Ethics and Engagement

A meeting place for all peoples

Casteliers is located on the traditional territory of Tiohtiá:ke, a place of gathering and exchange for the Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years. By welcoming artists from all over the world, we honour this tradition in a spirit of friendship, respect, and reconciliation with our Indigenous brothers and sisters, whose deep connection with nature and all that makes it what it is, we admire.

Sustainability

Casteliers is actively committed to reducing the carbon footprint generated by the performing arts sector by adopting responsible practices that have a positive social, economic, and environmental impact. Our sustainability policy is available online (in French). In June 2023, the MIAM was granted the “Scène écoresponsable OR” certification from the Conseil québécois des événements écoresponsables.

Accessibility

We are working to make the puppetry arts accessible to all, to deepen cultural participation and to serve the diverse needs of our audiences. Our commitment is reflected in a number of ways.

• Physical access: universal access to the MIAM
• Inclusion initiatives: activities tailored to different age groups, abilities, or specific needs
• Financial access: many free activities, and inclusive ticket prices for the Festival international de Casteliers

A supportive work environment

Casteliers is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and respectful work environment where the health, safety, and dignity of every individual is a priority. Our policy for the prevention of psychological or sexual harassment in the workplace and for dealing with complaints is available online (in French).

If you witness or are the victim of an inappropriate situation, we urge you to contact one of the designated persons (see the policy, page 4).

At the heart of the community  

We are actively involved in community life and are affiliated with the following organizations.

• Association québécoise des marionnettistes (AQM)
• Union internationale de la marionnette (UNIMA)
• Conseil québécois du théâtre (CQT)
• Association des diffuseurs spécialisés en théâtre (ADST)
• Culture Montréal
• Table de quartier d’Outremont (TQO)

The French language, a source of pride

Respecting the linguistic rights of our clientele, patrons, and staff is a priority. In collaboration with the Office québécois de la langue française, we are reasserting our commitment to promoting the richness and vitality of the French language in everything we do.

Supporting local media

We are proud to be part of the Mouvement médias d’ici, which fosters and promotes the diversity and richness of local voices in culture. This initiative is a reflection of our willingness to increase puppetry’s outreach and to work with partners who share our values.