Stories that inspire
Fonds Michelle-Rossignol du Centre du Théâtre d'Aujourd'hui
The Centre du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui (CTD’A) has supported the creation, staging and dissemination of theater since 1968. Dedicated to homegrown theatre, it specializes in works from Quebec and French-speaking Canada. Michelle Rossignol headed CTD’A from 1989 to 1998, and most notably oversaw the theatre’s move to Saint-Denis street. This change helped cement its status as an institution. A major figure in Quebec’s cultural landscape, Ms. Rossignol also enjoyed an outstanding career in theatre, television and film.
Following her death on May 18, 2020, her partner Jacques Desmarais made an exceptional philanthropic gesture, donating all of Ms. Rossignol’s assets to the CTD’A. This historic gift of $1.4 M enabled the creation of the Fonds de dotation Michelle-Rossignol. The in-perpetuity fund will be managed by the Foundation of Greater Montréal, and will be eligible to benefit from matching programs as well as programs that incentivize philanthropy for the arts. The fund’s annual income will provide support for artists’ residences and writing bursaries for young female authors. It will also support workshops on writing for the theatre, new interpretations of major Québécois works, and more.
As Étienne Langlois, co-general manager and administrative director of CTD’A, points out, “thanks to the matching gift mechanism operating through granting entities, we will be able make sure that the money in this fund will grow and have an impact over the very long term. This is an extraordinary act of generosity that will ensure the sustained development both of the Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui and of creative work in our field”.
In November of 2021, the theatre revealed the names of the first 14 recipients of bursaries from the Fonds Michelle-Rossignol du Centre du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui. They will share awards of varying amounts, with a total of $100,000 being given out.