Publications

Summary

Studies of creative and cultural metropolises have paid relatively little attention to the geographical location of the cases they examine. Yet the creative and cultural sector does not develop in the same way in urban centres as it does in regional areas. These differences are reflected in access to resources and in the support provided by public institutions (Bérubé & Gauthier, 2024). For example, cooperation and collaboration among artists are often more prevalent in regional communities than in urban centres, where they help compensate for limited resources (Bérubé & Gauthier, 2024).

These challenges are even more pronounced in Francophone minority communities, particularly those located in remote or rural regions. Such communities face the ongoing challenge of preserving their linguistic identity. As Hotte (2013) argues, artists working in minority-language contexts are often expected to contribute to strengthening community identity and vitality. Many artists, however, have challenged this instrumentalization of their work, asserting instead its value as autonomous artistic creation and seeking recognition for its artistic merit rather than its social function. In this context, exploring the relationship between regional culture and minority-language communities becomes particularly relevant.

The overall objective of the Culture in Regional Areas and Minority Language Communities symposium is to examine the place and role of culture in contexts where a language holds minority status, with particular attention to regional settings. The following are some of the questions that will guide the discussions:

• What role does culture play in sustaining and strengthening the vitality of Francophone minority communities?
• How do cultural dynamics differ between urban centres and remote or regional areas within Francophone minority communities?