Bell building on 3 decades of support for the Festival with
financial support, world leading network technology and
multi-platform media content through 2025.
QUÉBEC CITY, June 14, 2016 /CNW
Telbec/ - Bell and the Festival d'été de Québec (FEQ) today
announced an historic 10-year partnership agreement to ensure the
ongoing success of one of Canada's and indeed the world's largest
music festivals through 2025.
"The quality of the cultural programming and production, coupled
with the welcoming attitude and infectious enthusiasm of Québec
City residents, make the Festival d'été de Québec a spectacular and
inspiring event," said Martine
Turcotte, Bell's Vice Chair, Québec. "Bell is proud and
delighted to extend our support of the FEQ as we look forward to
celebrating the event's 50th anniversary next year and
growing the Festival and Québec's place on the world stage for many
years to come."
"We are extremely thankful to Bell for recognizing our vision,
our leadership and our organization's influence as a driver of
cultural activity in Québec with this partnership," said
Louis Duchesne, Chairman of the FEQ
Board of Directors. "Bell's commitment to us is an invaluable
guarantee of stability, not only for the event, but also for the
thousands of festival-goers, the tourist industry and the economic
vitality of Québec City."
"I welcome Bell's tremendous generosity in supporting an event
that is the pride of the entire population. Cultural patronage is
more and more crucial to expanding the financial resources
available for the region to continue to grow and thrive," said
François Blais, Minister Responsible for the
Capitale-Nationale.
Official presenter of the Bell Stage, which brings international
stars to the Plains of Abraham every year, Bell is also presenting
the new Fibe Stage. In the central festival zone known as the Cœur
du FEQ, the Fibe Stage will showcase rising stars of the Québec
music scene such as Charlotte Cardin
and Safia Nolin.
"I thank Bell for this major investment, which demonstrates
beyond doubt the importance of the Festival d'été de Québec in the
cultural and tourism landscape of Québec and Canada," said Régis
Labeaume, Mayor of Québec City. "Not only will this partnership
ensure the sustainability of an event that is the pride of Québec
City for years to come, it also gives organizers the necessary
means to make it a resounding success for the next ten years."
As the festival's official technology provider, Bell will help
the FEQ develop and roll out its digital platforms such as the FEQ
and Impérial Bell websites, while Bell Media will increase the
Festival's national presence across its multimedia platforms.
Festival-goers can head to the Bell Pavilion in the Cœur du FEQ
for interactive virtual reality activities, the very popular
karaoke event and technology demonstrations. All festival-goers
will have free access to Bell charging stations that can be found
in various locations at event sites.
Bell Fibe TV subscribers will also benefit with unique
productions available only on TV1. In 2016, the Cœur de pirate and
Éric Lapointe concerts, along with many performances on the Fibe
Stage, will air both live and on demand on TV1.
"Bell's support means the FEQ can pursue its mission of making
culture more widely accessible by offering young emerging artists a
fantastic performance venue as well as an array of promising
broadcast platforms," added Daniel Gélinas, General Manager of the
Festival.
Bell's continued support for Impérial Bell, one of the most
popular cultural venue in Québec City, will further enhance the
cultural life of the city all year long and secure the future of
this historic hall. Since the announcement of Bell's and the FEQ's
involvement with this flagship Saint‑Roch building, the concert
hall has been sold out for performances by Patrick Watson, Bernard
Adamus, Cœur de pirate and Radio Radio. Bell will continue
to use the venue for its Nuits FEQ, a series of reasonably priced
concerts by the hottest artists of the moment.
About Bell
Bell is Canada's largest communications
company, providing consumers and business customers with TV,
Internet, wireless, home phone, small business and enterprise
communications services. Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia
company with leading assets in television, radio, digital and out
of home media. Bell is wholly owned by Montréal's BCE Inc. (TSX,
NYSE: BCE). For further information, please visit Bell.ca.
The Bell Let's Talk initiative promotes mental health in
Canada with national awareness and
anti-stigma campaigns, like Bell Let's Talk Day, and significant
Bell funding of community care and access, research, and workplace
initiatives. For further information, please visit
Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
About the Festival d'été international de Québec
300
shows, 10 venues and 11 days of music make the Festival d'été de
Québec one of Canada's biggest music festivals.
Early July sees international stars and top new talent playing
every style of music coming together for a special time in a
special place ─ historic Old Québec! There's music for everyone:
rock, folk, hip-hop, electro, French song, jazz, world music and
much more!
SOURCE Bell Canada