Culture, a lever for action, influence and resilience for…

Quebecers will be called to the polls this fall and we can expect many debates and issues related to Quebec’s place internationally. While the economy and security will remain central themes, arts and culture are no less important. Culture shapes Quebec identity and contributes to the preservation of the French language in Quebec. Much more than a simple economic sector, culture is a lever of action, influence and resilience for Quebec in an era highly colored by digital technology.

Culture is well present in all regions of Quebec and it resists American giants and foreign digital platforms. However, beyond resistance to this pressure, is there not reason to question the way in which Quebec could better distinguish itself on the international scene thanks to its culture? Such a project calls for a strong commitment from our Quebec leaders. If the talent of Quebec artists is not to be questioned, their increased dependence on foreign digital infrastructures sows doubt about the sustainability of Quebec culture abroad.

The cultural sovereignty of Quebec – therefore its capacity to produce, support and disseminate its works (in a very broad sense) without dependence on infrastructure or external actors – is not based solely on public policies. This is the capacity of Quebec to organize the circulation of its stories, its history, its language, its creators on a global scale, without being governed by the American giants.

Far from being solely symbolic, cultural sovereignty shows Quebec’s capacity to negotiate, cooperate and adopt a favorable position internationally. In the absence of such cultural sovereignty, cultural diplomacy runs the risk of becoming opportunistic and dependent on external logics.

It is clear that the discoverability of content is not culturally neutral, for example, language can disadvantage our creators. Added to the central dimension of language are aesthetic standards, temporalities and performance measures. This lack of neutrality creates an artificial hierarchy of the value of cultural content and influences what can travel internationally. Current platforms do not seem to allow French-speaking Quebec content to circulate widely.

This observation goes beyond the sole question of visibility. Indeed, it suggests a significant structural imbalance in the circulation of works requiring collective and structuring solutions rather than one-off and temporary measures. Faced with such a situation, do we want to be solely engaged in a fight for our survival and lagging behind the (American) giants !)? Or, on the contrary, do we want to create new forms and new uses and models to allow our culture to shine internationally?

Promote the creation of ecosystems

Rather than offering simple support for content production, the next government could promote the creation of creative ecosystems that would be different and collaborative. Quebec stands out for its creativity, the arts could become engines of social transformation by focusing on new forms of participation, creation and relations with the public.

In this equation, regions and local communities play a strategic role in creating value. Indeed, we cannot speak of a single sector of arts and culture in Quebec, but of multiple forms of expression reflecting the wealth of local communities.

Quebec is a real reservoir of cultural innovations and the regions offer a bold alternative option to the dominant metropolitan and urban logics. The cultural vitality of the regions of Quebec and the authentic stories found there represent a force of international attractiveness and a model to be valued. A strong local cultural sector will enable credible and realistic exports. Yes to the export of works, but also of distinctive cultural models.

Quebec can shine on the international stage thanks to the cultural sector; cultural export is a real lever for diplomacy. Talking about cultural diplomacy in 2026 goes beyond the role of government institutions and cultural institutes: it is now about carving out a place on mainly American platforms, more powerful than the majority of state institutions. However, unlike a cultural institute, a digital platform does not defend a cultural vision, does not consolidate diplomatic relations and does not respond to collective objectives. The problem is not the platforms as such, but rather the power asymmetries they cause and the structural dependency they engender.

Platforms can be vectors or tools, but they cannot represent the pillars of Quebec’s diplomatic strategy. Is it possible to defend our culture on the international stage if we do not have control over its distribution channels, its visibility rules, its data? Cultural digital sovereignty is not an end in itself, but a condition for exercising credible and sustainable cultural diplomacy. Culture must be part of a coherent international strategy.

Political parties will have to present their electoral platforms soon in view of the fall 2026 elections. These elections will perhaps be the time to clarify whether we want a culture visible internationally while being free from big platforms. Prioritizing cultural sovereignty by equipping Quebec players to free themselves from American giants will allow Quebec to assert its vision of the world.

Do we want to put forward a homogeneous culture in the colors of mass culture or do we prefer to equip ourselves with the means to promote Quebec culture and its territorial riches? Culture can allow us to adopt a common vision and position ourselves on the international scene while providing Quebec with the political capacity to act. Beyond simple electoral promises, the next government will be able to place culture at the heart of a coherent international development strategy, by equipping Quebec to strengthen its cultural sovereignty and fully exercise credible cultural diplomacy in a globalized digital environment.