The Conseil québécois des arts médiatiques or CQAM was founded on June 19th 1998. Recognized by the Quebec Council for Arts and Letters (CALQ) as the dedicated media arts national service organisation in Quebec since 2003, CQAM is the only media arts advocacy organisation in Quebec welcoming professional independent artists, cultural workers, emerging artists and artist-run centres devoted to media arts as members.

Incorporated as a not for profit organization under the 3rd section of Quebec Company Laws, CQAM is governed by a Board of directors composed of media artists, cultural workers and artist-run centre delegates elected during the Annual General Meeting by members in good standing.

The Quebec Council for Arts and Letters (CALQ) defines such an organisation as “a group of not for profit organisations and, possibly, individuals, from the same artistic practice or sector united by the collective goal to initiate concerted action, to represent and to defend the professional concerns and socio-economic conditions of its members, as well as those of the same community at large. A national service organisation recruits members who pay annual membership dues from its members use to finance the organisation’s activities and services.”

CQAM provides a collective voice on issues of concern for individuals and organisations from the independent author-driven film and video, the new media and audio art communities.

Mission

Advocacy, Actions and Initiatives

In accordance with its mission and following an annual period of strategic planning, CQAM initiates and executes a variety of actions and activities, as well as develops a number of support services that take into account the needs of its community, the cultural, social, economic and political environment and the technological context within which media arts evolves. CQAM is always prepared to engage in advocacy campaigns as specific issues arise. CQAM may use all or some of the following actions to fulfil its mission:

• Forums, studies, sector-based discussions and research;
• Critical analyses of government arts and culture programs and policies impacting media arts;
• Submission and presentation of sector-specific briefs aimed at improving and/or revising programs and policies affecting media arts in particular and arts and culture in general;
• Advocacy campaigns aimed at improving programs and policies affecting media arts in particular and arts & culture in general, as well as the social-economic conditions of its community;
• Participation in sector-based advisory and steering committees;
• Production and dissemination of sector-based weekly e-bulletins and professional information letters;
• Sector-based information and training sessions, production of sector-based competency / management tools and activities geared toward emerging media artists;
• Members’ services including counsel and support and discount programs;
• Networking and outreach to promote the media arts practice.

History

During the final plenary of the 1996 Independent Film and Video Forum In 1996, a motion to create a permanent forum to further advocacy actions on behalf of independent film and video artists was passed unanimously. Discussions went on for two years without tangible results. Finally, the Quebec caucus of Independent Media Arts Alliance, then known as the Independent Film and Video Alliance, decided to survey Quebec artist-run centres to see if their was sufficient interest to found an association in Quebec. Since the response was overwhelmingly favourable, several media arts centres worked together to found Conseil québécois des arts médiatiques. Incorporated on June 19 1998, from the very start CQAM united both individuals and centres in the Quebec media arts community to work toward the common goal of improving conditions in the sector through collective action.