How noisy our existence is!
The noise of cash-printing machines artificially pumping up economic growth. The noise of the polished shoes of high dignitaries striking the asphalt of our life-less sidewalks. The noise of a few mouths stuffing themselves while we make do with the growling of our stomachs. Noise, noise. Noise so loud we can’t even hear ourselves think anymore.
But our decibels are different. The overdriven mic of a cool new protest band, DIY shows at accessible prices, loud and unifying improv matches, pot-and-pan orchestras, the furious choirs of 2012, or raves in squatted Airbnbs. Everything comes together in a joyful, living harmony.
On November 29, during the massive 50,000 person demonstration against the CAQ, we felt part of that fervor, the same fervor that is so intrinsic to art and that crosses borders. The energy of a society daring to dream of a better world, one that lets us hope for collective well-being. The frustration of a fallen world ready to collapse.
All over the world, artists are standing up in solidarity with every struggle and denouncing their own precarity. Some try to distract us, but identity-based reactions don’t interest us much. For decades, the cultural sector has been underfunded, performance venues have been closing at the pace of gentrification, and we’ve been eating rocks morning to night—barely scraping by. This semester, let’s stop lying flat and being loyal to these bourgeois. Let’s gather on the front lines of the barricades and fight for our survival!
That’s where Festigrève comes in!
As we head toward a new wave of student strikes in March and a possible social strike on May 1, 2026, we want to make sure these moments aren’t empty or without follow-up, but rather the starting gun of a new cultural era. An era where students, workers, and artists question themselves and unite against a world that impoverishes and divides us.
Our goal this semester is to coordinate tours in March with musical and improv artists from the new wave, ready to break their silence and share their dreams. We want to collaborate with various workers unions, student unions and grassroots movements to offer workshops during these shows, mobilization materials for audiences, and help with housing, food, and transportation for artists. We also aim to co-organize a show on May 1 with major names in engaged and Indigenous music. This will give us the opportunity to unite and create moments of collective gathering in the face of our common enemies.
Whether you are an artist, a student, or a worker looking to organize or host this in your community, join us in the celebration that is resistance and hope. Let’s be louder than our rumbling stomachs!
For more information or to get involved, visit our Instagram page @festigreve_strikefest
Email: festigreve@proton.me