The anticipated summer months have again arrived with us in the city, and with them come not only the park-lounging appropriate weather, but also a plethora of culturally based festivals and activities. Events such as Jazz Fest, Osheaga, and the Just For Laughs festival draw in massive crowds every year to experience summer on the island. For the audience craving something less produced, more artistic and without massive corporate sponsorships, the 2012 Infringement Festival is an alternative option to experience culture in Montreal.
For those who haven’t yet experienced what the Infringement festival is all about, it is an interdisciplinary festival that was created out of Montreal in 2004 and has since spread to both Canadian and American cities alike. The festival was founded upon the effort to reclaim artistic freedom for the community and avoid corporate branding affecting the work being created. A strict emphasis on inclusive practices is in place, making sure no type of artist is denied the ability to participate, charged a registration fee, or has their work censored.
Throughout the 10-day run of the festival, audiences are exposed to any and all types of artistic works with controversial and activism-based themes. Visual arts, spoken-word, theatre, music, and much more take many different forms at various expected and unexpected Montreal venues (such as “alleyway behind Biftek”). Just by browsing through this years list of artists shows how truly eclectic and unique this festival has become.
With the festival not operating under one notion or ideal, but the encouragement of difference of style and opinion itself, the audience has the opportunity to immerse themselves in a vast variety of expression. If you’re looking to experience uncensored and uncompromised artistic performance in combination with the already inspiring Montreal summer, the 2012 Infringement Festival is promised to be an eye opening adventure.
The 9th annual Montreal Infringement Festival kicks off tonight with Chorale du Peuple & Mr. Parker Québec, Mille Rosado and Jeremiah Wall @ Barfly, 4062A St-Laurent (PWYC).
For the full schedule and more, check out the festival’s website and Facebook Page
Infringement Poster by Jean-Frédéric Noël
Picture courtesy Optative Theatrical Laboratories
