MEDIA RELEASE

September 28, 1999

Canada, France, and The Banff Centre renew artistic exchange agreement

The Banff Centre for the Arts, a division of The Banff Centre, will be a focal point for creative projects between French and Canadian artists for another three years, through renewing the France/Canada/Banff agreement. The agreement enables collaboration between French and Canadian artists for developing and producing new works in the Banff Centre for the Arts. This program was first launched in 1995, and produced four major projects:  France/Canada:Three World Premieres for Voice and Instruments; Vertical Dance; the compact disc recording Among Friends; and, in collaboration with Ballet British Columbia, the creation of Petites dances pour mammiferes.

Under the renewed agreement, the French Embassy and the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade will each contribute $25,000 for three years to the Banff Centre for the Arts. Carol Phillips, vice-president of The Banff Centre and director of the Banff Centre for the Arts, says the program is a wonderful benefit for the Centre and the artists involved. "The France/Canada/Banff agreement strengthens artistic exchanges between our two countries. The artists who participate create works that have exposure to new and varied audiences. Our past collaborations have opened up an amazingly rich variety of co-production possibilities with some of France’s most dynamic artists, and we look forward to upcoming projects."

The renewal of the Banff/Canada/France agreement will be officially acknowledged by the Canada-France Joint Cultural Commission during a visit to Calgary and Banff, October 5-6, 1999. The Commission was established in 1965 by the governments of Canada and France. Under it, senior Canadian and French officials responsible for culture and education meet to exchange views on cultural relations. Aside from the renewal of the Banff/Canada/France agreement, this session of the Joint Cultural Commission will discuss French cultural relations with Western Canada, Aboriginal culture, and new information technologies. For the first time in its history, the Commission will meet in Western Canada.

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