people won’t let us play in their “official” festival, we are going to do it ourselves, just like the artists who invented the Fringe Festival in the first place.

Ironically, this is the exact same thing that happened in Edinburgh in 1947, but now the Fringe is cast in the role of the Edinburgh International Festival that it had originally protested against.

The American artists from Buffalo didn’t do anything objectionable and don’t deserve to be excluded. I find their treatment by the St. Ambroise Fringe and CAFF to be extremely disturbing, to be honest. These artists have never even attended a Canadian Fringe Festival, let alone culture-jammed one. Why are they being banned from participating?

Issue: Purpose of World Fringe Congress is being compromised

It is important to remember that founder of the World Fringe Congress, Holly Payton-Lombardo, stated in 2012 the purpose of her creation:  “…the Congress will recognize that there are many models of Fringe and many different ideas within it, without recognizing any one model, concept or Fringe as more valid than another.” Furthermore, Holly stated that the Congress was designed “to create a lasting network and a real sense of how Fringes can work together to achieve all our aims.”

Far from working together to achieve our collective aims, the Congress is now banning artists who do not comply with a corporate model of Fringe. My fear is that the CAFF World Fringe Congress will focus mostly on persuading other festivals to become more and more corporate now that they have silenced all the critical voices through exclusion. If nobody from infringement is allowed to speak to these issues, the legitimacy of the World Fringe Congress must be called into question.

The CAFF has arguably changed the purpose of the Congress to exclude models that are based on the real Fringe Festival of 1947 in favor of more corporate models, which effectively excludes Montreal and Buffalo artists who voice critical opinions. I find it sad and unfortunate that Holly’s creation has been compromised like this and I hope there will be some serious discussion in Edinburgh and pressure applied to restore it to its original purpose.

As the CEO of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, presumably one of your responsibilities it to safeguard and oversee the Fringe’s brand. Many people feel that the Fringe brand is at risk internationally due to the trademarking issue, which has now resulted in the exclusion of some of the most dedicated Fringe artists on the planet. Their voices are being excluded from an important conversation about Fringe festivals and, on a larger scale, about culture itself.

Proposed resolution

The way I see it, if Fringe stakeholders don’t start tackling these issues now, things are only going to get worse and worse. The behavior of managers at both the NYC Fringe and CAFF is very exclusionary and is harming the Fringe’s brand on a global level. It is always the same thing: for financial reasons, the administrators want to have complete control of the Fringe, so they use disingenuous techniques, such as trademarking and legal threats, to try and charge artists hefty fees for participating. This type of behavior should have no place in the world of Fringe arts, where the artists traditionally came first because they invented the festival in the first place.

I hope that the Fringe community is mature enough to hold an adult discussion about the issues I have raised, with the goal of protecting the Fringe and its participants from the types of corporate manipulation and discrimination I have outlined.

Furthermore, it is illegal in Quebec to discriminate based on political convictions, including activism, and the government has strong Human Rights legislation in place to challenge exclusion of various sorts. That being said, I am hoping these issues can be resolved through dialogue.

As such, I am asking you to intervene and to overturn the decision to ban all Montreal and Buffalo infringement artists from the CAFF-hosted third World Fringe Congress. 

Lastly, like the original Fringe artists of 1947, we are challenging our own exclusion. We have decided to take matters into our own hands by creating parallel events.  I would like to invite you to the first-ever World Infringement Congress on Saturday, November 19, in Montreal.

As part of the Montreal Infringement Festival, running from November 15 – 20, the happening will explore important issues likely being excluded from the CAFF World Fringe Congress. In attendance will be some of the world’s leading Fringe artists and academics, local arts activists and community leaders. You are most welcome to attend to be a part of the conversation, as are all the other Fringe Managers. Unlike the CAFF World Fringe Congress, we believe in diversity, inclusion and critical thinking.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.

Sincerely,

Donovan King, B.F.A., B.Ed., M.F.A.

The response:

Dear Donovan

Thank you for your email regarding the Fringe World Congress.

As you know, the Fringe World Congress is an Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society event which has twice taken place in Edinburgh.  The purpose of the event is to bring Fringe organisers of the world together to discuss and learn from each other, from an operational, artistic and philosophical perspective.  Although the Edinburgh model – open access, non-curated – is the original Fringe model, it is by no means the only model and that is the essence of the conference.  We ourselves have multiple models within the Fringe which coexist to the benefit of both participants and audiences, and we welcome open discussion and debate without prejudice on the benefits and flaws of differing models and how to manage them operationally.

In terms of the 2016 Congress, which will take place in Montreal, hosted by the Festival St-Ambroise Fringe de Montreal, contractually the running of the event is the responsibility of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals and Festival St-Ambroise Fringe de Montreal which includes the decision on delegate attendance.  As a result, we can certainly voice an opinion on decisions made but ultimately it is a decision for the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals and Festival St-Ambroise Fringe de Montreal to make.

With kind regards

Elizabeth

Elizabeth Burchell

Head of Marketing & Sponsorship

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society

Sent from my iPhone

Dear friends and colleagues who are members of the World Fringe Congress,

Firstly, I am writing to inform you that unfortunately all infringement delegates from both Montreal and Buffalo were rejected when applying to the 3rd World Fringe Congress, despite being represented in Edinburgh in 2012 and 2014.

An open letter of complaint has been issued to CEO Shona McCarthy of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, asking her to overturn this unfortunate decision, which excludes members who have critical opinions and object to corporate manipulation at Fringe Festivals.

Ironically, it would appear that the history of the Fringe is repeating itself. The artists who were snubbed by the CAFF-hosted World Fringe Congress are now setting up shop on the fringe of the exclusionary event. The exact same thing happened in Edinburgh in 1947 when artists played on the fringe of the Edinburgh International Festival after being rejected by bureaucrats there.

We would like to invite you to extend your stay because Montreal artists will be hosting the 13th annual infringement festival from November 15 – 20, offering you unadulterated, independent infringement arts that are not tainted in any way by corporate interference.

We promise no restrictive trademarks, cross-branding, visual pollution, lotteries, unfair deals for artists and audiences, censorship, etc. typically found at other Canadian festivals. Based on the original Edinburgh Fringe of 1947, the infringement festival aims to put the power back into the hands of the artists and spectators and to curb damaging corporate practices!

We will also be hosting the first-ever World Infringement Congress, whereby festival administrators are invited to conduct and/or attend progressive lectures and workshops in a more formal setting. Scheduled on Saturday, November 19, the day after the World Fringe Congress ends, this is an opportunity to step outside the “Fringe manager” bubble and to meet leading academics on the topic of infringement arts and to explore some of the corporate problems that are compromising other festivals in Canada and across the globe.

There will also be a free performance of WTF?! (What the Fr*nge?!) on Thursday, November 17 at 8 p.m. for those who cannot attend the World Infringement Congress. This performance-lecture analyzes various problems, often corporate, that are compromising Fringe Festivals across the planet and invites Fringe managers to reflect on their own approaches to running a Fringe Festival. The performance will be held at the Rusty Shuttle Gallery (3655 Saint Laurent Boulevard) and all Fringe managers are welcome, including the members of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF) who excluded all infringement artists from the 3rd World Fringe Congress.

Montreal is a world-class city and the city’s independent artists plan to give you a world-class welcome, despite the exclusion being propagated by the CAFF.

To confirm your attendance at the first World Infringement Congress, please email me at optatif@gmail.com. Some financial aid will be available to festival managers in need who demonstrate a commitment to protecting Fringe festivals, artists and spectators from corporate abuse and interference. Please explain your needs in the email and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

The Montreal infringement festival has always prided itself on being an inclusive space and the infringement movement is also very welcoming. While Fringe managers may disagree sometimes with the infringement philosophy, their opinions are still welcome. The overall goal is to seek ways to improve festivals for artists, spectators and communities at large. Here’s hoping to see you in attendance!

Sincerely,

Donovan King

Montreal Infringement Festival

[Français ci-dessous]

The Montreal Infringement is seeking collaborators and artists for a rare November festival!

Running from November 15 – 20, 2016, this is an exciting opportunity to make a real impact by demanding protections for artists and spectators from some of the most influential arts administrators on the planet.

In Canada, a CBC analysis recently revealed that out-of-control arts administrators now “make up the 1%” in the arts world – at the expense of the artists producing the work and spectators in attendance. This problem of arts exploitation exists across the world and is only getting worse.

To challenge this problem, this year the Montreal Infringement Festival is moving from June to November to coincide with the third World Fringe Congress, a gathering of Fringe administrators from around the globe! These arts administrators and power-brokers will be in Montreal to discuss the business dynamics surrounding Fringe Festivals, such as trademarking the word “fringe”, how to secure powerful corporate sponsors, how many “extra fees” to add onto ticket sales, how much money to charge the artists to perform, etc.

Starting in 2004, the Montreal Infringement Festival has been held in June at the same time as the St. Ambroise “Fringe” to provide artists with a no-cost alternative and to demand positive changes that better protect artists and their spectators from corporate interference and overzealous arts administrators.

The infringement movement was born on June 19, 2001, when the trademarked St. Ambroise Fringe Festival booted the innovative show Car Stories from the festival, allegedly on orders of a corporate sponsor. When artists didn’t receive their ticket sales after paying hefty fees to participate in the now-trademarked “Fringe” Festival, they were outraged. This sparked off the creation of the infringement movement, an activist and do-it-yourself way of producing the arts based on the original Edinburgh Fringe of 1947.

The Infringement Festival has participated at the first two World Fringe Congresses in Edinburgh, Scotland. In an effort to persuade Fringe administrators to start putting artists first, in the tradition of the original Fringe of 1947, infringement artists have presented workshops and performances at the Edinburgh Fringe and the World Fringe Congress that are critical of excessive corporate manipulation at Fringe Festivals (e.g. “A World Fringe Philosophy?”).

The New York Times baptized the infringement an “opposition party” to the present, questionable way of doing business at Fringe Festivals.

The fact that the Congress is being held in Montreal, the birthplace of the infringement movement, is an exciting opportunity to showcase what can happen when artists are put in charge of a festival and corporations are blocked from transforming it into a marketing opportunity. Not only will there be an Infringement Festival to inspire them, but also a World Infringement Congress on Saturday, November 19, whereby infringers from around the world will join us in discussing these issues. Let’s hope the Fringe administrators come with an open mind. By taking advantage of this exceptional opportunity, they can learn how to better protect artists and find ways to prevent corporations from compromising what was once an authentic, grassroots, artist-driven festival.

Running from November 15 – 20, 2016, the Montreal Infringement Festival is currently seeking collaborators and artists for its 13th annual edition.

The Montreal infringement festival would not exist without a core of volunteer collaborators who help to organize the festival. Collaborators organize everything from promotion, artist recruitment and event-planning to venue-booking, media relations and festival production. “Bring what you would hope to find” is a popular infringement motto.

Collaborators are often artists, activists and culture-lovers and we meet online and usually in person around twice a month as the festival season approaches. It’s a great way to meet new people, empower artists and to be part of a community event that challenges the corporate takeover of culture.

Here are some examples of things you can do as a collaborator or artist:

1) Create an event or a show.
2) Be in charge of a day and curate some acts.
3) Book and be in charge of a venue.
4) Invite a critical artist to play and be in charge of helping them organize.
5) Be a music co-ordinator and book bands.
6) Hold a fundraiser.
7) Help other organizers with media, billeting, creating images, etc.
8) Collaborate with other infringers to make a group event.
9) Engage in activist events surrounding the World Fringe Congress
9) Participate in the World Infringement Congress (Saturday, November 19).

Details can be found on the Montreal Infringement Festival website. To participate as an artist or volunteer organizer, simply email optatif@gmail.com to request an admission form or explain how you would like to participate.

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L’Infringement de Montréal cherche des collaborateurs et artistes pour un rare festival en novembre !

Se déroulant du 15 au 20 novembre 2016, c’est une opportunité excitante pour avoir un impact en demandant que les artistes et leurs spectateurs soient protégés contre les administrateurs des arts les plus influents du monde.

Au Canada, une analyse du CBC a récemment révélé que les administrateurs des arts composent 1% du monde artistique — aux dépends des artistes qui produisent et du public. Le problème de l’exploitation des arts existe partout dans le monde, et s’aggrave de plus en plus.

Pour défier le problème, cette année le festival Infringement de Montréal s’est prorogé jusqu’en novembre afin de coïncider avec le troisième Congrès mondial du Fringe, un rassemblement des administrateurs du Fringe du monde entier ! Ces administrateurs des arts et négociateurs influents seront à Montréal pour discuter des dynamiques d’affaires concernant les festivals Fringe, comme le marquetage du mot « fringe » ; comment se garantir l’appui des commanditaires ; combien de frais supplémentaires ajouter à la vente des billets ; quel montant exiger des artistes, etc.

Dès 2004, le festival Infringement de Montréal s’est déroulé en juin en même temps que le Festival « Fringe » St. Ambroise pour offrir aux artistes une plateforme sans frais afin qu’ils demandent un changement positif, autant pour eux que pour le public, leur donnant ainsi la protection contre l’ingérence des magnats de la finance et des administrateurs trop zélés.

Le mouvement Infringement est né le 19 juin 2001 quand le Festival Fringe de Saint-Ambroise, dont la marque fut déposée, bouta de ses planches « Car Stories », un spectacle novateur ; apparemment sur l’ordre d’une société commanditaire. Quand les artistes, après avoir payé des frais considérables pour y participer, n’avaient pas reçu le retour sur les ventes de billets, ils étaient furieux. Ceci déclencha la création du mouvement Infringement, une façon par-soi-même et activiste de produire les arts comme au Fringe originel de 1947 à Édimbourg.

Le festival Infringement a participé aux deux premiers Congrès mondiaux du Fringe à Édimbourg, en Écosse. Dans un effort pour persuader les administrateurs du Fringe de mettre les intérêts des artistes en premier — selon la tradition du Fringe originel de 1947, les artistes de l’Infringement ont présenté des spectacles et ateliers au Fringe d’Édimbourg et au Congrès mondial du Fringe qui se voulaient critiques de la manipulation excessive des sociétés commanditaires (ex. La philosophie du Fringe mondial ?).

Le New York Times a nommé l’Infringement un « parti d’opposition » devant la manière critiquable que le Fringe fait des affaires.

Le fait que le Congrès se tient à Montréal, où est né le mouvement infringement est une occasion excitante pour montrer ce qui peut arriver quand les artistes prennent en main un festival sans que les commanditaires le transforment en opportunité mercatique. Non seulement l’Infringement sera là pour les inspirer, mais il y aura aussi un Congrès mondial de l’Infringement (le 19 novembre), auquel se joindront les artistes d’infringement du monde entier pour discuter de ces problèmes. Espérons que les administrateurs du Fringe se pointeront avec une ouverture d’esprit. En prenant avantage de cette opportunité exceptionnelle, ils pourront apprendre comment mieux protéger les artistes et trouver des solutions pour empêcher les commanditaires de compromettre ce qui était autrefois un festival pour le peuple, par le peuple.

Se déroulant du 15 au 20 novembre 2016, le festival Infringement de Montréal est présentement à la recherche de collaborateurs et artistes pour sa 13e édition annuelle.

Le festival Infringement de Montréal n’existerait pas sans la poignée de collaborateurs bénévoles qui aident à son organisation. Ils mettent sur pieds tout ce qui est promotion, recrutement d’artistes, évènementiel, réservations, relations de presse et production du festival. « Apporte ce que tu voudrais y voir » est une devise populaire de l’Infringement.

Souvent artistes, activistes et férus de culture eux-mêmes, les collaborateurs se rencontrent en ligne et généralement en personne, d’une manière bi-mensuelle, à mesure que le festival approche. C’est une excellente façon de rencontrer de nouvelles personnes, donner le pouvoir aux artistes, et faire partie d’une communauté qui défie l’emprise des commanditaires sur la culture.

Voici quelques exemples de choses à faire comme artiste ou collaborateur :

1) Créez un évènement ou spectacle.

2) Soyez l’organisateur d’un jour, et supervisez des numéros.

3) Planifiez et coordonnez les évènements d’un site.

4) Invitez des artistes critiques à jouer, ou assistez-les dans l’organisation.

5) Soyez coordinateur de groupes musicaux et planifiez leurs spectacles.

6) Faites une levée de fonds.

7) Aidez les organisateurs avec les médias, la billetterie, le graphisme, etc.

8) Collaborez avec d’autres collaborateurs pour créer un évènement de groupe.

9) Engagez-vous comme activiste dans les évènements du Congrès mondial du Fringe.

10) Participez au Congrès mondial de l’infringement (le samedi 19 novembre).

Vous trouverez plus de détails sur le site du festival Infringement de Montréal.

Pour y participer comme artiste ou organisateur bénévole, veuillez contacter : optatif@gmail.com, et recevoir un formulaire d’admission, ou pour nous expliquer comment vous voudriez vous impliquer.

The first-ever World Infringement Congress is being held in Montreal on Saturday, November 19, 2016 as part of the 13th annual Montreal Infringement Festival!

Set on the heels of the controversial and exclusive third World Fringe Congress, the Infringement Congress was created to tackle important issues in the arts that tend to get glossed over at the original event, which tends to focus a lot on business practices. Instead of discussing business strategies like trademarking, cross-branding and charging artists money to play at “Fringe” festivals, the World Infringement Congress will focus on how to empower artists and communities by challenging corporate interference in the arts.

Set in an old bank that was reclaimed as an arts space, the World Infringement Congress will welcome academics, artists, activists and community stakeholders, as well as infringement festival organizers and “Fringe” managers. The purpose is to explore serious issues and themes in the arts and festivals with a view of finding ways to empower artists and communities. Here is the line up:

10:00 -10: 30 am – Breakfast & Introduction

10: 30 – 11:00 am – Trump, Globalization and Infringement (by Der Kosmonaut – Kasai Dear)

11:00 – 11:30 am – Arts in Point Saint Charles (by Fergus V. Keyes)

11:30 am – 12:30 pm – Buffalo Infringement presentation (by Cat McCarthy)

12:30 pm – 1:15 pm – Lunch Break

1:15 pm – 2:00  pm – Last Dance on the Main (Aristofanis Soulikias) & Save the Main (Velma Candyass)

2:00 pm – 3:15 pm – WTF?! (What the Fr*nge?!) by Donovan King

3:15 pm – 4 pm Fringe Trademark Debate Challenge: The Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals, who excluded infringement artists from attending the World Fringe Congress, has been invited to debate their trademark on the word “Fringe”, Canadian Parliamentary style!

Running from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday, November 19, 2016, the World Infringement Congress will feature lectures, presentations and screenings related to the activist themes. Catering will be provided and there will be a bar onsite for guests. The venue is located at 1900 Wellington Street in the historic working class neighborhood of Point Saint Charles.

Instructions for attending:

If you would like to attend the World Infringement Congress, please email to Donovan King at optatif@gmail.com with the word “Congress” in the title. Apply early as space is limited!

Directions:

Busses leave from the Charlevoix metro on the Green Line at around 9:40 am on Saturday mornings.

Bus 71 and Bus 57 will take you to the venue, located on the Corner of Wellington and Sainte-Madelaine Streets. A metro card can be used to transfer to the bus and costs $3.25.

You can also walk to the venue in about 15 minutes from the Charelovoix metro station.

Listen to CJAD Radio’s Dan Delmar interview Donovan King about Haunted Montreal. August 5, 2016.

Exactly 16 years ago on this day (June 19), the St. Ambroise Fringe booted the innovative show “Car Stories” from the festival, allegedly on orders of a corporate sponsor. When artists didn’t receive their ticket sales after paying hefty fees to participate in the now-trademarked “Fringe” Festival, they were outraged. This sparked off the creation in Montreal of the infringement movement, an activist and do-it-yourself way of producing the arts based on the original Edinburgh Fringe of 1947.

Starting in 2004, the Montreal infringement festival has been held at the same time as the “Fringe” to provide artists with a no-cost alternative and to demand positive changes that better protect artists and their spectators from corporate interference and overzealous arts administrators.

This year, Montreal infringement festival is moving from June to November to coincide with the third World Fringe Congress, a gathering of Fringe administrators from around the planet! These arts administrators and power-brokers will be in Montreal to discuss the business dynamics surrounding Fringe Festivals, such as trademarking the word “fringe”, which corporate sponsors are the most profitable, “extra fees” to add onto ticket sales, how much money to charge the artists to perform, etc.

The infringement festival has participated at the first two World Fringe Congresses in Edinburgh, Scotland. In an effort to persuade Fringe administrators to start putting artists first, in the tradition of the original Fringe of 1947, infringement artists have presented workshops and performances at the Edinburgh Fringe and the World Fringe Congress that are critical of excessive corporate manipulation at Fringe Festivals. The New York Times baptized the infringement an “opposition party” to the present, questionable way of doing business at Fringe Festivals.

According to infringement founder Donovan King, “The fact that the Congress is being held in Montreal, the birthplace of the infringement movement, is an exciting opportunity to showcase what can happen when artists are put in charge of a festival and corporations are blocked from transforming it into a marketing opportunity. Let’s hope the Fringe administrators come with an open mind. By taking advantage of this exceptional opportunity, they can learn how to better protect artists and find ways to prevent corporations from compromising what was once an authentic, grassroots, artist-driven festival.”

Running from November 15 – 20, 2016, the Montreal infringement festival is currently courting collaborators and artists for its 13th annual edition. Details can be found on the Montreal Infringement Festival website.

Montréal Hanté, une compagnie qui donne des Visites hantées et qui enquête sur l’activité paranormale à Montréal est ravie d’annoncer qu’elles sont offertes maintenant en anglais et en français !

Pour la saison Grand Public 2016, les Visites hantées seront en alternance au Mont-Royal et au Griffintown, les vendredis soirs du 3 juin au 7 octobre.

‘‘Montréal hanté s’agrandit,’’ affirme le fondateur, Donovan King ; ‘‘pendant l’hiver, nous avons traduit les textes, et embauché des comédiens bilingues. Ce qui a commencé par une personne est devenu maintenant une compagnie à part entière. Montréal hanté se veut prêt pour le 375e anniversaire de la ville en 2017, ce qui signifie offrir nos visites hantées dans les deux langues grâce à des acteurs professionnels, maîtres du métier.’’

La compagnie produit aussi le blogue Montréal hanté, une publication qui poste une nouvelle histoire sur les fantômes de Montréal, dans les deux langues, le 13 de chaque mois. L’édition de mai explore l’activité rapportée au Théâtre du Nouveau Monde.

Selon King : ‘‘Montréal est la ville la plus hantée du Canada, et Montréal hanté vise à offrir une expérience exceptionnelle aux personnes intéressées par nos histoires de revenants, nos lieux de frissons et nos présumés mystères paranormaux.’’

Liens vers le site Web de  Montréal Hanté:

Acceuil

Circuits 2016

Griffintown hanté

Haunted Downtown FR

Le Mont hanté

Médias

Témoignages

Liens

Contact FR