The Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM) and Théâtre ESPACE GO, in collaboration with members of the Award Development Committee, are pleased to announce the call for applications for the 7th Jovette-Marchessault Award, which recognizes and showcases the contribution of women artists from Montréal’s theatre scene. The recipient of the award receives a $20,000 grant from the Conseil des arts de Montréal.
Discover all the rules and details of this edition dedicated to women theatre directors.
INTRODUCTION
Who is eligible for this award?
The annual Jovette-Marchessault Award is offered to a woman theatre artist who has contributed to the development of theatre practice. It is awarded on a three-year rotation based on the artistic role, alternating between directors, designers and playwrights.
The 2025-2026 call is exclusively for women directors.
What are the objectives? This award aims to:
- Showcase women artists’ contribution to the development of theatre arts and the vitality of Montréal’s theatre scene
- Recognize the excellence of their work
- Highlight an artistic approach that contributes to the development of theatre practice, whether as a director, designer or playwright
SUPPORT
What is the award value?
The winner will receive $20,000 from the Conseil des arts de Montréal.
Who are the program’s partner(s)?
The Conseil des arts de Montréal is proud to partner with Théâtre ESPACE GO to administer and present this annual award.
The award was jointly created by the Conseil and ESPACE GO, in collaboration with Nahka Bertrand, Micheline Chevrier (Imago Theatre), Margarita Herrera Dominguez, Lior Maharjan and Marie-Ève Milot (Théâtre de l’Affamée).
ELIGIBILITY
What are the general eligibility criteria?
- Be a professional artist who identifies as a woman and works as a theatre director, designer or playwright
- Meet the definition of Professional Artist, as defined by the Conseil
- Reside on the Island of Montréal
- For Indigenous artists only, reside within 50 km of the Island of Montréal (including the communities of Kahnawake and Kanesatake) and work on the Island of Montréal
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada by the application deadline
Artists who have applied in the past and have not won, whether they have been finalists or not, can reapply.
Which applicants/applications are ineligible?
- Artists who do not meet the general eligibility criteria
- Incomplete applications
- Applications received after the deadline
- Applications submitted by an employee or board of directors member of the main partners (the Conseil des arts de Montréal and ESPACE GO)
- Applications submitted by a third party nominating an employee or board of directors member of the main partners
How many applications will be accepted?
Three finalists will be selected and benefit from public visibility. Only one winner chosen from among the three finalists will receive $20,000. The other two finalists will each receive an airline ticket to Paris courtesy of Air Transat.
APPLICATION
How can I submit an application?
The application can be submitted by the artist or someone representing them.
The artist (or representative) must complete the application form.
The form must be signed by the artist and, if applicable, their representative.
The same dossier can be submitted to various editions of the award.
What information and documents must I include in my application?
- A completed and signed application form
- The artist’s curriculum vitae
- A letter (750 to 1,500 words max.), written and signed by the nominated artist, that presents their artistic background and approach in terms of the award’s objectives and evaluation criteria
- Two letters of support (750 to 1,000 words each), written and signed by professional artists or cultural workers, regardless of their artistic function or years of experience. To avoid any conflict of interest, letters may not be written by an employee or board of directors member of any of the award’s partner organizations. The letters should explain to the selection committee members how the nominated artist meets the award objectives and criteria
- Application Support Material: The supporting material must not exceed a maximum review time of 15 minutes. This includes internet, video or audio links, photographs, texts and any other materials of your choice. Please indicate whether the submitted material is copyright-free
- Documents and the form must be sent together in one email, in a ZIP file, using WeTransfer or Dropbox links. The accepted electronic formats are as follows: PDF, DOC, DOCX.
- Applications must only be sent by email to prix@espacego.com. The email’s subject line must include “Jovette-Marchessault Award.”
Please limit texts and supporting material to the requested maximum number of pages, words and review time.
No unsolicited appendixes or documents submitted after the application deadline will be accepted for evaluation.
EVALUATION
How are applications evaluated?
The Conseil ensures that the composition of each jury is representative, in keeping with its vision of equity, diversity and inclusion.
Applications are evaluated on merit, taking into account the comparative value of the proposals received.
What are the evaluation criteria?
Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- quality and originality of the artistic approach
- contribution of the artistic approach to the development of theatre practice and its impact on the public
When selecting the finalists and the winner, the Evaluation Committee will pay particular attention to the applicants’ diversity of experience, reflecting the richness of the theatre sector.
What is the response time?
The three finalists will be announced in April 2026. The winner will be announced to the public in May 2026.
Participants will be notified of the decision by email. Finalists will be required to provide some communication tools and participate in a special awards ceremony at Théâtre ESPACE GO on May 4, 2026.
PAYMENT
How will the award be issued?
The winner will receive $20,000 in a single payment from Théâtre ESPACE GO on behalf of the Conseil des arts de Montréal.
The prize money will be paid once the recipient has provided their social insurance number and contact details to Théâtre ESPACE GO so that a T4A can be issued for tax purposes. Under current tax laws, obtaining a cash prize is taxable income.
Contact
Émie Raymond
Project Manager
ESPACE GO
Phone: 514-845-5455, Ext. 223
Frédéric Côté
Cultural Advisor – Theatre
Conseil des arts de Montréal
Phone: 514-280-3793