Champs d’Artistes, an intercultural project

Presentation of the Champs d’Artistes Artistic and Intercultural Project

Champs d’Artistes is an innovative initiative by La Boîte interculturelle that aims to forge unique connections between artists from diverse cultural backgrounds and professionals in the agricultural sector or other related fields. Champs d’Artistes draws inspiration from the richness of interdisciplinary exchanges and collaboration between arts and agriculture to create unique and enriching experiences within an artistic and intercultural project.

At the heart of our approach lies the desire to foster unexpected and stimulating encounters.

On one hand, we have artists from diverse cultural backgrounds, representing a vibrant palette of cultures, histories, and perspectives. Their art transcends borders. Their participation in Champs d’Artistes offers them a platform to explore new horizons, broaden their scope of expression, and share their stories in an authentic and inspiring way.

On the other hand, we have professionals from the agricultural sector, passionate farmers, market gardeners, or stakeholders working in similar fields in rural areas. Their daily lives are shaped by a deep connection to the land. They cultivate not only crops but also strong ties with their community and environment. They are guardians of ancestral knowledge, but also audacious innovators, constantly seeking to improve their practices to preserve the health of the land and respond to the challenges of our time.

In tune with an artistic and cultural project

Together, they rethink the connections between humanity and nature, reimagine rural and urban landscapes, and explore new ways of telling the stories of the land and those who cultivate it.

Through Champs d’Artistes, everyone becomes the protagonists of a new story, where art and agriculture converge to celebrate the beauty of intercultural integration, diversity, the land, and life.

The Champs d’Artistes project officially takes root in the MRC des Chenaux!

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An Intercultural Dialogue between Art and Agriculture

Beyond a simple encounter, our objective is to sow seeds of mutual understanding, foster innovation, and cultivate a more inclusive and sustainable world, where arts and agriculture flourish together, in an intercultural dialogue.

The project we propose embodies a fusion between two seemingly dissimilar worlds, yet rich in creativity and expertise.

Champs d’Artistes aims to facilitate the development of unexpected connections between these two communities, by highlighting the similarities and differences that characterize them.

By bringing these two worlds together, we aspire to create a unique synergy where art becomes the universal language that transcends cultural boundaries and social barriers.

Champs d’Artistes, an Example of an Intercultural Project

Champs d’Artistes involves pairing 6 artists from diverse cultural backgrounds with 6 farmers, market gardeners, fishers, or any other related fields such as herbalism, etc.

Once the paired individuals have spent a minimum of two days together to exchange, discuss, and discover their respective cultural worlds, the Champs d’Artistes project enters a new exciting phase.

Guided by curiosity and the desire to learn from one another, these improbably matched duos draw upon their unique experiences and perspectives to give birth to new ideas and create an intercultural dialogue. They explore the intersections between art and agriculture, pushing the boundaries of creativity to create something truly special.

An Artistic Collaboration

Whether through collaborative artworks, performances, installations, or cultural events, the collaborations resulting from Champs d’Artistes are the fruit of a true synergy between two seemingly different, yet deeply connected, cultural realities.

Together, these artists transcend the limits of their respective fields to bring something new and inspiring to life. They are proof that when creative minds meet, possibilities are endless, and that collaboration in an artistic and cultural project is the key to creating a world where art, agriculture, and diversity thrive in harmony.

Discover the Pairings between Artists and Farmers

It was a magnificent and enriching experience! I had the chance to share my knowledge of African culture and the making of clay paint, bogolan, while learning alongside the wonderful Claudine.

Thanks to her, I now know how to make water-based pigment paint for body painting. Claudine was an extraordinary teacher.
This beautiful result is due to the art that unites us despite our different cultures. Claudine honored African culture by helping me create the five colors of bogolan, a wonderful surprise for me.

Many thanks to La Boîte interculturelle and its exceptional team. And finally, a huge thank you to my partner ❤️ Claudine Cousineau. It was an extraordinary artistic journey through time. Unity in our pairing, thank you, life!

– Adjoua Art’s

Magnificent, magnificent, magnificent, what you allow us to experience. Thank you to La Boîte for the unique opportunity to experience this enriching exchange on all levels.
Champs d’Artistes is an important project for forging connections, opening up to others, and appreciating our differences. I hope that more individuals will have the privilege of experiencing this kind of experience.
A thousand thanks, La Boîte.
– Achref Jaghmoun

I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for last Sunday’s feast. The fusion of flavors from Morocco and Odanak delighted me immensely! Your passion and talent truly enchanted all present members.
Thank you, Maha, for this wonderful culinary encounter. Nathalie, thank you and La Boîte interculturelle for this unique collaboration that helped create a memorable moment for my community. Bravo to your entire team for the remarkable work!
– Jacques T. Watso

It was a magnificent experience, and Lucero is a woman of exemplary values, a beautiful example of humanity. The entire team, you, Hugo, Dany, and Manon, are all inspiring people, and this weekend I grew. My children this morning are asking if Lucero is coming back 😊 They loved her very much too.
I can’t wait to see what comes out of this creation!
– Véronique St-Onge

Having the task of transforming lived experiences into poems, I met with each person from Champs d’Artistes in turn to gather their stories. From a distance, I was a discreet witness to the project. Listening to them share their stories, I got chills more times than I can count, and I cried with them many times. These pairings, I sincerely believe and have heard from many, are life moments that will have, each in their own way, left their mark on the journey of those who participated. I wish for all of us encounters as human as those created with the Champs d’Artistes project.
– Sarah Khilaji (elle, she/her),
cultural mediator, spoken word artist, and connector

Thanks to La Boîte interculturelle’s Champs d’Artistes project, I had the chance to meet wonderful people and discover incredible places I would never have known otherwise. This project has a direct impact on the people who participate, whether they are artists, the hosts who welcomed us, or the small technical team that allowed us to develop strong bonds, particularly around shared meals. Initiatives like this are essential, both for rural communities, often far removed from certain realities, and for artists from diverse backgrounds, who find here a true space for integration and sharing. Working with Nathalie and Hugo was a pleasure, and very quickly, we became friends. It’s an unforgettable experience that would never have come to fruition without this project.
– Dany Janvier, cameraman/DP

Project Collaborators

Within the framework of the Champs d’Artistes project, Sarah Khilaji plays a crucial role as a spoken word artist. Like a skilled weaver, Sarah will draw inspiration from each participant’s photos and interviews to create the texts that will accompany their portraits. Her contribution will offer a privileged window into the world of encounters that will take place within the project. Thus, thanks to Sarah, the participants’ photos and portraits will become much more than mere static images. They will come to life and become a story in themselves, an invitation to delve into the world of each participant.

Sarah Khilaji, Cultural Mediator, Spoken Word Artist, and Connector

Sarah Khilaji worked as a psychosocial worker in various community settings from 2011 to 2020. She sometimes feels she arrived out of the blue in the world of poetry in 2018. In 2020, she decided to leave social work and train in cultural mediation to get involved full-time in projects combining spoken word arts, intergenerational, and intercultural encounters. She also gives numerous writing workshops in schools and community organizations. She firmly believes that expressing oneself, telling one’s story, is an attempt, even if small, to make sense of what traverses our humanity.

Meet Lucero: The Inspired Artist Behind Champs d’Artistes’ Canvases

As an artistic partner of the Champs d’Artistes project, Lucero brings an additional dimension to this innovative initiative. Her commitment to bringing participants’ visions and narratives to life makes her an essential cornerstone of this collaborative artistic experience.

Each of Lucero’s paintings tells a story, revealing the nuances of the human soul and celebrating the diversity of each individual. Her ability to capture the very essence of her subjects is what makes each canvas a timeless work of art, imbued with life, passion, and authenticity.

Her passion for art dates back to her earliest childhood, and over the years, Lucero has perfected her craft, developing a unique style that skillfully blends the spontaneity of expression with meticulous precision.

Catherine Charbonneau, Artist and Graphic Designer

La Boîte Interculturelle is pleased to announce the participation of Catherine Charbonneau as an artist and graphic designer for the digital book that will be created as part of the Champs d’Artistes project. Catherine, with her talent and creativity, will bring a unique and inspiring touch to this collaborative work. We look forward to seeing how her expertise will enrich this project, which aims to bring artistic and agricultural communities closer together while celebrating cultural diversity.

Catherine Charbonneau is an independent graphic designer passionate about typography. A graduate of Concordia University, she has specialized in editorial design for over 10 years. She began her career with the publishing group La Courte Échelle, where her expertise in composition earned her second place at the Alcuin Society Book Design Awards in 2019 for the design of the book Minimal.

Simplicity, respect, and inclusion are the values that guide her practice. Her high standard of quality, meticulousness, and organizational skills are assets she enjoys sharing with her collaborators to create projects that exceed expectations.

Being able to reflect on the meaning of things rather than just their content is a major asset in design. She establishes connections that might escape others and communicates with the target audience in a surprising way that resonates with them.

We are thrilled to collaborate with Vincenzo Maccarone for the music of our upcoming Champs d’Artistes capsules!

His talent will add a magical touch to our projects, and we can’t wait to share it all with you. Vince Maccarone is an educator, a sought-after performer, a studio musician, and a producer with over 30 years of experience in music, teaching, and writing. Originally from the mining town of Sudbury (Ontario), he has lived in Toronto (Ontario) for 30 years.

His live performances demonstrate an unwavering link between traditional music and cutting-edge contemporary music. His jazz, reggae, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian influences merge into a unique “world music” approach that he brings to his masterclasses and workshops. Vince’s drumming influences range from Manu Katche and Earl Palmer to Sly Dunbar, Tony Allen, and Stewart Copeland.

Vince is a very versatile musician. He has toured extensively in Canada and the United States, as well as in Australia, Europe, and the Caribbean. Vince’s writing and drumming have been used in films, commercials, and television shows, including: Two If By Sea with Sandra Bullock and Dennis Leary, The Decorating Challenge, and commercials for Tim Horton’s and Coca Cola, to name a few.

Among other artists Vince has worked with are: Colin Linden, Denny Doherty of The Mamas the Papas, Deanna Bogart, Gregory Hines, Jim Belushi, Sugar Blue (harmonicist for The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, U2), and New Orleans great Earl King (Come ON, Big Chief, Trick Bag) who shared with the audience all evening, “this drummer is hot”. He has also played with Paul Reddick and The Sidemen over the past 20 years. One of the highlights of his career was a two-week tour out West accompanying blues legend Buddy Guy.

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS

2016 – Endorsee for Dream Cymbal Company

2011 – Maple Blues Nomination “Drummer of the Year”

2010 – Maple Blues Nomination “Drummer of the Year”

2009 – Johnny Max Band – Kings of Beale Award, International Blues Competition Memphis, TN

2003 – Maple Blues Nomination “Drummer of the Year”

2002 – Paul Reddick and the Sidemen WC Handy Award Nomination “Best Debut” Memphis, TN

2002 – JUNO Nomination “Best Blues Artist”

1997 – Jazz Report Magazine’s – “Best Live Band”

1995 – JUNO Nomination “Best Blues/Gospel Artist”

Canadian Independent Music Awards Nomination “Blues Album of the Year”

Maple Blues Awards – (9) Nominations 3 awards won – Best Live Band, Best Recording, and Songwriting