Celebrating 50 Years, Shaping the future together! A province-wide artistic and community initiative: Mid-point review and outlook
OVERVIEW
Celebrating 50 Years – Shaping the future together! is a provincial artistic and community initiative marking the 50th anniversary of the Franco-Ontarian flag. From 2025 to 2026, artists and communities are coming together to celebrate the diversity and vitality of the province’s Francophonie. This initiative is led by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, in collaboration with the Alliance culturelle de l’Ontario and with support from the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Arts Council, and TFO.
MID-POINT REVIEW
Remarquable Engagement
The call for projects launched in September 2025 sparked remarkable enthusiasm across Ontario’s Francophone community. More than 140 proposals were received from all regions of Ontario.
The submitted projects reflect:
- A rich diversity of artistic disciplines (visual arts, music, dance, theatre, digital arts, and interdisciplinary projects)
- A variety of creative approaches, ranging from individual projects to large-scale collective initiatives
- Strong community engagement, including projects involving schools, cultural organizations, municipalities, and community groups
- Representation from all regions of the province
Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria
Among the proposals received, some individuals and organizations applied for financial support of up to $10,000 to help carry out their projects. These applications were submitted through the Ontario Arts Council platform, which oversaw the jury selection and coordinated the evaluation process.
Projects were evaluated on their artistic vision, the extent of community participation, their cultural, social, and artistic value, as well as feasibility, originality, and commitment to inclusion and co-creation.
Following this process, a first set of projects was selected. These projects are to be completed by June 2026.
NEXT STEPS
Supporting Selected Projects
The next phase of the initiative will focus on supporting the selected projects. A liaison team will work with project leaders to:
- Provide logistical and artistic support
- Facilitate connections between projects and artists
- Coordinate documentation of creative processes and final works
- Build an online catalogue on Franco50.ca showcasing all projects and highlighting their activities
Participation: the Initiative Remains Open
Although the submission period for projects seeking financial support has now ended, the initiative remains open for participation.
Artists, organizations, and communities wishing to contribute may:
- Join an existing project as collaborators
- Propose an independent project or event — already underway or planned — that aligns with the spirit of the initiative
The initiative is intended to be dynamic and inclusive. The team will work with interested parties to explore how their ideas can contribute to the collective endeavour.
Projects selected through the initiative
The projects below were selected by an independent jury among the proposals submitted for financial support through Celebrating 50 Years – Shaping the future together! They reflect the diversity of artistic and community approaches within Ontario’s Francophonie.
Project title: (dé)collage
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Isa Michaud, Galerie Sans Clous
- City or region: Sault Ste. Marie
- Description: A series of collaborative collage workshops leading to a collective exhibition and a video documenting the creative process within the local Francophone community.
Project title: 50 ans de fierté : le prochain chapitre (Celebrating 50 Years: The Next Chapter)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Centre de santé communautaire du Grand Sudbury
- City or region: Greater Sudbury
- Description: An intergenerational project bringing together artists from immigrant backgrounds and senior cultural figures through dance, music and visual arts workshops, culminating in a collective video.
Project title: Ancrage et exil : Écrire le courage, l’amour et l’identité (Belonging and Exile: Courage, Love and Identity)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Collectif Ancrage et exil, in partnership with Université de Sudbury
- City or region: Sudbury
- Description: Creation of a collective publication exploring identity and belonging through writing workshops led by artists.
Project title: Chansonnons (Let’s Write a Song Together)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Philippe Doucet
- City or region: Ottawa
- Description: A musical co-creation lab where community members collectively write an original song, followed by a studio recording and a short documentary.
Project title: Chants des lacs et du vent (Songs of the Lakes and Wind)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Club culturel francophone de Thunder Bay, in collaboration with CCNO
- City or region: Northwestern Ontario
- Description: Collective creation of an original song and music video highlighting the landscapes and cultural realities of Northwestern Ontario.
Project title: Ce qui nous relie, à plusieurs voix (What Connects Us, in Many Voices)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: VOX Théâtre
- City or region: Ottawa
- Description: A collective theatre creation project bringing together emerging artists and mentors to explore belonging and community connection.
Project title: Cultiver la table, nourrir la culture franco-ontarienne (How Culinary Traditions Nourish Franco‑Ontarian Culture)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Allison Leroux
- City or region: Rural Ontario, Eastern and Northern regions
- Description: A series of short videos and stories highlighting Franco-Ontarian culinary traditions and the links between land, food and identity.
Project title: Expressions croisées : nos arts, nos voix, nos mondes (Crossing Worlds, Crossing Voices)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Vital Vision
- City or region: Ontario
- Description: A collaborative video project giving Francophone youth a platform to share their perspectives on the future of Ontario’s Francophonie.
Project title: Fleurir la francophonie ensemble (Together, We Help Francophonie Flourish)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: École secondaire publique Mille-Îles
- City or region: Kingston, Thousand Islands region
- Description: An intergenerational collective mural celebrating Ontario’s Francophonie.
Project title: Jasons Sarnia : Portraits d’une francophonie vivante (Jasons Sarnia : Portraits of a vibrant Francophonie)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Centre communautaire francophone de Sarnia-Lambton
- City or region: Sarnia-Lambton
- Description: A collaborative project in which youth craft photographic portraits and audio stories that showcase local Francophone figures.
Project title: Le Loup de Lafontaine en animation carton! (The Wolf of Lafontaine in Cardboard Animation)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Productions Effet Papillon
- City or region: Lafontaine and Ottawa
- Description: A short animated film revisiting a local legend with active participation from the community.
Project title: Les artisans des arts visuels franco-ontariens célèbrent l’histoire du patrimoine forestier de l’Est de l’Ontario (Franco-Ontarian Visual Artists Celebrate the Forest Heritage of Eastern Ontario)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Boisés Est
- City or region: Eastern Ontario
- Description: An intergenerational project combining writing workshops and the creation of a large collective quilt inspired by local forest heritage.
Project title: PATENTEUSES
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Créations In Vivo
- City or region: Vanier, Ottawa
- Description: A co-creation project culminating in the production of a musical EP revisiting Franco-Ontarian heritage.
Project title: Pionnières d’hier, femmes d’aujourd’hui (Pioneers of Yesterday, Women of Today)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Union culturelle des Franco-Ontariennes
- City or region: Rural Ontario, provincial scope
- Description: A collective dramaturgical creation retracing the history and contributions of Franco-Ontarian women.
Project title: Un festival en héritage (A Festival in Legacy)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Hadley Foucher
- City or region: Toronto
- Description: A documentary film exploring the impact of the Cinéfranco festival on Francophone cultural vitality in Toronto.
Project title: Un Mur, Nos Voix (One Wall, Our Voices)
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: École Saint-Nom-de-Jésus
- City or region: Hornepayne
- Description: A collaborative school mural expressing Francophone identity and pride.
Project title: Whitby Mural Celebrating French and Multilingualism in the Community
- Name of artist, collective, or organization: Gina Hook and Marie-Ève Giguère, in collaboration with students from Donald A. Wilson Secondary School
- City or region: Whitby, Durham Region
- Description: A collaborative outdoor mural project that brings together secondary school students and a professional FrancoOntarian Métis artist to create a public artwork celebrating the French language, multilingualism, and inclusion in the heart of the Whitby community.
For more information:
Celebrating 50 Years, Shaping the Future Together! initiative website: www.franco50.com
Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario website: www.lgontario.ca
Media Contact:
Laetitia Walbert
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
Laetitia.walbert@ontario.ca
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