Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec: 12 Compagnes and Compagnons warmly welcomed

Jan Rok Achard, Gaston Bellemare, Walter Boudreau, Tivi Etok, Louise Forestier, Michel Jean, André Laliberté, Dulcinée Langfelder, Michel Rivard, Monique Savoie and Mohamed Lamine Touré received their insignia from Sylvain Lafrance, Chair of the Board of Directors of the CALQ, and Anne-Marie Jean, President and Executive Director of the CALQ. 

Lively tributes were paid to each recipient to highlight their unique contribution to the Québec cultural landscape. Only Eudore Belzile was unable to attend the insignia ceremony. An individual award ceremony is planned for a later date.

To access the tributes from the ceremony, click hereThis link will open in a new window.
To see the photo gallery for the evening, click hereThis link will open in a new window.

The ceremony, held at the Grands Ballets Studio-Théâtre and hosted by Marie-Louise Arsenault, brought together some 125 guests from the arts community, including dignitaries and loved ones of the recipients. Eleven Compagnes and Compagnes from the cohort honoured in 2021 were also on hand to receive their insignia, after the pandemic prevented recipients from gathering last year. Anik Bissonnette, Brigitte Bougie representing the late Jacques Godin, Dena Davida, Michel De la Chenelière, Sophie Deraspe, Louise Déry, François Girard, Kinya Ishikawa, Alain Mongeau, Jacques Primeau, Jocelyne Saucier and Gabor Szilasi, as well as Suzanne Lebeau from the 2019 cohort, were honoured that night. 

Close to 140 recipients now make up the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec family, an honour that recognizes the outstanding contribution of the men and women who have shaped the Québec cultural landscape through their vision, talent, accomplishments, and engagement.

“Year after year, it is a tremendous privilege to join these Compagnes and Compagnons of the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec and to see them share their vision and process, which help shape the image of a Québec inspired by the talent and vitality of its cultural milieu. This honour marks both the enormous legacy they have given us, and our admiration for their work throughout their careers.”

- Sylvain Lafrance, Chair of the Board Directors, CALQ

“I am particularly delighted that we can gather again, because this year we are paying tribute to two cohorts of Compagnes and Compagnons of the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec, those for 2022 and for 2021, luminaries who have each in their own way pushed the boundaries of their art and contributed to the development and visibility of their discipline. I applaud them, along with all artists and artisans, who, through art, offer us escape, entertainment, and profound emotions.”

 - Anne-Marie Jean, President and Executive Director, CALQ

The Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec

An honorary distinction instituted in 2015 to mark the CALQ’s 20th anniversary, the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec This link will open in a new window is awarded to artists, writers, teachers, managers and patrons whose outstanding achievements have helped make the arts and literature thrive in Québec. The honour is symbolized by an insignia designed by jewellery artist Christine Dwane. Close to 140 Québec personalities currently wear the insignia.

See the complete list of recipientsThis link will open in a new window

Conseil de l’Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec

Compagnes and Compagnons are recommended by the Conseil de l’Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec, a jury that evaluates nominations received in response to an annual call for candidates. The recommendations are ratified by the CALQ’s board of directors. This year, the jury was made up of Myriam Achard, Claude Deschênes, Nadia Myre, Jack Robitaille and Louise Warren.

About the Caisse Desjardins de la Culture, official partner of the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec

An ally to artists, a driver of the cultural economy, and a springboard for organizations and entrepreneurs, the Caisse Desjardins de la Culture is a financial cooperative with deep roots in the community. For the past 25 years, it has been supporting artists, artisans, and self-employed workers in their personal and professional projects, offering cultural businesses and organizations financial services adapted to their needs, and participating in the socioeconomic development of the cultural milieu by supporting structuring efforts and projects.

About the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec

The Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) invests in the imagination and celebrates the successes of those who create memorable works, shape Québec’s cultural identity, and make it shine. With a view to equitable, sustainable artistic development, the CALQ supports creation, experimentation, and production in the arts and literature in all regions of Québec and promotes dissemination in Québec, Canada, and abroad.

The CALQ would like to thank the Caisse Desjardins de la Culture, main partner and Le Devoir, media partner, for its invaluable cooperation.

Details about the Ordre des arts et des lettres du QuébecThis link will open in a new window